TERMAL'NYYE VANNY (Thermal Baths)
Rendered Perspective showing the winter baths along the Moscow River
Under the Instruction of Martha Schwartz
Independent Project | Fall 2015
Under Vladimir Putin’s regime, systemic homophobia has incited violence against the LGBT community across Russia, with Moscow becoming a focal point of state-sanctioned hostility. The lack of legal recourse for hate crimes has effectively stripped Moscow’s public sphere of safety, forcing sexual identity into the shadows. This project proposes a network of "safe havens" where self-expression is protected, drawing historical inspiration from the bathhouses of 1400s Florence, 1870s Paris, early 1900s New York, and 1970s San Francisco.
Situated on the Moscow River along the southeastern MKAD, Termal’nyye Vanny utilizes the site's natural topography to create a terraced condition that celebrates the transformative properties of water. The design translates the physical phases of water into a programmatic sequence along the riverbank. Furthermore, the project integrates a system of swales and rain gardens, ecologically cleansing urban runoff before it returns to the river.
**cover image created after the US' disastrous 2016 election #resist #impeach45 #fucktrump
Regional Context Map - Major forested areas
Urban Density Comparison
Moscow Density Analyses (FAR)
Regional Mobility Plan of Moscow
Moscow and the Oblast - Overall MKAD Plan
Mid-Review Design Development
Urban Scale Plan
Aerial Perspective - Intensified urban density
Focus Plan along the southeast corner of the MKAD
Detail plan showing the modular water programs that can be reconfigured based on specific needs, depending on the season
Cross Section through the Moscow River showing a program change through the seasons
Various Cross and Longitudinal Sections showing the different urban conditions and the rain gardens and swales
Presentation Models:
