ARSENAL AREA

AVG GROUP OF COMPANIES CREATED A NEW PUBLIC SPACE IN THE HISTORICAL PART OF KYIV

In the center of Pechersk is one of the oldest squares in Kyiv – Arsenalnaya. It is located at the intersection of Mykhailo Hrushevskoho, Ivan Mazepa, Moskovska and Inzhenerna Lane streets.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL OVERVIEW

The exact date of the organization of the square is not recorded – historians date this event to the XVIII century. Most likely, the square was formed with the appearance of the Kyiv Fortress and St. Nicholas Gate (1850), which were the main entrance to the fortress from the side of the Mariinsky Palace. At that time it was called Mykilska Street, because one of the oldest streets in Kyiv began here – Mykilska Street, which in 1919, with the advent of communist rule, was renamed the January Uprising. In honor of the attempt to organize a communist uprising in January 1918 with the participation of workers of the Arsenal plant against the Central Council of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. Today, the street is named after the great Hetman Ivan Mazepa.

The exact date of the organization of the square is not recorded – historians date this event to the XVIII century. Most likely, the square was formed with the appearance of the Kyiv Fortress and St. Nicholas Gate (1850), which were the main entrance to the fortress from the side of the Mariinsky Palace. At that time it was called Mykilska Street, because one of the oldest streets in Kyiv began here – Mykilska Street, which in 1919, with the advent of communist rule, was renamed the January Uprising. In honor of the attempt to organize in January 1918 a communist uprising with the participation of workers of the Arsenal plant against the Central Council of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. Today, the street is named after the great Hetman Ivan Mazepa.

In the period from 1919 to 1964 it was called Revolution Square, then, from 1964 to 1991 – Heroes of the Arsenal Square. It received its current name only in 1991, after the proclamation of Independence.

Arsenal area for reconstruction

In the center of the square was a monument to the workers of the Arsenal plant. Now he is crowned by a cannon, but the pedestal was not built for this purpose. A monument to Colonel Ivan Iskra and Judge General Vasyl Kochubey was erected at this place. After the destruction of the monument, a plaster monument to Ivan Mazepa stood on the pedestal. It was also destroyed and on the pedestal in 1923 installed one of the guns that were in service with the pro-Bolshevik workers of the plant.

From June 18, 2019, a new inscription in Ukrainian has been installed on the monument:

«22 січня (4 лютого) 1918 року українськими військовими під керівництвом Симона Петлюри та Євгена Коновальця був придушений підступний московсько-більшовицький заколот на заводі «Арсенал» проти Української Державності. ГЕРОЯМ СЛАВА!

«Справа здобуття Української Державності – це справа нації української, а не якогось класу чи партії»

Симон Петлюра

Від вдячних українських військових»

After the opening of the metro station in 1960 (one of the first and deepest in the city – 105.5 m), the area became an important transport hub of Kyiv.

The building of the ground lobby of the metro station is located in the center of the square. This one-story square pavilion, which ends in a hemispherical dome, was designed by architects Gennady Granatkin, Stanislav Krushynsky and Natalia Shchukina. Sculptors Ivan Makogon and Andriy Nimenko worked on the decoration. Since 1986, the station building has been called an architectural monument of local significance.

Nearby are the former St. Nicholas barracks or the building of the military commandant’s office.

RENOVATION OF THE SQUARE

AVG Group’s Arsenal renovation concept aimed to change the functional significance of the area: to transform it from a transit transport hub into a modern public space and to integrate the building of the former military barracks into the city space, which is being restored and changed.

To do this, AVG conceptual architects studied the urban aspects of the historical and cultural area of the center of Kyiv and decided to return the dominant value of the historic building of the Commandant’s Office. During construction, the shape of the building organized the area in front of it.

However, over time, Arsenal lost its integrity. Initially, the access of ordinary citizens to the monument of architecture and urban planning was closed by a fence, and with the construction of the ground pavilion of the metro station, the center of the square narrowed only to the pedestrian zone in front of the subway.

In our concept, urban accents changed and the potential of Arsenal Square as a public space was revealed. The outlines of the historic building of the Commandant’s Office are repeated in the lines of colored paving, creating an integral space of the entire area, including the part behind the ground pavilion of the metro.

Thanks to this decision, we have achieved several positive changes:

– opeed access to the entire historic building of the Commandant’s Office and St. Nicholas Gate;

– created a circular tour of the pavilion of the Arsenalna metro station, which is also an architectural monument, the artistic decoration of which was worked on by famous sculptors of the mid-twentieth century;

– merged Arsenal Square into a single public space;

– created a multifunctional space in the historic center of Kyiv.

The renewed street lighting of the square creates a cozy atmosphere. In addition to the artistic lighting integrated into the paving, flower beds, trees, a monument, the commandant’s office building and the ground pavilion of the metro are illuminated.

For the first time in its history, the building of the former military commandant’s office will have a civilian purpose. The renovated premises will house leisure facilities and public centers. There is also access to the St. Nicholas Gate, built in 1846-1850 by architect Peter Tamansky under the direction of military engineer Otto Freiman.

One of the main tasks in the development of the renovation project was the organization of barrier-free space of the square, as well as the organization of access to the building of the former military commandant’s office of all categories of citizens. AVG architects leveled the existing significant difference in height with gentle ramps that stretched almost the entire length of the historic building. Thanks to this solution, as well as the color design of the floor, the area is perceived as a whole and devoid of steps.

The landscaping project also has several features. The organization of flower beds aims to update and supplement the greenery and increase the area of grass cover in the area. In addition to the lawn, dozens of oaks, birches, plane trees and shrubs are planted in the flower beds.

Visualization of the renovation of Arsenal Square

For the first time in its history, the building of the former military commandant’s office will have a civilian purpose. The renovated premises will house leisure facilities and public centers. There is also access to the St. Nicholas Gate, built in 1846-1850 by architect Peter Tamansky under the direction of military engineer Otto Freiman.

One of the main tasks in the development of the renovation project was the organization of barrier-free space of the square, as well as the organization of access to the building of the former military commandant’s office of all categories of citizens. AVG architects leveled the existing significant difference in height with gentle ramps that stretched almost the entire length of the historic building. Thanks to this solution, as well as the color design of the floor, the area is perceived as a whole and devoid of steps.

The landscaping project also has several features. The organization of flower beds aims to update and supplement the greenery and increase the area of grass cover in the area. In addition to the lawn, dozens of oaks, birches, plane trees and shrubs are planted in the flower beds.

The second stage of the renovation of Arsenal Square will be the construction of the so-called dry fountain behind the subway pavilion. According to the concept, it will be one of the main wow-effects of the updated space, as it will have variable operating scenarios. Thus, the area will significantly expand and become a public and social center in the historic part of Kyiv.