Architecture

Zaha Hadid's only house is finally completed in Russia

Zaha Hadid's only house is finally completed in Russia
Capital Hill Residence is located in Barvikha Forest, a wealthy area near Moscow
Capital Hill Residence is located in Barvikha Forest, a wealthy area near Moscow
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Capital Hill Residence was conceived back in 2006 and has only just recently been declared officially complete
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Capital Hill Residence was conceived back in 2006 and has only just recently been declared officially complete
Capital Hill Residence measures 2,650 sq m (28,524 sq ft)
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Capital Hill Residence measures 2,650 sq m (28,524 sq ft)
Capital Hill Residence's master bedrooms are raised above the forest canopy to offer great views to its owners
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Capital Hill Residence's master bedrooms are raised above the forest canopy to offer great views to its owners
Much of the home is built into the hillside
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Much of the home is built into the hillside 
Capital Hill Residence is located in Barvikha Forest, a wealthy area near Moscow
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Capital Hill Residence is located in Barvikha Forest, a wealthy area near Moscow
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Zaha Hadid designed a lot of high-profile buildings throughout her career, but, surprisingly perhaps, only one private residence by the late starchitect has been completed to date. Named Capital Hill Residence, it's a remarkable-looking luxury house that features bedroom suites raised above the surrounding trees.

Though only recently declared officially complete, Capital Hill Residence was conceived in 2006. Informed by a wealthy client that he wanted to wake up in the morning and see only blue sky from his plot in Barvikha Forest, near Moscow, Hadid replied "You realize you have to be above the trees?". After receiving an affirmative answer, the architect immediately sketched what became Capital Hill Residence on a napkin.

The concrete and glass structure is classic Hadid: bold, unique, and sure to be divisive, it looks like some kind of futuristic spaceship has landed amongst the greenery. Its most eye-catching feature is the master bedroom suites that are raised on a skinny pillar above the 20 m (65 ft)-high trees that surround the house.

Much of the rest of the huge 2,650 sq m (28,524 sq ft) home is carved into the hillside. The first floor includes the primary living room, dining area, kitchen, entertainment spaces, and an indoor swimming pool. The second floor hosts a library, guest room, and children's rooms.

Capital Hill Residence was conceived back in 2006 and has only just recently been declared officially complete
Capital Hill Residence was conceived back in 2006 and has only just recently been declared officially complete

Alas, there are currently no interior photos available of Capital Hill Residence, which is a real shame as it's difficult to properly assess the home without them. However, the video below involves owner Vladislav Doronin and current Zaha Hadid Architects boss (and longtime Hadid collaborator) Patrik Schumacher discussing the project.

The pair reveal some interesting insights, including Hadid's steadfast refusal to alter her design despite being told it would be difficult to realize – indeed it was a "nightmare" to build says Doronin.

Sources: Zaha Hadid Architects, OKO Group

Vladislav Doronin's Capital Hill Residence Designed by Zaha Hadid

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3 comments
3 comments
nehopsa
There are also images of the interior on the Net - as stunning as the outside. (They popped up after I googled "Barvikha Forest".)
ljaques
Zaha Hadid and Frank Lloyd Wright are the only two building architects I have any respect for in the last 100 years. Joseph Strauss and Conde McCullough are two bridge architects I admired. This is a funky house (like Falling Water, way outside the norm) but I love it. It is evocative of ET and Star Trek in its exterior design, functional and playful.
Nelson Hyde Chick
It looks like something someone overcompensating for a small penis would want built for themselves.