The Horizons Park in Kazan: green alleys, a greenhouse with rare plants, a bridge and a fountain-mirror

Michel Pena, an outstanding landscape architects of our time, developed the project of the Horizons Park for the capital of Tatarstan. It is one of 12 coastal parks that will be established along the Kazanka River. Today, Michel Pena introduced the concept to the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, journalists and bloggers.

Seven green horizons of the new park

The new park will be located on 40 ha along the right bank of the river from the Millennium Bridge to the Kremlin Dam. According to the idea of the architect, the Horizons Park will include seven green alleys, a large dune with a green amphitheater, a water lens around the Kazan Family Center and a greenhouse. As Michel Pena noted, in this project it is important to create a landscape for citizens of Kazan, to combine environmental and social challenges – to make the space as natural, useful and functional as possible.

“The parks along the Kazanka River are a very important ensemble, but the Horizons Park has a special status, as it is located opposite the Kremlin. This is a special, delicate and important location”, - M.Pena emphasized.

The park derives its name from the seven green lines of the horizon, which are proposed to be created with the help of seven alleys along the entire coastal zone. The further away from the water and closer to the buildings, the higher the plants will be. The conifers that would be planted here will protect visitors from wind, noise and dust.

According to the architect, it is important to create “green windows” for the access of people to water. Michel Pena proposed to turn all the streets facing S.Khakim Street into landscaped alleys ending in small piers.

The park will have a sports ground, recreation areas and a playground, cozy corners and viewing sites, bird watching posts, canopies, gardens and a sand theater. In addition, it is planned to create a large dune with a green amphitheater and public spaces inside, as well as a big greenhouse with rare plants, which residents and visitors of the city will be able to visit at any time of the year.

Special attention in the concept is paid to the square near the Kazan Family Center. Events will still be held here, but the area will become more attractive and functional.

The author of the concept also shared the idea of planting conifers on the slopes of the Lenin Dam and organizing pedestrian and bicycle links between the Family Center and the Kremlin. It should be noted that the bike lane of the Horizons Park will become part of the Blue Lakes – Volga bike route.

“We strive for the highest level”

Ilsur Metshin thanked the French landscape architect for the concept presented. “If I had been told 10 years ago that Michel Pena, an outstanding master, a world-class architect, would come to us, and we would work on the park together, I would have said that it can’t be true”, - said the Mayor of Kazan.

The landscape architect has been working on the concept since autumn of 2020. According to the technical task of the Kazan Executive Committee, the future park and embankment along Sibgat Khakim Street should transform the sandy wasteland into a eco-friendly and functional space.

During his visit to Kazan, Michel Pena got acquainted with the territory of all 12 parks that are planned to be created along the Kazanka River, met with ecologists and cultural experts to study the area.