Kazanka embankment

Context

Over a stretch of more than 3.5 km, the development of the riverbanks had to meet the main challenge of being built on a concrete embankment — a technical structure essential for managing major floods. We introduced landscaping wherever possible and proposed an approach that strengthens uses related to sport and physical activity, while also placing strong emphasis on cultural programming. This work represented the first step in implementing the Kazanka River Development Strategy.

A sport and cultural embankment

Along the most remote section of the promenade, we developed a strategy for active recreation to make the most of the long linear stretch already used by cyclists, skateboarders, and scooter riders. The linearity of the space is broken up by new perpendicular pedestrian connections and newly developed access parking areas.

At the main entry points, event stages, fountains, pavilions, and kiosks were designed by the agency, along with custom seating furniture created specifically for the riverbank. Several football fields of various sizes, a sand volleyball court, and pétanque courts punctuate the promenade. For younger children, a sandy playground was created, featuring climbing structures made from large oak trunks reclaimed from nearby forests — a nod to local shipbuilding traditions and the historic use of Kazan oaks for that purpose.

For extreme sports enthusiasts, at the far end of the promenade beneath a large highway bridge, we designed Uram Park, the largest urban sports park in Europe, in partnership with the specialist agency Legato Sports Architecture.

Finally, a landmark placemaking installation was created: the Kazanka Gates, symbolizing the city’s reconnection with the river (see dedicated project page). These designed "balconies" offer scenic views of the water and invite visitors to pause and enjoy an integrated audio system that tells stories and legends of the river, developed in collaboration with the City Theatre.

A green amphitheatre and new bike ramp

On a section of the embankment, we designed a panoramic green amphitheatre to create a smooth transition between the upper and lower levels of the structure. We integrated a ramp-bridge for bicycles and strollers. Its gentle curve, combined with slender metal supports arranged in a seemingly random pattern, creates a forest-like effect that blends delicately into the landscaped surroundings.

On an existing monumental staircase that was often vandalized with graffiti, we commissioned a large mural by a local artist, inspired by a poem from a Tatar poet about the river. In the four years since, the staircase has not been vandalized again.