UNStudio’s concept masterplan has been selected as the winning proposal in the competition for the development of Sochi Waterfront on the Russian Black Sea coast.

In the intervention proposal, Sochi Coast becomes SoCo: the ultimate destination, designed to create opportunities for locals and attractions for visitors. SoCo is a revitalising leisure resort that celebrates a healthy life, provides grades of luxury, fun, and glamour, as well as unique adventures and memorable experiences.

SoCo builds new trends on the backbone of existing resources. Nature, culture, and innovation are enhanced and integrated into SoCo’s identity. Embedded technology supports short and long terms targets and executes, monitors and enhances a built and green environment. But above all, SoCo is an inclusive community, ‘a place for all’.

▼项目概览，preview © ZOA

Sochi Coast, with its characteristic contemporary architecture, retail, gastronomic experiences, and extensive green areas is recognised as one of Russia’s most important holiday destinations and is considered to be the main anchor among the Black Sea Coast Resorts. In addition to being a well-known holiday destination, Sochi is famous for hosting the Winter Olympics in 2014, meaning that it also enjoys a considerable network of connections and existing infrastructure.

▼索契海岸被公认为俄罗斯最重要的度假胜地之一，Sochi Coast is recognised as one of Russia’s most important holiday destinations © ZOA

Sochi is also a historical seaport that is home to the most famous concert hall in the south of Russia, a museum of art, the Winter & Summer Theatre, and numerous other cultural venues. A goal of the masterplan is to integrate and activate these venues within the new development, in order to create a familiar yet strong and unified identity.

UNStudio’s waterfront masterplan proposal rebrands Sochi as a vibrant and inclusive mixed-use programme that focuses on hospitality, business and culture while benefiting from the grand cultural legacy of the existing context of the city. The goal of the city’s future development is to make Sochi the most progressive and international harbour for culture, technology, health, and innovation and to enrich the life of a local community and visitors.

▼整体规划，Masterplan © UNStudio

Design goals of the intervention are linked to the creation of a community that will rejuvenate the population and ensures the life cycle of different micro-neighbourhoods. Purposeful green areas will interconnect various smart green ecosystems, which have different lifestyles, while the presence of cultural, design, and innovative districts will encourage health, wellbeing, creativity, and tech innovation.