2000 Reconstruction / ZROBIM Architects

Architects: ZROBIM architects
Area: 920 m²
Year: 2024
Photography: Olga Melekesceva
Lead Architects: Nikita Abanin, Anna Yeliseeva, Aleksei Korablev
Stylist: Katarina Kovaleva
Interior Brands: Boca bed, ATELIERTATI bedding, Furman chairs, Pluma floor lamp by Ribaudi for Estiluz, décor from gkconcept.ru
City: Moscow
Country: Russia

2000 Reconstruction by ZROBIM architects reimagines a substantial early-2000s residence located in the wooded Desyonovskoye settlement outside Moscow. The existing structure, originally built as a solid brick mansion with a copper roof, offered generous scale yet reflected an outdated spatial logic defined by numerous compartmentalized rooms. The studio approached the project with a goal of transforming the house into a contemporary dwelling capable of supporting flexible living patterns and a cohesive architectural character. The redesign established a clear organizational hierarchy across all levels, with open social spaces on the ground floor, private rooms on the upper level, and leisure functions in the basement. Exterior work concentrated on reducing decorative excess and selecting materials that strengthen the building’s connection to its forested surroundings. Through adjustments to geometry, circulation, and façade composition, the architects produced a residence that respects its inherited structure while bringing it in line with modern expectations for space, clarity, and atmosphere.

In reconstructing this early-2000s mansion, ZROBIM architects directed their efforts toward redefining both its spatial logic and architectural identity. The house stands on a spacious plot framed by mature trees, and while its original construction quality was striking, the compartmentalized interior layout reflected a design culture focused on isolated rooms rather than fluid living environments. This contrast between structural robustness and outdated planning became an important starting point for the redesign.

The architects revisited every programmatic component of the home, working closely with structural specialists to navigate the constraints of substantial load-bearing walls and intricate geometries. Their reorganization of the ground floor created a cohesive sequence that links the entrance, kitchen, dining area, living room, fireplace zone, and spa. This approach introduced clear visual orientations and an open domestic landscape reminiscent of enfilade compositions, replacing a network of disconnected spaces with a continuous spatial rhythm. Private rooms were consolidated on the upper level, while the basement evolved into a dedicated area for recreation.

The exterior received an equally considered transformation. Rounded corners from the original design were retained as a distinctive architectural feature, yet they required careful material selection. The façade now merges a volume finished in thermally treated ash with a plastered counterpart, resulting in a quieter and more unified expression. The vertical treatment of the wooden cladding responds to the surrounding forest, allowing the structure to integrate more naturally with its setting while reducing the visual fragmentation that had characterized the earlier appearance.

The project also incorporated targeted technical solutions that support both functionality and refinement. The spa block includes an overflow pool designed to maintain a continuous water surface aligned with the floor, enabled by a dedicated sub-basement housing mechanical equipment. Interior details were developed with equal precision, including a fireplace composition supported by glass bricks, chosen for their interaction with light and their ability to introduce a subtle sculptural element.

The architects view the project’s success in its comprehensive nature: landscape, architecture, and interior spaces operate together with the coherence of a new build, despite the constraints of working within an existing shell. The integration of staff areas and a technical floor strengthens this seamlessness, allowing the house to function with contemporary clarity. The timeline from initial concept to completion within roughly eighteen months further underscores the coordinated effort behind the reconstruction.

Among the lighter moments during the process, the early stages provided a memorable episode when the client, eager to accelerate progress, phoned the architect the day after their first meeting to ask which sanitary fixtures should be purchased. At that point, the vast four-level structure had only just been evaluated, making the urgency of the question an amusing contrast to the scale of work still ahead.