A Space for Critical
Design Thinking
Otrakkala
Olga Vakhrameeva
Otrakkala
Olga Vakhrameeva

The project aims to explore a non-standard resettlement solution. Olga's concept involves creating a small city-scale structure, referred to as a "domain", in an area near the abandoned village of Otrakkala. This domain is envisioned as Olga's personal interpretation of an ideal "village-scale city". The central idea behind the domain is to encircle the city around a shared macro space, specifically the Karelian forest. The perimeter of the domain consists of wooden condo towers and stone residential and public stylobates, all connected by a tram ring. The architectural design of Otrakkala challenges traditional urban planning by eliminating the typical hierarchy found in central and linear cities, instead transforming the circle into a hollow perimeter of the ring. This project seeks to redefine the boundaries between urban and rural living, local and global architectural influences, typology in construction, urban structure, and the relationship between humans and the natural environment.