The right bank of the Kazanka River has a great potential for its urban development: territorial and visual proximity to downtown, high accessibility from all directions, beautiful view on the river and historic city center, park zones, ponds, canals and waterfront walkways. Total area of the project is 300 hectares. The project envisages alluvium for new construction areas.

The winner of a tender for the project design was an American Architectural bureau NBBJ. In December of 2007, the NBBJ design was approved by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiyev.

The master plan of the Kazanka Riverfront views it as a new downtown and a “bridge” between the right and the left bank. As such, the master plan seeks to evolve into a new urban form of the riverfront development that would combine historic patterns of the left bank with more contemporary style of the right bank development. This new urban form creates a new vision of Kazan, a vision that is rooted in the rich history and culture of the city as well as the economic realities of today yet provides a strong and dynamic impulse for the future.

Factors of Success

• Maximize the length and size of riverfront.
• Preserve picturesque views onto the Kremlin and historic city center from the new right bank development.
• Take into account views onto the right bank development from the Kremlin, historic city and left bank development.
• Provide diversity of building types and heights.
• Introduce “landmark” buildings.
• Create a clear plan of dividing land into parcels.
• Ensure sequence of construction phases.
• Develop comprehensive transportation system.
• Provide adequate balance between new constructions and open space.
• Provide physical and visual access to the river between new constructions of the right bank.
• Provide balanced and thoughtful approach to a proposed Ecological Park.
• Develop mostly residential construction on the Kazanka River waterfront, with about 4,2 million sq. m. of living and commercial space.
• Project phases: 1st phase – construction of 1-2 storey buildings, 2nd and 3d phases – construction of multi-storey buildings. Each phase is divided into several stages.

The master plan proposes approximately ten areas, defined by peninsulas and landscape.

In the result, a continuous roadway loop will go around the entire riverfront.

A new automobile bridge is proposed between the Phase 1 development area and the new riverfront roadway on the left bank. A separate pedestrian bridge is also incorporated into the design. To minimize the impact of two river bridges, the master plan proposes that the bridges be connected in the center.

The Riverfront Parkway should accommodate a railroad transit system that can provide East/West circulation through the riverfront. A smaller bus circulation system would later connect the peninsulas and neighborhoods with the new railroad system and will be eventually incorporated into the existing public transit system of Kazan.