New Holland — two man-made islands in the Neva delta. They were formed as a result of two canals being dug in 1719 between the Neva and the Moika River for the needs of shipbuilders: the Kryukov and Admiralty canals. Proximity to the Admiralty, convenience of land and water access, relative fire safety, and a vast territory made it an ideal candidate for building a warehouse complex designated for ship timber.
After the two canals were dug, the warehouses were moved to the newly formed island. There are several versions of the island’s name origin. At that time, the speech of invited specialists from Holland was constantly heard on the island’s territory, suspension bridges were built across the canals, and soon the people of St. Petersburg called the island nothing but New Holland. According to another version, by Peter I’s order, a wooden house was built on the island where the tsar rested when visiting the nearby Galley Yard. The surrounding area reminded him of Holland, so the tsar’s house was called the Dutch House, and the island — New Holland.
The island was finally formed after Peter I’s death. By the 1730s, New Holland had been transferred to the Maritime Board and remained a closed zone for many years. It was here that the first wooden barns for storing ship timber appeared, built by architect Ivan Korobov. Construction of seven warehouse buildings along the island’s perimeter, where timber was stored, took place from 1732 to 1738.
Traveler Karl Reinhold Bergh described the island he saw in the 1730s as follows: “Opposite the canal near the mentioned hemp and rigging warehouses lies New Holland, that is, barns for oak ship timber — both roughly hewn and in large logs and boards. These barns are wooden, but all walls are latticed so that air can ventilate the premises well and dry the boards. In winter and damp weather, all these openings are closed by lowering canvas.”
In 1732, the Admiralty commissioned architect Ivan Korobov to build a network of basins (including the Admiralty Canal) and a number of warehouses along the island’s perimeter for the needs of the Galley Yard shipbuilders. Most of the island’s territory was built up with sheds storing ship timber, tools, and various devices for shipbuilding and repair. Over time, space became insufficient, and in 1763 it was decided to carry out a comprehensive reconstruction of the island, replacing all buildings with stone ones. The new warehouse complex was based on a project by S. I. Chevakinsky. He proposed the idea of drying timber not in stacks but vertically (“in cones”), thus increasing the capacity of the warehouses and preventing wood rot.
However, by the 1750s, these warehouses had become dilapidated. They were demolished, and it was decided to build stone structures. Reconstruction of the island began ten years later. On October 27, 1763, the Admiralty Board entrusted Savva Chevakinsky (a student of Korobov) with the construction of stone warehouses “arranged in the same way as the previous sheds, only on stone pillars.”
The architect developed innovative designs for vertical log storage. The project was accepted only in its fourth revision, and instead of organizing construction, Chevakinsky had to give way to the new court favorite — Jean-Baptiste Michel Vallin de la Mothe,
who created designs for classical portals and arched facade decorations facing the canals. De la Mothe reworked Chevakinsky’s project, aiming to keep the facades in his favored classical style. However, inaccuracies in measurements and fundamental discrepancies between the plans of the first and second architects of New Holland led to the dismissal of both and the involvement of a third specialist — Johann Gerard (Ivan Kondratyevich Gerard). There is a legend that the chief construction supervisor, Ioann Gerard, lost the architect’s project at the start of work. Not wanting to admit the loss, Gerard allegedly built from memory and succeeded: upon inspecting the finished buildings, Vallin de la Mothe had no complaints. In another version, a copy of Chevakinsky’s drawings was found in the board, and Gerard had to complete those drawings. Gerard’s drawings were approved in spring 1767.
The painstaking refinement of Chevakinsky’s and De la Mothe’s plans resulted in full approval of the project. By 1773, the warehouses began to be used for their intended purpose.
The facade finishing was done according to Vallin de la Mothe’s design (the warehouse facades are made as an arcade of semicircular door openings). He also conceived the famous arch thrown over the canal connecting the inner basin (“Kovsh”) with the Moika River.
The New Holland Arch was built between 1779 and 1787. Its height is 23 meters, and the span width is over 8 meters. The architectural composition combines the image of an ancient Roman triumphal arch framed by powerful paired granite three-quarter Tuscan order columns and a “Palladian window” inserted into the arch opening with entablature segments. The power and at the same time elegance of this structure produce a somewhat severe but truly monumental impression. On the walls of the pylons are semicircular niches with casings and keystones decorated with garlands of light stone; the upper part of the arch is highlighted by a profiled belt, keystone, and a relief garland made of light limestone. The arch project was adjusted by military engineer I. K. Gerard two years after construction (Gerard discovered that the project dimensions of the island and canals by Chevakinsky and Vallin de la Mothe did not correspond to reality).
The buildings were constructed of red brick and lacked the plaster finishing typical of that time. The warehouses began operation in 1773, although construction was only completed by 1779 (according to other sources — by 1784). The construction of the portal was especially labor-intensive. The columns were laid from granite blocks, each weighing about 4 tons. In 1783, the structure was reinforced by M. N. Vetoshnikov (in fact, due to the second Russo-Turkish war, the project remained unfinished). Overall, the project was never fully realized — wars with Turkey and Sweden in 1788–1789 interfered. Work on the complex’s inner basin was also unfinished, and even its walls remained unplastered.
In the 19th century, the warehouse buildings west of the portal were converted into uniform shops, while the buildings to the east and along the Kryukov Canal housed shops selling carriages.
Between 1805 and 1808, A. D. Zakharov rebuilt several buildings of the complex. In 1830, in the western part of the island, on the site of the boat sheds, military department architect Alexander Staubert built a naval prison — a ring-shaped three-story building for 500 people.
More details here: https://reveal.world/story/morskaya-tyur-ma-ili-gde-zagonyali-v-butylku.
However, the prison was not used for its intended purpose until the 1860s: it housed military arrest companies of the Petersburg regiment, a temporary hospital, a gymnastics team, a sewing workshop, and warehouses. Only in 1863 was the building reconstructed for prison needs. A commandant’s mansion was attached close to the tower. Due to the unusual shape of the building, the prison was popularly nicknamed “the bottle,” and according to one version, the expression “don’t get into the bottle” originated here. The naval department’s military correctional prison became “the first prison in Russia built on the principles of the proper penitentiary system adopted in the best prisons of European states.” Imprisoned sailors performed carpentry, turning, rigging work, and learned new professions.
Military engineer M. A. Pasypkin attempted to complete the ensemble by building in 1847, at the confluence of the canals, a building with a rounded corner decorated with a tall opening framed by pairs of columns; he also planned to build a long building along the Admiralty Canal, but the project was not realized.
At the initiative of Dmitry Mendeleev and Admiral Makarov, a research center with a unique indoor basin for working with ship models began operating in New Holland. Here, Mendeleev worked with various types of gunpowder in a special laboratory under the naval department. The “Experimental Basin” became the first research center in Russia for testing ship models.
Under the guidance of engineer A. Grekhnev, tests of the battleship “Poltava” and cruiser “Rossiya” were conducted here. On March 8, 1894, Emperor Alexander III inspected the “Basin,” and since then this date is considered the founding time of the Krylov Central Research Institute. By 1897, tests of the squadron battleship “Oslyabya” models were completed.
A fire in the early 20th century seriously damaged the island’s warehouse premises, but soon the systems were rebuilt and improved with metal structures. At that time, a radio station appeared on New Holland’s territory, maintaining communication with the Baltic and Black Sea fleets.
This radio station played a significant historical role in the revolutionary events of 1917: from here, Vladimir Lenin addressed the fleet with the news that the revolution had succeeded.
During the Soviet era, New Holland was a closed zone, housing warehouses of the Leningrad naval base.
During the Great Patriotic War and the Siege of Leningrad, New Holland suffered serious damage; warehouses near the Moika and Kryukov canals, the basin, and the radio station were damaged.
Architectural concepts for transforming the complex into a cultural center have existed since at least 1989, when a project by V. B. Fabritsky was developed.
Until December 2004, the complex was occupied by Baltic Fleet services. On December 12, all military-occupied facilities were transferred to the city, and city authorities announced that the New Holland ensemble would be put up for competition for the best architectural solution and the best project for using the complex’s premises.
On December 24, a fire broke out in New Holland, destroying part of the buildings (about 3,000 m² of warehouses burned down). The fire caused serious damage to the historic island: most of New Holland’s buildings fell into a deplorable state. It was announced that the investor would be allowed to demolish late 19th-century buildings, as they were not of great value.
Even before the competition was announced, the authorities expressed several mandatory conditions for applicants: creating a public-business multifunctional complex on the island’s territory, including a Festival Palace of a certain size, participation in the architect’s team ranked in the World Architecture 300 Survey and experienced in working with architectural monuments.
During site preparation in August-September 2006, numerous buildings not considered architectural monuments were demolished so investors could build in the freed “gap.” The demolition caused controversy, as some buildings were of historical interest: the Krylov experimental basin, the laboratory where D. I. Mendeleev worked, and the radio station equipped during World War I. The position of the Committee for State Control, Use, and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of St. Petersburg (KGIOP) was voiced by Boris Matveev: “We freed the Chevakinsky ensemble from buildings that did not relate to it, cleared the territory of unnecessary buildings, leaving the main ones — that is our St. Petersburg approach.”
According to Mikhail Milchik, under whose leadership specialists from the “Specproektrestavratsiya” institute conducted an examination for KGIOP in 2005, the examination proposed not to demolish Mendeleev’s laboratory, the experimental basin workshop, the radio station building, and to make the Commandant’s House and the round prison protected objects: the prison, in particular, “being a later structure, fit into the ensemble.”
The demolition of historic buildings was noted by international organizations. For example, Lord Norwich from the English representation of the World Monuments Fund stated: “It is very regrettable that the radio station, from where the Bolsheviks announced their victory in 1917, and Dmitry Mendeleev’s laboratory were recently destroyed. We support initiatives to create new buildings in Petersburg but emphasize that this city must preserve its uniqueness if it wants to remain the city we know.”
The opportunity to participate in New Holland’s reconstruction attracted many famous architects: Erick van Egeraat, Norman Foster, Michael Zimmerman.
The announced competition was won by British architect Foster’s project, which provided for the creation of commercial and business spaces on the island, as well as the construction of a public-business complex including a Festival Palace. In March 2007, this project won first prize in the “Commercial and Entertainment Real Estate” category at the MIPIM real estate exhibition in Cannes. For the first time in the competition’s 17-year history, a project intended for Russia won. However, due to financing difficulties, Foster’s project was not implemented.
Foster’s project was to be implemented by LLC “ST New Holland,” owned by Shalva Chigirinsky, but it faced difficulties. In September 2008, it became known that the project’s cost and deadlines had doubled; in July 2009, the project was frozen due to the arrest of Chigirinsky’s accounts; and in February 2010, Foster’s project was deemed unrealistic and sent for revision to the “Mosproject-2” management. In October 2010, a new competition for the island’s reconstruction was announced, won by LLC “New Holland Development,” part of the Millhouse LLC group and owned by Roman Abramovich. According to the tender conditions, the company was to invest 12 billion rubles in the island’s reconstruction over 7 years. In spring 2011, LLC “New Holland Development,” together with the Iris Foundation and The Architecture Foundation, announced the start of an architectural project competition for the island.
The shortlist included four architectural bureaus: “Studio 44” by Nikita Yavein, David Chipperfield Architects (England), MVRDV (Netherlands), and WorkAC (USA). The competition was won by WORKac. The master plan implied creating a “city within a city” with maximum preservation of the island’s historic buildings, creating a public park in its center, and using the preserved buildings as museums, offices, galleries, residences, and retail spaces. In 2014, based on WorkAC’s master plan, the Dutch company West 8, specializing in landscape design, developed a restoration and reorganization project for the island.
On July 16, 2011, for the first time in almost 300 years, New Holland opened to visitors. By that time, all historic buildings were under reconstruction. A natural lawn of 5,000 square meters was laid for visitors, and several shipping containers housed shops, cafes, a gallery with a project by designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, and a sports equipment rental point. Additionally, ping-pong tables, volleyball and pétanque courts, folding deck chairs, and a concrete “pit” for campfires were available. The first summer season closed on October 2, with 147,000 visitors in two and a half months.
The island was opened to visitors in the same format in the summers of 2012 and 2013. During these years, an open stage, skate pool, bike trial and parkour area, weekend market, food court, coworking space, bookstore appeared on the territory; concerts, sports tournaments, exhibitions, children’s camps, and other events were held.
From 2013 to 2016, the island was closed to visitors. During this time, large-scale reorganization work was carried out. Engineering and technical networks were laid, a linden alley was planted, the embankments of the Admiralty Canal and the Basin were restored, lawns and a grass garden were planted, a ship-shaped playground was built, temporary park structures (stage, pavilion for exhibitions and lectures, information center, food and drink kiosks) were installed, underground toilets were equipped, paths were laid, and restoration of historic buildings began. In 2014, as part of the “New Holland Development” project, a concept was proposed to protect visitors from St. Petersburg’s bad weather. The authors suggested covering the inner courtyard with a glass roof. After the landscaping work was completed, the island park became accessible to visitors on August 27, 2016.
In December 2016, after restoration, the former smithy building opened, housing a restaurant; in April 2017, the former commandant’s house of the prison opened, hosting the “Mayak” children’s supplementary education center; and in July 2017, the former naval prison (“the Bottle”) opened, with cafes, shops, sports studios, and beauty salons on three floors.
Besides the park, the island functions as a concert, educational, and cinema venue. Annual concerts, film festivals, lectures, sports activities, children’s events, theatrical performances, exhibitions, master classes, and other events take place on New Holland’s territory. Each year, several art objects by Russian and foreign artists are installed on the island. In August 2022, the city lounge “Community” began operating in the assembly hall of “House 12” — a public space where one can work, listen to lectures, and hold events. Since 2022, an ice rink operates on the island in winter.
Sources:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Новая_Голландия
https://www.citywalls.ru/house4111.html
