The Krugobaikalskaya railway (KBZD) is a section of the Trans-Siberian railway along Lake Baikal, launched in 1905. In 1956 the railway lost its transport importance, but it remains a unique engineering structure with many tunnels and bridges. The KBZD together with the nature of Lake Baikal attracts tourists from all over the world.
We developed tourist routes and corresponding architectural and urban planning solutions for the areas around the railway stations. We also created branding and a navigation system for the tourist destination to make travelling along Baikal by railway more comfortable and exciting.
Tourist route scenarios have been developed for each stopping point.
Stopping point platforms have been designed.
Unique and standard small architectural forms, installations, pavilions for local trade, as well as sites for separate waste collection along the railway were created.
Lighting principles have been defined along the entire route, including artistic illumination of historic galleries.
Thematic and event sites, viewing platforms and photo zones have been organised; squares, embankments and squares have been landscaped.
Ecotrails, bridges, piers and hiking routes from the railway to the national park and Lake Baikal have been built.
Concepts of positioning, branding of tourist destinations and navigation systems have been developed.
The KBZD is a unique territory in the zone of attraction of the transport system, where the engineering infrastructure of the railway, bridges and tunnels, a specially protected natural area and historical structures have come together. We combined a transport approach to the organisation of spaces with architectural solutions that continue the idea of revitalising the transport system.
Principles that guided us:
- Precise calculation of usage scenarios: the infrastructure around the stops should provide tourists with as much leisure time as the train stands at the station - no more and no less.
- Minimal interference with the ecological territory: sufficient eco-trails should be provided for independent exploration of the territory with minimal impact on nature, using environmentally friendly materials and technologies, while ensuring the comfort and safety of tourists.
We conducted an extensive study of the area, involving local experts and organising field surveys in different seasons. This resulted in a design methodology based on a balance of environmental legislation and analytical findings.
We worked out detailed scenarios for train movements and parking, calculated on a minute-by-minute basis, taking into account the season and daylight hours. Based on this data, a variety of activities were proposed for tourists at each station to make their stay interesting and fulfilling, combining exploration and relaxation.
Stopping points along the route were divided into two types:
Welcome-zones - unique solutions that are memorable and evoke associations with travelling along the KBZD are applied at key stations where railway stations are located. For large station areas, transport schemes and landscaping projects have been developed, including car parks, places for tourist buses to stop and bicycle pedestrian infrastructure. At such stations it is envisaged to create amusement zones, for example, a steam locomotive turning circle with an amphitheatre at the Port Baikal station.
Intermediate halts and stations - they are designed to minimise interference with the natural environment and have a uniform standard design.
Unique buildings with the status of cultural heritage objects can be found along the CBR route. We proposed to enrich them with new functionality, preserving their historical value and attracting tourists.
Every place on Baikal is a protected area, so all the eco-trails leading from the stations are designed with minimal interference with nature, without new construction - they are embankments, decks and wooden structures. It was important for us to clearly mark the routes for tourists, while minimising the anthropogenic load on the territory.
The project provides for the creation of viewing platforms at each station, as well as walking routes along which photo zones and art objects are designed, delicately integrated into the context of the stations. They help to reveal the idea and history of the route, as well as emphasise interesting angles and details of the surrounding landscape.
Particular attention was paid to expanding opportunities for longer stays for travellers. We proposed the concepts of travel hotels in unused tunnels and the organisation of glamping sites.
We developed branding and navigation system for the route. The logo was created based on the existing symbol of the Circum-Baikal railway, installed in the form of a stele. The navigation elements allow tourists to easily navigate the route and learn interesting facts about this unique territory.