Next-generation 400-meter skyscraper to be built in Moscow
Moscow’s Architectural Council has given the green light to a project seeking to construct a new skyscraper near the Bagration Bridge in the Russian capital’s International Business Center area, more commonly known as the Moscow-City district.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by the city’s chief architect Sergey Kuznetsov, who said the proposed 400-meter-high building “completely corresponds” to the city’s initiative to create a new generation of high-rises in Moscow.
“We are looking for these new forms, which also have undeniable continuity,” Kuznetsov said during an Architectural Council Meeting, adding that city planners want these buildings to have a signature Moscow style, combining modern and relevant architecture.
The building, which has the working title ‘Palette’ until it receives an official name, will be one of the tallest skyscrapers in Moscow following its completion, beating its future neighbor, the Federation Tower, which stands at 373 meters.
However, it will fall short of the 442-meter One Tower, which is currently under construction, and the Ostankino Television Tower, which is considered the tallest freestanding structure in Europe and the 12th tallest in the world at 540 meters.
Sergey Choba, head of the SPEECH bureau, which developed the project, said the 80-story building will have a “dynamically complex” structure. It will follow the tradition of other Moscow skyscrapers, which have “massive multi-stage volume” and become thinner towards the top of the building. The skyscraper will also have different profiles from various angles, Choba said.
He also revealed that the tower will have an internal area of 196,000 square meters and will house a multi-functional complex with retail facilities, offices, fitness centers and cafes.
The project is expected to be finished by 2030 and will be built by Hals-Development LLC, one of the largest developers in Moscow, specializing in residential and commercial real estate.
The Moscow International Business Center or Moscow-City is a 600,000-square-meter area located in the western part of the Russian capital on the Presnenskaya Embankment of the Moskva River. The complex is home to the five highest skyscrapers in Europe. The project was first conceived in 1991 on the orders of the Moscow government and development saw a major boost over the past 10 years as private investors injected billions of dollars into the area.
