I've been trying to avoid construction site pictures, but here is an exception. Work has begun on the site of the Wedding Palace, 250m twisting tower.
by
Mr. MyXin, July 23 2007
and a few renders
The FederationTower is for some reason missing from a number of them
http://www.city-palace.ru/
Project concept
The multi-functional complex with the Moscow Wedding Palace and underground parking, located on Plots Nos. 2,3 of MIBC Moscow-City between the pier-pavilion of the trade-and-pedestrian bridge Bagration and the Central Core and boarding on the Aqua-Park and Expocenter act as ‘pedestrian gates’ of the Business Center, linking these different-level projects both among themselves, and to the new underground station by means of the trade-and-pedestrian crossing-passages, and on the new Public Square level to the cinema-concert complex and to the new Moscow Government building. Amphitheatre-stairway formed in this way acts as a transitional element between the pavilion of the Bagration bridge and the Moscow Government building.
Such a complicated town-building context resulting from mixture of view perspectives and town-building axes in the complex of different-scale high-rise buildings, claiming a dominant role, calls the design authors for a definite self-restriction in relation to volumes. The Tower being 48 stories in height, does not try to take part in the ‘who is higher’ competition, but complements harmoniously the composition formed out of different-height volumes, making an elegant frame to the Public Square from the western side, and at the same time making no obstacle to the view perspectives and pedestrian axes, oriented for the Government building, cupola of the cinema-concert complex and the Federation Tower.
Without limiting themselves to the role of background architecture, the project authors have set themselves a task of creating a project, which will become really known and internationally recognizable symbolic building of contemporary Moscow, drawing inspiration in the images derived from the helicoidal cupolas of St. Basil Cathedral (a historically formed symbol of Moscow) and in the sweeping silhouette of Tatlin’s Tower (symbol of Russian avant-garde architecture). The idea of the evolutional helix, which geometry is built on mathematically proven harmony principles and symbolizes in itself progress and drive for the future, has acquired a new sound in the concept of the Wedding Palace Complex.
The helicoidal tower, embodying the idea of ‘architecture like music which came to a standstill’ personifies in itself a union of two origins: in the sculptural composition one can read interlacement of arms, embracement and dance of newly-weds. In the pair of spiral-twisted opposite facades, ‘dissolving’ into the sky above the tower roofing, one (the higher) personifies the image of a ‘bridgeroom’, while the other resembles the silhouette of a ‘finance’ with the wedding dress train trailing up to the gala stairway foundation of the Wedding Palace.
The idea of the Wedding Palace location belongs to the Mayor of Moscow — Mr. Luzhkov. The underlying aspiration of the Mayor is to harmoniously bring together the business atmosphere with the ceremonial and festive: «Life does not end after close of business in the offices». It is due to the Wedding Palace that the present architecture of the Tower and the Palace was born.
Innovations
However whilst there is sensuality in the form of the building there is innovation in its function:
The ‘twist’ addresses the urban plan with the orthogonal grid at the plaza level and, throughout its height, each of the adjoining towers in turn
The ‘twist’ extends the period of daylight available to all facades
The ‘twist’ provides uniquely different views per storey
The ‘train’ creates a unique atrium linked to the entrance lobby
The roof form creates a spectacular and premium space
Each floor delivers 1,512 sq m to 1,586 sq m of rentable international Class A office space that is divisible into no more than 2 separate leases
Leasable-to-total floor ratio is an impressive 75%
Floor-to-ceiling height is a generous 2.9 m
Innovative unitized cladding system engineered for ready buildability and replacement
Air intake/outtake at each storey level ensures a dedicated AC system
Latest ‘double-decker’ lift system achieves better-than-class performance
Architectural features of the Project
The concept of the Palace is two-level structure in the space of a huge atrium, which tracery glass covering with backstays, like a train of a bridal veil, unites the tower and the squire in front of the Palace, protecting the entrance group with its canopy and opening a grandiose view over the tower’s sculptural composition through the lace of frameless glazing with ‘spider’-spacers.
Layouts for the future Wedding Palace are being developed at the order of the Head Management for the Moscow City Civil Registry Office, which suggested the organization of two luxury halls for wedding ceremony. The total area of the Wedding Palace will be equal to 2,000 sq m, so it will be the largest Wedding Palace in Moscow. Upon completion of the ceremonial part, the newly-weds will be able to have a wedding breakfast on the very top of the Tower in a luxury restaurant with sweeping panoramic views of oscow from its windows, or in one of the restaurants located in the stylobate part of the complex. The concept of the Tower facade uses double-skin unitized glazing, allowing to provide a three-dimensional geometry of helix.
The Public Square will unite the new building of the Mayor’s Office with the Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment. The amphitheatre stairway formed in this way acts as a transitional element uniting the square around the pavilion of the trade-and-pedestrian bridge Bagration with the esplanade of the new city square, in advance of the entrance to the new building of the Mayor’s Office. These two levels are also connected by means of escalators and travelators along the Eastern border of Plot No. 2. During project development, special attention has been given to landscaping of the Public Squire: there will be here both a apple orchard to end up the romantic marriage ceremony, and a waterfall running down the stairs. The trade-and-pedestrian space under the new Public Square can be accessed from the street on three sides of the complex at level 125.60 m, from which by means of walking through a string of atria threaded on a pedestrian axes of trade malls, one can make it to the Central Core and the Aqua-Park.
The link to the metro station is realized at level 121.00 m and has been put into service since the end of 2005. The main entrance to the Tower vestibule locates on the side of the traffic way along the Central Core at level 130.60 m. The entrance to the future museum of MIBC Moscow-City, which will be located on the area of 2,000 sq m, at level 130.60 m will be located on the side of an esplanade of the public square. The museum is called to highlight all the importance of MIBC for the city of Moscow, provide the information on its creation for all who are interested, to trace the evolution of each plot — from concept to realization. The Museum will also become the place of socially important activities for the City.
All the levels are connected among themselves by means of escalators and panoramic lifts, located in the atria, each of them is decorated in the center with a fountain or a sculptural composition, thus identifying itself for convenience of pedestrians and trade center customers.
Construction of the complex will be conducted in two phases.
Basic structural decisions
Foundation: under stylobate — reinforced concrete raft; under tower — reinforced concrete piled raft
General systems: reinforced concrete frame system braced by core walls
Bearing structures: stylobate — solid-cast reinforced concrete frame system with diaphragm plates; tower — solid-cast reinforced concrete central structural core
Slabs: solid-cast reinforced concrete
Stairs: reinforced concrete
Building envelope: glazed curtain walling system
Roofing: membrane roof over insulated reinforced concrete framed structure
Basic engineering decisions
Heating: centralized with the use of high-efficient plate heat exchangers, energy-saving pumps with inverter speed control
Water supply: centralized; automatic sprinkler fire-fighting system.
Sewage: foul drainage — series of stainless steel/cast iron pipes throughout the risers of the building to external drainage systems; storm water drainage — series of stainless steel/cast iron pipes throughout the risers of the building to external drainage systems.
Ventilation:
General: mechanical ventilation will be supplied throughout to meet the needs of accommodation throughout and incorporating central heat recovery systems and variable speed systems to minimize energy consumption.
Stairs and lift shafts: air overpressure will be supplied to provide smoke free escape routes.
Smoke removal systems: mechanical extract ventilation will be provided to ensure smoke free escape routes.
Air-conditioning:
Centralized cooling system — will be provided either by air cooled packaged chillers or via cooling towers linked to liquid cooled chillers; primary chilled water will be distributed to high efficiency zone plate heat exchangers at each level prior to distribution to terminal points.
Environmental temperature Control (Tower): will be provided by a suitable under floor comfort cooling/heating system zoned to allow individual operation, all linked to zone plate heat exchangers.
Environmental temperature Control (Retail): will be provided by suitable air conditioning systems to match each retail spaces needs typically: fan coil, chilled beam or centralised air conditioning.
Security systems (intrusion alarm, fire protection):
Security — CCTV, card access system with controlled admission.
Fire — smoke detection, manual break glass and voice evacuation system.
Fire protection — sprinkler system and fire hydrants.
Lifts: Class A standard
Electronic communications: fiber-optic cabling serving local servers and Cat 6 structured cabling system.
Energy-saving technologies: variable speed inverter controlled motors, high frequency lighting control system, Building Management System.
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maybe... in any case hardly anybody will ever see this plaza from the angle of the last render - this would be looking from about 100m height where there is no such structure - right over the river or on the bank of the river
Hybrid Mode