Moscow's iconic red-brick Red October district has been slowly transforming into a vibrant neighbourhood of art, food and culture ever since its well known chocolate factory moved out, leaving a rich collection of industrial buildings behind, ripe for redevelopment.
The area's latest ambitious project is the revival of the nearby disused GES2 power station (originally built between 1904 and 1907), which is set to be redesigned for the contemporary arts foundation V-A-C - an organisation dedicated to the growth and promotion of Russian contemporary art, across different media and channels. Heading the architectural scheme is Italian architect Renzo Piano and his Building Workshop.
The project is designed to comprise ample public space - an extensive free access area with a sculptural garden and piazza, library, bookshop, café, restaurant and auditorium. The foundation's exhibition halls will form a separate key part of the building, while there will also be a dedicated section in the complex for education programs.
The plant's existing, dramatic chimneys - a landmark for the area - are slated to remain, also becoming, after this revamp, an indispensable part of the site' sustainability strategy, which also includes solar cells and geothermal sources. Completion is planned after the end of 2018.
The scheme involves the redesign of the existing old GES2 power station
The project is set to include dedicated exhibition and education areas, as well as plenty of public space
V-A-C is an organisation known for their promotion and support of Russian contemporary art
The RPBW's cross section through the site shows the project's generous scale
The practice created a diagram that shows the different areas and circulation around the complex
One of the architect's section sketches for the new V-A-C foundation space in Moscow
One of the architect’s section sketches for the new V-A-C foundation space in Moscow
INFORMATION
Images: Courtesy of RPBW, 2015
-
Inside Alessandro Michele’s showstopping debut haute couture show for ValentinoThis afternoon in Paris (29 Janaury 2025), the Italian designer hit new heights with an eclectic, era-traversing couture collection for Valentino
-
Inside Bell Labs, the modernist vision behind Severance's minimalist settingWe explore the history of Bell Labs - now known as Bell Works - the modernist Eero Saarinen-designed facility in New Jersey, which inspired the dystopian minimalist setting of 'Severance'
-
Toronto’s DesignTO 2025 highlights – design and art to see across the cityAt DesignTO, the largest festival of its kind in Canada, determined artists and designers gather in Toronto in full embrace of chilly weather. Our on-the-ground correspondent reports on its standout moments
-
We tour Monaco’s Mareterra neighbourhood: where minimalist architecture and marine research meetMareterra, a contemporary enclave with designs by Renzo Piano offers homes, a new coastal promenade, a dynamic Alexander Calder sculpture and an atmospheric social hub extending the breezy, minimalist spirit of Larvotto Beach
-
Soviet brutalist architecture: beyond the genre's striking imageSoviet brutalist architecture offers eye-catching imagery; we delve into the genre’s daring concepts and look beyond its buildings’ photogenic richness
-
Designer Holly Waterfield creates luxurious pied-à-terre in Renzo Piano Manhattan high-riseA private residence by Holly Waterfield Interior Design in Renzo Piano's skyscraper 565 Broome Soho blends a sense of calm and cosiness with stunning city views
-
CERN Science Gateway: behind the scenes at Renzo Piano’s campus in GenevaCERN Science Gateway by Renzo Piano Building Workshop announces opening date in Switzerland, heralding a new era for groundbreaking innovation
-
Renzo Piano’s GES-2 V-A-C House of Culture opens in MoscowThe V-A-C Foundation celebrates its new design by Renzo Piano – the GES-2 House of Culture in Moscow, set in a former power station
-
SANAA to resurrect Hexagon pavilion for Moscow’s Garage Museum extensionJapanese firm SANAA will overhaul the Hexagon pavilion, a 1920s Ivan Zholtovsky-designed structure in Gorky Park, for a Garage Museum extension
-
Fiat’s iconic modernist factory hosts new urban oasisFiat’s former Lingotto factory and test track are transformed into Europe’s largest hanging garden – a new urban oasis for Turin
-
The buildings adding a new dimension to Miami’s skylineAs the Florida city’s architecture boom continues apace, here’s what’s next
