Filigree precision: how the foundation pit for the National Centre RUSSIA is being built directly above metro lines

While the city sleeps, construction workers on the new building of the National Centre RUSSIA begin their work. Engineering operations and the construction of the diaphragm wall in the foundation pit are carried out only at night — within a strictly limited technological window lasting just two and a half hours. This was explained by Kirill Petrov, Head of Department at Mosinzhproekt.

According to him, the foundation pit, more than 15 metres deep, is being developed directly above six active tunnels across three metro lines. Groundwater, complex geology and strict metro safety requirements mean that every factor demands absolute precision.

"To implement the National Centre RUSSIA, highly complex engineering solutions will be applied. The foundation pit, more than 15 metres deep, will be located above six active tunnels of three lines of the Moscow Metro. To guarantee the absolute safety of the metro tunnels, all engineering surveys and diaphragm wall construction are carried out strictly within a designated technological window of no more than two and a half hours. This is filigree work: builders perform highly complex operations at night, in the interval between the last and first trains of the Moscow Metro," said Kirill Petrov.

Photo: Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

The National Centre RUSSIA was established by order of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to showcase the country’s achievements and foster a sense of pride in them.

The new complex will be built on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment. It will include a transformable congress and concert hall, media and press centres, as well as public and educational spaces. The venue will be able to accommodate around 20,000 visitors at a time. The opening of the complex is planned for the end of 2029. Construction was officially launched on 26 March 2026 by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.

The future building of the National Centre RUSSIA will be comparable to the world’s largest cultural venues. Its total area will exceed 200,000 square metres, with exhibition spaces alone covering around 50,000 square metres, while the entire site will span more than 14 hectares. Yet its main idea goes beyond scale — it is a project designed to inspire people to dream, create and come together.