Do better than anyone else in the world: architect Anton Nadtochiy on the concept of the new building of the National Centre RUSSIA

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The new building of the National Centre RUSSIA is being created not only as an architectural object, but also as a media space. Its façades will be able to transform into a vast screen and respond to events taking place inside. This was explained by Anton Nadtochiy, co-founder and chief architect of the ATRIUM bureau.

"Architecture is always static, and multimedia helps us overcome this. At certain moments, the building can turn into a large screen, responding to the events taking place inside. This allows it to constantly take on a new appearance while remaining the same object," said Anton Nadtochiy.

The space of the National Centre RUSSIA will stand out thanks to its unusual form, which resembles a natural element. The shape echoes natural landscapes, while its flowing silhouette resembles a covering that gently settles over the city. This is a bionic style inspired by nature itself.

"We sought to create a natural, fluid form that contrasts with its surroundings in both image and architectural character. Around it are strict verticals and enclosed volumes, and we wanted to give Moscow City what it lacks — a true urban public space," the architect noted.

The total area of the new building of the National Centre RUSSIA will exceed 205,000 square metres, of which around 50,000 will be dedicated to exposition spaces. The complex will include exposition areas, a transformable congress and concert hall for 3,500 people, media and press centres, as well as the world’s largest panoramic atrium with a capacity of 7,000 people. A separate part of the project is a landscaped park covering four hectares.

The main symbol of the new National Centre will be the "Pokrov" (Veil). Its image is embodied in the shape of the roof: it appears to cover the country with care, offering warmth and protection to every resident and visitor.

"Russia is a vast and highly diverse country. We were looking for an image that would be abstract yet recognisable. In the end, we chose the idea of a flying covering — something dynamic, light, not heavy or pompous, but open to people," Anton Nadtochiy explained.

According to him, the original master plan of Moscow City included a public space at its centre, but over time it was replaced by a shopping complex, and the business district became a place with almost no areas for recreation: "We hope that with the emergence of the National Centre building and the adjacent park, such a space will finally appear, and Moscow City will gain coherence as an urban development."

The bionic shape required the use of algorithmic design and modern digital technologies. Each fragment of the façade is unique, and without computational methods such a task would have been impossible to realise.

"We are using the most advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and algorithmic design. Every element of the building is unique, but thanks to digital tools we can optimise production and installation so that the cost of such a unique structure is comparable to that of a standard building of the same scale," the architect added.

The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Moscow Urban Planning Complex. The opening of the new building of the National Centre RUSSIA is scheduled for 2029, while the construction of the park is planned for the second phase.

Anton Nadtochiy noted that the team’s ambitions are very high: "We aim to create simply the best park in the world in the best city in the world. For an architect, the task is always the same: to look at what has been done before you and try to do it twice as well."

The new complex of the National Centre RUSSIA is intended to become a place where architecture finds its voice and tells the story of the country through form, light and space. On 26 March, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, launched the construction of the new building. Major business, cultural and educational events will be held here.