Vladimir Putin launches construction of the new building of the National Centre RUSSIA
A new building of the National Centre RUSSIA will open in 2029 near Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment in Moscow. Construction was launched on 26 March by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. The future venue is intended to become a symbol of modern Russia, reflecting its creative potential, multinational culture, and commitment to innovation. During the ceremony, a symbolic concrete cube was placed into the foundation pit of the future building.
The event was attended by First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Sergei Kiriyenko, and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Maxim Oreshkin. The project of the new building was presented to the Head of State by the Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, and the Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA, Natalia Virtuozova.
"The National Centre RUSSIA was established by order of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Over a year and a half of operation, we have held more than 900 events. They are all different, but united by a common goal — to showcase the country’s achievements and tell the stories of the people behind them. It is important that every visitor to the space experiences admiration and inspiration, dreams, and strives to build our shared future. The new building of the National Centre will become a unique architectural landmark of global scale, with no equivalents," said the Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA, Natalia Virtuozova.
According to Sergei Sobyanin, the complex will cover around 205,000 square metres and reach a height of 51 metres. It will have eight storeys in total, including two underground levels.
"What can this be compared to? A total area of 200,000 square metres is almost three times larger than the State Kremlin Palace, which we all know well, and the number of people it can accommodate at one time is twice that of the State Kremlin Palace," said the Mayor of Moscow.
In 2025, work began on developing the concept of the National Centre RUSSIA, implemented jointly with the Moscow Urban Development Complex. The space will occupy more than 14 hectares, with plans to include exposition areas, a transformable congress and concert hall, and media and press centres. Public areas will be seamlessly integrated into the urban environment.
The building concept is designed in a bionic style. Its form reflects natural landscapes, and its silhouette resembles a snow cover. A key feature of the project will be the multimedia facade and roof, whose imagery and lighting will adapt to ongoing events. One of the largest panoramic atriums in the world will be designed as an enclosed space, allowing events to be held in any weather conditions.
The National Centre will be able to accommodate around 20,000 visitors at once. It will be a multifunctional space where everyone can find something of interest, from business events to educational, cultural, and outreach events. After the completion of the building, the second phase of the project will begin — a landscape park covering four hectares.
Unique outdoor media screens have been installed around the site, allowing residents and visitors to watch the construction process live and learn about upcoming events at the National Centre. The screens broadcast high-quality video, making it possible to view information even from the opposite bank of the Moskva River.
In 2025, branches of the National Centre RUSSIA opened in the Primorye region, the Krasnoyarsk region, and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area — Yugra. In 2026, new spaces will open in the Ryazan region and the Hero City of Sevastopol.
Projects for branches in eight more regions have also been approved at various stages of implementation: the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the Nizhny Novgorod region, the Yaroslavl region, the Kaliningrad region, the Kirov region, the Khabarovsk region, and the Republic of Karelia.
