T
he Moscow City Council has given preliminary planning approval for a tent-shaped tower to enclose what would be the world’s largest building, claims project architect Foster + Partners, London. If built, the 450-meter-tall structure with a 62-sq-m-diameter base would overlook the Moscow River about 7.5 kilometers from the city center and enclose 2.5 million sq m of space, about 44% of that above ground. It would house facilities aimed at creating a self-contained city. Behind a glazed structural steel megaframe, internal terraces would support gardens shielding interior spaces from Moscow’s harsh winters. Other proposed energy savers include balancing day and night power demands of the multiuse building and low-carbon power generation. No dates are set for planning steps, and the name of the project’s owner was not disclosed. Preliminary design included structural firm Buro Happold and mechanical and electrical specialist pha consult Ltd., both of the U.K., and Italy’s planning specialist Systematica srl.
