The Moskva River is a broad and lengthy artery, and the initial buildings standing along its banks also tended to have an elongated shape, from factories to the Central House of Artists, the Kremlin, the skyscraper on Kotelnicheskaya, and the Moscow City being the few exceptions that slightly challenged the trend of elongated riverside structures. However, after the big 2014 competition, a more systematic approach to developing the riverbanks emerged – the height restrictions were elevated, new towers appeared, and it is likely that in the future the towers will become even more numerous here.

The history of the former Danilovsky Manufactory territory and the areas around it is an example of the development of this trend; buildings are acquiring greater height and vertical proportions. Initially, there was “Danilovsky Fort” business center, followed by the reconstruction of the manufactory itself into a cluster of creative industry companies, with restaurants and design bureaus. Then, between them, yet another office building, “Danilov Plaza” emerged, 12 floors high. Still a bit later, on the other side of the “Fort”, another office building, the 18-story DM Tower, appeared (a detailed overview of the area can be found here). Thus, we see that the fragment of Novodanilovskaya Embankment, the one opposite ZIL automotive plant, now ZILArt, is rapidly developing, shifting from a horizontal direction to a vertical one. A veritable “host” of new buildings has grown here, filling the entire area quite densely.

Andrey Romanov, ADM

For high-rise buildings – and this is the typology within which we are now working a lot, as it is popular in modern Moscow – silhouette is very important. In essence, the architect’s task is to work with volume, to “mold” the form, taking into account angles and views, first of all from afar, but also from near points. That is why we like the technique of cell displacement very much; it is quite accessible from the point of view of construction and at the same time allows us to form accents and revitalize the plastic.