Integrated Spaceship by Annette Romming | 06.02.2012

Setun Hills Business Park

Hitherto, Russia was known mainly for its gas and harsh winters, less for modern architectural highlights. This is something which is about to change in the future. A new highlight could be Moscow’s Setun Hills Business Park. The whole complex will be erected on an area of 725,000 m² in a former nature reserve. The river Setun gives the business park its name. At first sight, the name seems to be all these things have in common, connecting the former nature reserve area with the modern vision of BRT Architekten. It is as if a spaceship is supposed to be integrated in the untouched scenery.

Amorphic Shapes connected in a complex Manner

The center of the area is planned to be a semi-crescent 13-story main building. It will welcome the visitor coming from Minskaya street. It is planned to be used by the public through shopping possibilities, a movie theater, a restaurant featuring a panoramic view as well as exhibition and event areas.

If you want to reach the three office complexes in the West, you will have to take the road downwards. In order to touch the surrounding nature as little as possible, access roads and parking possibilities will be moved below the surface.

The design of the three office complexes is a semi-crescent one. They are connected with each other via an inner courtyard. Main elements of the buildings are glass domes, separated into five parts through torque arms. A fifth structure, a 250 rooms wellness hotel, will be the conclusion of the area and the connection to Moscow. It will offer a wide view across the whole area. From the outside, the hotel will stand out from the other four buildings, but, according to the architects, it will also be integrated into the landscape’s topography.

Nature in the Office or the Office in Nature

The leitmotif of BRT Architekten is the integration of this modern building ensemble into the already existing lot, as shown in the partly computer generated plans. This will result in flat buildings adapting themselves to the local conditions. The relation between inside and outside will trigger an association within the visitor to nature, the architects say. Also inside the buildings one theme will be the multiple relation to modern buildings and preserving nature. Under the glass roof connecting the office buildings with each other, a park will be erected, giving the employees a feeling for the original scenery.