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Post by kaima on Mar 26, 2009 15:21:19 GMT -7
Russian company Metropol has chosen Cityscape Abu Dhabi to unveil a $3.5bn project in the heart of Moscow, marking the first time that a Russian company has showcased a project at the exhibition. The Metropoliya project, a 1.5 million square metre mixed use development three kilometres from the Kremlin is going to make use of ‘green’ technologies developed by Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei. The focus of the Metropoliya project - a 364 metre tall tower with 10 smaller towers arranged around it in a lotus flower pattern - will be sustainability and energy efficiency with a low carbon footprint. Nikken Sekkei is aiming for a development that uses up to 60% less energy than equivalent projects. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2009 and will continue for up to 10 years. Metropol has chosen to showcase the project in Abu Dhabi because of the other “iconic and truly unique projects being realised here” according to CEO Dr Mikhail Slipenchuk, who claims that this makes the venue the perfect place to raise investment capital. per video www.blinkx.com/video/metropoliya-moscow-russia/v927oTK3OinKl9lYIjO0yA
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Post by kaima on Mar 26, 2009 15:23:55 GMT -7
More detail:
June 2008 An increasing number of foreign investors have turned their eyes to Russia due to the general stability of its economy, moderate inflation and a rise in GDP and income, according to the Metropol Group.
Moscow, the main business centre, is of special interest in this environment. Market analysts predict that decentralisation, of the city's commercial real estate segment, is one of the major trends to watch for in the near future.
Current market trends The traditional business centre in Moscow offers restored offices and sales premises. However, lessees are interested mainly in modern, high-tech multifunctional complexes. The capital has a few three to four-star hotels, and most tourists prefer to stay in such hotels. Meanwhile, the needs of the new trading areas continue to grow, and the capital is witnessing a rise in weekend visitors and opening of new local and international companies. Due to this scenario, developers are being forced to pay attention to areas near the Moscow Ring Road and beyond, what with heavy traffic congestion within the city combined with restrictions on building heights and the area of construction. Many exciting projects are happening between the second and third ring roads, and Metropoliya is located in this area.
Against this backdrop, the Metropol Group decided to create its new $4 billion mixed-use Metropoliya project and entrusted the master planning to the Japanese architectural and engineering firm Nikken Sekkei. The brief was to create a master plan for a new complex, which will feature advanced technologies while catering to the daily requirements of the Moscow real estate market. Traditionally, Kremlin, in the centre of Moscow, is a symbol of the old past. Metropoliya will aim to become the new south-east gate of Moscow, according to the Metropol Group. The project aims for completion between the next seven to eight years.
A new complex The site of the new Metropoliya project is famed as the location of the erstwhile bankrupt Moskvich car factory. Three kilometres from the centre of Moscow, the project is sited at the crossroads of two major highways in the south-eastern district of Moscow. The area is part of the town planning programme for the "New Ring of Moscow" concept, which includes plans to develop high-rise buildings and large multifunctional complexes. This facilitates the project's aim to become the largest ultra-modern business centre, which will comprise a multi-functional complex spread over 21 hectares.
The master plan proposes to construct an iconic 400-metre high-rise building at the heart of the complex, which will be clearly seen from major highways and surrounding streets. The tower will be complemented by nine buildings to form a sunflower shape (the symbol of Moscow) and will face the east towards the sunrise, said Nikken Sekkei. The form of the complex and the siting of the towers are akin to the famed Stalin and other high-rise buildings in Moscow. This will make the project more organic and include it into the general architectural language and concept of the city, explains the architectural firm.
A park, which becomes an integral part of the complex, is the connecting factor between the buildings. It will help to resolve the ecological problems in the area.
Easy access The General Town Plan has provisions to construct the road junction for the Volgogradskiy Prospect station and Fourth Hoist Ring in the near future. This will help to improve issues of traffic congestion in the area and provide easy access to the complex. The major highways, the Third Traffic Ring and Volgogradskiy Avenue also give easy access to transport. The two underground stations, Volgogradskiy Prospect and Dubrovka, are located close to the complex. Additionally, occupants and visitors will have access to the Tekstilschiki railway station and other bus stops in the area.
Furthermore, the master plan has made provisions to build an exit from Volgogradsky, which will lead directly inside the complex. A wide gallery, which will house the commercial and entertainment complexes, will connect every building to the adjacent underground stations. "In Asia, the metro is heavily utilised in cities like Tokyo and Singapore. In Moscow, the metro was not economically driven and, hence, it is completely separated from the architecture of the city. But it is still one of the most beautiful undergrounds in the world, and some stations are real masterpieces", said Fadi Jabri, General Manager, Nikken Sekkei (Dubai). "You have some buildings that have some connections to the metro but you have to go through three or four doors, because the jurisdiction of the metro is a separate one. The challenge for us will be to connect the metro directly to our site. It will be interesting to see how it expands".
Normally, major highways and railroads work against pedestrians. But the Metropoliya master plan will offer a comfortable pedestrian network within the complex and its adjacent areas. It has made provisions to construct inner passages to and from the complex.
The components The project will feature luxury apartments (with a total area of 80,000 square metres) and an efficient layout for office blocks. The project will also house three- and four-star hotels (with a total area of 40,000 square metres). Commercial spaces in underground galleries will offer retail amenities. The master plan also includes an entertainment centre, which is connected with other buildings by the underground car park and pedestrian spaces. Each building has a provision for underground car parking facilities for 15,000 vehicles. The network of underground roads, connecting all internal and adjacent passages, will provide easy access to parking zones and free movement within the complex. According to the master plan, a new passage from the north to the south of Metropoliya will also provide easy access to the complex.
Go Green Nikken opines that the project will save up to 60% on energy conservation due to the incorporation of state of the art environmental technology in the project, which will correspond to the environment and climate of Moscow. "The materials, to be used in the construction of the complex, are not only environmentally responsible but also respond to seasonal and spatial changes", said Jabri. "It will allow its occupants to feel very comfortable and harmonious throughout the complex. The entire air-conditioning is planned to create a system of layers, which will take into account the peculiarities of each area to ensure the best results. This way, we will decrease the consumption of electricity without compromising on the comfort factor".
The building will change its shell based on the seasons and will utilise natural lighting and wind to adjust the indoor environment. The project will feature the extensive use of renewable energy and, thus, make its own contribution to global environmental responsibilities.
The complex is surrounded by a park, which creates a unique eco-space and has a positive effect on the ecology of the south-east district. Additionally, there will be some parks within the project that will make up a unique ecosystem with many water bodies and plants buffering the project from the busy highways. "While Leed ratings are not popular in Russia, we are planning to get the highest rating taking into the consideration the uniqueness of the project," said Jabri. There is always a first.
The Metropol Group was formed by the Russian multi-national investment financial company, Metropol, which has a triple A (maximum reliability) rating by the National Rating Agency. IFC Metropol has a $40 billion worth of equity transactions under its belt. The Metropol Development is one of the group's fastest growing real estate companies in Moscow with a total projected and under-construction real estate portfolio totalling approximately two million square metres.
By Sona Nambiar (with inputs from Nikken Sekkei)
© The Big Project 2008
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