TATLIN NEWS #48

ether | moscow, russia | Project mega- nom | butikovsky Center | photos are pro- vided by Project meganom | text by Anna lengle One more piece of modern architecture was added to the collection of the Golden Mile, a site between Ostozhenka and Prechistenskaya river bank, which is developed most actively with top class housing and business centers. This is the third building of the Project Mega- nom bureau on the spot among Molochny, Bu- tikovsky and Khilkovy side-streets, where sev- eral extravagant buildings appeared in recent years. When designing buildings for this district, the architects begin a complicated dialog with the context, which requires true profession- alism and a special sense of tact. Top-class housing and flashy office buildings are built right next to the ages-old architecture monu- ments almost falling apart. The authors had to find a common ground with both. While re- specting the cultural heritage that is still be- ing the beauty of the district, they entered fierce competition with other new develop- ments, many of which are mentioned in the best buildings rating of the capital. In his own time, architect Skuratov when designing buildings for this site took the glass finish- ing from the ‘Molochny House’ for one of his projects and the stone surface for the other. This is how the rhythmical alternation of blind and transparent surfaces appeared in the side- street. While working on the new building, the authors tried to continue the existing dialog of stone and glass. For its impressive appearance, people call the Butikovsky Center more poetic names: Crystal

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