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Sir Norman Foster to Give Moscow World’s Largest Building

December 28, 2007  |  from Construction Jobs Blog

Crystal IslandMoscow may soon be home to the world’s largest building, described as a city-within-a-city, and four times the area of the Pentagon.  Dubbed ‘Crystal Island’, it will cover 27 million square feet and stand roughly 1500 feet tall, and comes with a price tag of $4 billion.

Just what will this building contain?  3000 hotel rooms, 900 apartments, a 500 student international school, a museum, cinemas, theaters, a sports complex, and a plethora of shops.  The idea is to have every desirable amenity within a comfortable, indoor walking distance.  It will also have a large, public platform raised 980 feet above the ground, offering a panoramic view of Moscow’s skyline.  Surrounding the structure will be a park that will have areas for ice skating and cross country skiing, among other activities.

Sustainability is not lost on Foster + Partners.  External solar panels and wind turbines will power the structure, the design will allow natural sunlight to penetrate deeply into the building’s interior, and the facades will be solar responsive, opening and closing depending on the weather and season for optimal efficiency.

Filed: Construction-News Design-Engineering