definitely not cheap :D

It doesn't look like 450m..

when does construction start?

I think Russia will be the next China/Dubai. Their economy will expand like China's is now when they are excepted to the World Trade Organization. They will also have the money to build like Dubai is now (not that they haven't started building like Dubai) because they have the world's largest oil supply of their coast, twenty years worth and the price of crude won't go down much, in other words, they will be a rich country.

fast fast!!! just like increasing prize of oil!! L0L hope that prize still tough till this building built

Yeah and while China still buying oil to produce cheap and harmful products to the world we both can make profit pal , look at yourself first before bashing anyone else

fast fast!!! just like increasing prize of oil!! L0L hope that prize still tough till this building built

kakarotte Russia invest in industrial development and hightech industri with the oil and gaz money because they know that it will end some day. It's only a small part of the money which go to projects like this. I don't think you know howe much money we are talking about here obviously.

^^ Guys just ignore this "shit head" , It's jumping every where and spit a mouthful of jealousy on every building It doesn't have in It's Country , we shouldn't waste no time with such a "Thing"

when does construction start?

I think Russia will be the next China/Dubai. Their economy will expand like China's is now when they are excepted to the World Trade Organization. They will also have the money to build like Dubai is now (not that they haven't started building like Dubai) because they have the world's largest oil supply of their coast, twenty years worth and the price of crude won't go down much, in other words, they will be a rich country.

Not to mention the other resources like coal, gold, diamonds, wood, iron etc. :cheers:

Not to mention the other resources like coal, gold, diamonds, wood, iron etc. :cheers:

the main one is oil, I heard on a TV show that Russia was building an oil plant on an island of the coast because there was an oil reserve there that could fuel the entire world for twenty years

Does anyone know when the construction will start ? this tower looks really unique

it isn't even sure if the tower will be build, so....nobody knows when they'll start

it isn't even sure if the tower will be build, so....nobody knows when they'll start

Very often a lot of approved projects have been abandoned , this is not really new ,however this project hasn't been there that long so I don't think it 's dead yet , we just have to wait and see

the project is definitely not dead ATM

I twould be a shame to abandon this nice tower! Why do you think it might be cancelled?

WOW!!! That is extremely creative!!! I hope it will get built!!!

any timetables on the rumor mill

WOW. This is one of the most inspiring and dreamy projects I've ever seen...

Wish it'll get built, looks fun sliding down the sides :P

How many floors are there?

hm.. this project looks unreal..

so.. as I am checking this thread for the first time.. what is the newest update on this wonderful structure?

thx

wow Awesome!!

5 years? so it will be built in 2013?

so when does construction start?

I really want something like this to get built and work properly. Stuff like this gets put forward in some ridiculously ambitious visions alot - this actually looks like it could get done in the near future.

hideous

you're kidding, this is amazing

Any news? It's been a long time.

I'm not so excited about this Tower to be built , if they are going to get it built ... fine , if not it's also alright , it's abit too fancy to be real though !

it's like Indonesian traditional food called 'TUMPENG', based on it shape..
bravo..bravo..nice architecture..!!

Crystal Island is approved to be built in Moscow on the peninsula between Moscow-river and Andropov ave.
It is expected that this new architecture of the 21st century will not confront with the traditional Moscow architecture.

Norman Foster is the architect of the project.
Shalva Chigirinsky is the investor.
The estimated price of the construction is USD 4 bln.

The hight will be 450 metres.
The diameter at the base - 701 metres.
This is supposed to become the biggest building
2mln 670000 sq metres.
the project will include
180000 - hotel
400000 - business centre and offices
250000 - sport centre
the rest - entertaining centre and shopping mall
parking space for 16500 cars
end of the construction - 2014

http://archi.ru/files/img/news/large650/17734.jpg

http://archi.ru/files/img/news/large650/17733.jpg

http://archi.ru/files/img/news/large650/17728.jpg

http://archi.ru/files/img/news/large650/17726.jpg

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/4233/mapcrystalrq6.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=558665 thread in the SSC Russian section/

______________________________________

added 23.12.2007
21/12/2007
Foster + Partners creates the world’s largest single building

One of the world’s most ambitious building projects, Crystal Island has been granted preliminary planning permission in Moscow. Enclosed within a vast mega structure covering a total floor area of 2.5million square metres – the project’s scale is unprecedented. At 450m the scheme in one of the tallest structures on the planet, creating a spectacular new emblem on the Moscow skyline. Conceived as a self-contained city within a city, it contains a rich mix of buildings including museums, theatres and cinemas, to ensure that it is a major new destination for the whole of Moscow.

Presented to the Moscow Public and Architectural Council, Crystal Island is a highly anticipated new project. Located on the Nagatino Peninsula, edged by the Moscow River, it is located only 7.5 km from the Kremlin, and offers panoramic views over Moscow from a viewing platform at its apex.

Crystal Island will have a range of cultural, exhibition and performance facilities, approximately 3000 hotel rooms and 900 serviced apartments, as well as offices and shops, designed to maintain a dynamic and animated public realm throughout the day. Residents are able to work and live within a densely planned area where every amenity is within easy walking distance, including an international school for 500 students. Mixed-use also presents a strong case for energy balance, with individual components using energy at different times, while reinforcing the breadth of economic and social activity of the area.

The building’s spiraling form emerges majestically from a newly landscaped park, rising in converse directions to form a diagonal grid. This distinctive geometry extends throughout the project into the park. The result is that the scheme is seamlessly integrated into a new park landscape, which provides a range of activities throughout the year, including cross country skiing and ice skating in the winter.

The internal built volumes assume a staggered formation within the triangulated steel mega frame, extending flush against the sloping facetted glazed outer skin. This terracing creates a series of wintergardens, which form a breathable second layer and thermal buffer for the main building, shielding the interior spaces from Moscow’s extreme summer and winter climates. A vertical louvre system sheaths the internal facades to ensure privacy for the individual apartments.

Dynamic enclosure panels slotted into the structural framing allow daylight to penetrate deep into the heart of the scheme and can be controlled to modify the internal environment – closed in winter for extra warmth and opened in summer to allow natural ventilation. Energy management is at the heart of the design, with additional strategies to include on-site renewable and low-carbon energy generation.
http://www.fosterandpartners.com/News/324/Default.aspx

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/11/go131.0/0_9174_172afe9e_orig

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/content/projects/1496/1496_FP210845_indesign.jpg

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/content/projects/1496/1496_FP243436_indesign.jpg

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3244/hostrovgz4.jpg

This design reminds me of the X-Seed 4000, a concept arcology design that would be 4000m high. I wonder if this was an inspiration?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Seed_4000

It has more similarities to Farpoint Station (from the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Encounter at Farpoint").

hideous

please be kidding.

This design reminds me of the X-Seed 4000, a concept arcology design that would be 4000m high. I wonder if this was an inspiration?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Seed_4000

It reminds me nothing like the x-seed, its like 9 times taller than this thing. However they do look a like. How much amount of actual crystals are involved in this structure?

Freakin' Sweet!

how are we looking with this one?

Russian Land has cancelled its participation. The project is currently owned by the city administration. But it's a long term project and was not planned to begin earlier of 2012-2014. I think, only after nearest part of 4 Transportation Ring is done they will resume talks on this project.

^^ Why do they have to wait for this project? Financial issues?

more like city planning and infrastructure issues i think

such a shame

Still hope, no?

if it's built it will be the craziest thing I've ever seen.

^^ Definately! I mean i am curious as to the details of the construction process. It looks like it has a steel skeleton with some gigantic pieces!

Holy $d&*! This doesnt even look like a building. It looks like something from an Asimov book or a Halo game!

^^^ haha true, Halo-like structure no doubt!

crazy project :nuts:

Very science fiction.

Even from above it looks fantastac

http://archi.ru/files/img/news/large650/17736.jpg


http://www2.fci.unibo.it/%7Ebaccolin/montov.camapid/piazzacamp.JPG


Third Rome vs first Rome.

Third Rome vs first Rome.Heh! That's true, there's some resemblance. Mathemathic art in architecture.

wow this a crazy project

If there's any visionary project that deserves to be built just for sheer geometric beauty, it's this one. It sort of reminds me of old renaissance-era star forts, but with a vertical element.

here's an idea , build this in sochi ! for 2014 olypics
they have the exact same street structure in one park being built for the event
a structure of a snow flake , exactly the same as this

Utopia...

Yeah, I'm forgot,Did this project cancel or not?

it's a long term approval. final decision will be made not early of 2014.

it's a long term approval. final decision will be made not early of 2014.
? ? Are the politics in Russia even more screwed up than they are in America? The total approval process will be about 6 years? That's totally ridiculous to say the least, the people and companies who propose a project could be dead or bankrupt or..... before any project is ever approved. :ohno:

it was originally a long term approval.

My favorite project!!!

its prodect is dead?

its prodect is dead?Read the upper comments on this page. :wallbash:

its prodect is dead?It's not absolutely dead, but unlikely to ever be built in my opinion.

Finally one sustainable architecture!!!!!
what do you think about the Moscow’s Crystal Island is the largest sustainable building in the world?
i read here LiveGreen (http://www.livegreenblog.com/?p=794) that Crystal Island is all exceptionally energy-efficient.

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/News/324/Default.aspx

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/11/go131.0/0_9174_172afe9e_orig

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/content/projects/1496/1496_FP210845_indesign.jpg

http://www.fosterandpartners.com/content/projects/1496/1496_FP243436_indesign.jpg

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3244/hostrovgz4.jpg

This is one of my favorite ones. What happened? Was aproved the project?

1.you guys should read threads before asking. most of questions were answered many times before.
2. it was a long term approval. not supposed to begin before 2014. first - infrastructure shold have been done.
3. developer is bankrupt, so probability of construction in this design is very low. jusr like with russia tower developer should sell the land plot first. then we will know will it be built or not.

.....magnificent design.....

I really hope this is built. It reminds me of some of those Tokyo visions, the massive 4000m buildings they planned, but on a more manageable scale. If it is done right and the finished product is of a good quality, it would be a fantastic building. Fingers crossed someone builds it.

Great!

I know that the fate of this superb project is not yet sealed, but the sine qua non for this project is already there, Moscow does want to build such kinds of buildings.

Deleted the last couple of useless posts. Let's not start a fight about this :)

Weird...

wow now thats a big project lol :)
are they really going to build it? or its just a concept-idea?

wow now thats a big project lol :)
are they really going to build it? or its just a concept-idea?

read the post a view post before yours^^

it is a long time approval set to not start before 2014. the developer is bankrupt and it maybe unlikely that this happens, but who knows

very original project. I hope it will be built.

The design is too weak for Moscow, a tough city.

So you think it needs more of the Stalin palaces?

No it just need a Stalin touch Just Kidding lol

The hight/length-ratio should remain between three and four, and yes, gigantic neo-clacicism'd way to go, timeless for sure.

Very good structure, all the posts here are pretty old, any news about this project, or is it dead for real?

^^ The project is not implemented. This is the end.

^^ The project is not implemented. This is the end.

So this is the end for the Crystal Island, why does mocow always have to cancel all the iconic structures!!! First, during Stalin's time the Palace of the Soviets, then the Russia Tower, and now this! If those three buildings where built moscow would be a true great city of the world! :ohno:

tall buildings dont make a city great or important.

tall buildings dont make a city great or important.
apparently Dubai is now more important. So can Moscow :banana:

So this is the end for the Crystal Island, why does mocow always have to cancel all the iconic structures!!! First, during Stalin's time the Palace of the Soviets, then the Russia Tower, and now this! If those three buildings where built moscow would be a true great city of the world! :ohno:

It still is one of the greatest cities in the world, I don't know where you get this supertall impression.

It still is one of the greatest cities in the world, I don't know where you get this supertall impression.

With supertalls, the city is more interasting, theres more places to visit, and see. People would have said "Oh look, thats in Moscow I want to visit it, its amazing!" that would give the city a more futuristic and superior feeling, like it is somthing more than a largely populated city, and the capital of the largest country on Earth, already add supertalls+some more nice buildings, and you have the capital of the world! lol, just see:

http://www.realussr.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/11.jpg

with

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3576/41731swu3.jpg

+

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3244/hostrovgz4.jpg

And let this guy restore the USSR

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qpE5hNwi618/Sw6sUZXf4zI/AAAAAAAAC-M/hs6Sd5XJ2MM/s1600/commies.jpg

=
World Capital!

tall buildings dont make a city great or important.

They sure as hell don't hurt.

You only say this because you're city is severely comparatively lacking in skyscrapers.

New York wouldn't be the same without the ESB.

With supertalls, the city is more interasting, theres more places to visit, and see. People would have said "Oh look, thats in Moscow I want to visit it, its amazing!" that would give the city a more futuristic and superior feeling, like it is somthing more than a largely populated city, and the capital of the largest country on Earth, already add supertalls+some more nice buildings, and you have the capital of the world!

Agree with you ;)

tall buildings dont make a city great or important.

You are absolutely right about that :cheers: Today all larger cities has skyscrapers and sadly they all look alike :( A great city is more than a few supertalls..

They sure as hell don't hurt.

You only say this because you're city is severely comparatively lacking in skyscrapers.
my city is magnitudes more important than yours. if yours went down, no one outside of russia would really care. if my city went down, the world financial market would get its arse kicked. my city is the financial capital of the world.

^^ London is without any doubt the financial and cultural capital of the world and really doesn't need any skyscrapers or supertalls to prove it, IMO :)

^^ London is without any doubt the financial and cultural capital of the world and really doesn't need any skyscrapers or supertalls to prove it, IMO :)

without any doubt
Not trying to start city v. city but I think there is plenty of doubt. Paris=cultural, New York=social, London=financial, Tokyo=economic

But I agree that building tall buildings is a pathetic way of becoming great or iconic. How many people choose Shenzhen over Florence? Frankfurt over Berlin? Busan over Rio de Janeiro? Tall buildings are oftentimes the byproduct of a great city's financial/economic might. But only a truly pathetic city would use tall buildings as proof of its greatness. New York or Hong Kong aren't great because they have tall buildings; the tall buildings are due to those cities economic might.

^^^ That's right... agreed. I would also add I would choose London or Paris over any other cities with hundreds of skyscrapers any day.

without any doubt
Not trying to start city v. city but I think there is plenty of doubt. Paris=cultural, New York=social, London=financial, Tokyo=economic

Well I said "IMO" :)...but the cities you mention are also on my list of worldcities...without any doubt :laugh:;)

...But I agree that building tall buildings is a pathetic way of becoming great or iconic. How many people choose Shenzhen over Florence? Frankfurt over Berlin? Busan over Rio de Janeiro? Tall buildings are oftentimes the byproduct of a great city's financial/economic might. But only a truly pathetic city would use tall buildings as proof of its greatness. New York or Hong Kong aren't great because they have tall buildings; the tall buildings are due to those cities economic might.

+1 :)

^^^ That's right... agreed. I would also add I would choose London or Paris over any other cities with hundreds of skyscrapers any day.

I couldn't have said it better myself :)