The 85 VDNKH Monument is a commemorative sculpture designed for the 85th anniversary of Moscow's VDNKH park the largest exhibition complex in Russia, spanning 235 hectares and welcoming 30 million visitors annually.
The project began as a competition entry. The brief called for a piece to be installed in front of the iconic Main Entrance Arch, surrounded by Soviet-era monumental sculptures representing Russian cultural traditions. This context demanded a response that was visually powerful enough to hold its own, yet contemporary enough to mark the anniversary with a fresh perspective.
Our conceptual departure was to reject the literal interpretation of '85' as two separate digits. Instead, we developed a single, unbroken form that fuses both figures into a continuous geometry inspired by the infinity symbol. This decision carries deliberate meaning: it speaks to the timelessness of the park and the unending cycle of its cultural mission.
The construction presented specific technical constraints. As a temporary installation exhibited only during the summer season the structure needed to balance maximum visual impact with controlled cost and the ability to be assembled and disassembled seasonally. The solution was a carbon steel internal armature covered with custom fiberglass panels, molded to shape in a workshop setting. The final surface treatment, in golden tones matching the historical sculptures nearby, was achieved through careful color calibration on site.
Spatially, the piece stands 6 meters tall on a 1.5-meter steel base, at a scale that creates a commanding presence at the entrance axis without overwhelming the surrounding neoclassical context. The sculpture was received with notable enthusiasm by both park visitors and its administration.
