WHAT IS THE OFFICE OF THE FUTURE?
By 2040–2050, the office will no longer be a place used exclusively for completing work tasks. In an era where remote work is ubiquitous, individuals can effectively carry out their responsibilities from almost anywhere in the world. For this reason, the modern office must offer something that cannot be replicated at home: an inspiring space for face-to-face interaction, the generation of new ideas, professional development, and synergy.
Through this project, we have sought to reimagine not only the office building itself but also to uncover new, fundamental meanings for the work environment. We acknowledge that the concept of "always being at peak capacity"—much like the notion of a perfect work-life balance—is a utopia. However, our goal is to create an ecosystem that, for someone who has lost their balance or is mentally exhausted, serves not as another destructive factor draining their remaining energy, but as an effective tool for replenishing their inner resources.
A core design principle here is "spatial generosity." We are shifting the focus away from maximizing the number of workstations or square footage toward creating a high-quality environment—one that attracts promising, talented individuals and encourages them to pursue continuous self-improvement. In this, we see the humanitarian and ethical role of architecture in the broadest sense.
The work environment becomes highly adaptive, encompassing a diverse range of spaces—places where one can work, learn, communicate, rest, and engage in personal, creative projects. Our concept proposes the creation of a MEDIA TOWER. It is designed from the outset to incorporate all the facilities required by journalists, publishing houses, production studios, and other content creators, who can flexibly occupy the amount of space they need within designated blocks. Thus, the complex is organized on a "buffet" basis. If a company's staff changes, there's no need to look for new premises—residents can simply increase or decrease their rental space within the same building. This approach is both sustainable and convenient.
Consequently, the structure of the Media Complex comprises the following functional zones:
• Headquarters — offices and intellectual laboratories;
• Community — auditoriums, event venues, and exhibition spaces;
• Production — photo studios, interview spaces, recording studios, and printing facilities;
• Living — apartments and rental housing;
• Common — retail and food & beverage services.
WHAT IS THE OFFICE BUILDING OF THE FUTURE?
In this project, we set out to explore the principles of a new form of anthropocentrism. The way humanity currently relates to the environment is a manifestation of anthropocentrism in its classic, consumerist sense—where all natural, social, and cognitive phenomena are evaluated solely through the lens of human interests, and the world is viewed exclusively in terms of its utility to humans. This dominant approach places humanity above all other living beings; yet, it has become increasingly clear that such an attitude toward the environment is, first and foremost, destructive to us.
Given this premise, we chose to integrate a "media tower" into an existing skyscraper within the Moscow City business district—specifically, the "Tower on the Embankment" (Bashnya na Naberezhnoy).
The project proposes the reconstruction of the existing complex, preserving its structural framework while adapting the building to contemporary realities. We view redevelopment as a key architectural tool for the future: rather than resorting to carbon-intensive demolition and new construction, the existing physical structure is given a second life, with a "green system" integrated directly into the architecture:
• The Stylobate: The first two floors are transformed into a public podium (stylobate) housing retail spaces and dining facilities.
• Urban Gardens: From the 3rd to the 17th floor, the renovation introduces open terraces designed as urban gardens. These levels are dedicated to the cultivation of vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits, flowering plants, and diverse grasses. Such plantings can attract pollinators, thereby contributing to the preservation of biodiversity.
• Open-Air Gardens: The 18th and 19th floors are entirely devoted to creating a substantial, open-soil environment capable of supporting the growth of large trees. The open-air gardens themselves occupy the space between the 20th and 25th floors. They are planted with fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, including apple, plum, and pear trees, as well as rowan, serviceberry, hawthorn, hazel, and others. The fruit and berry harvest is intended for the residents, while the rowan berries and wild-growing produce will serve as a food source for birds.
• A High-Tech Veil: Above the garden levels, the building is wrapped in a semi-transparent, high-tech skin. The upper tiers of the central tower feature a dense, mesh-like structure that serves several functions. First, it provides effective solar shading. Second, it acts as a protective screen for birds, preventing them from colliding with the solid glass facade. Third, it functions as a receiver for wireless energy transmission from space. This lightweight, nearly flat covering resembles a fine metal mesh—an array of millions of tiny "butterfly" antennas printed onto a flexible polymer substrate. This device, known as a "rectenna," is designed to capture energy from a space-based satellite, which in turn generates power using solar panels.
• Energy-Efficient Atriums: The interior spaces are organized around five-story-high atriums that run along the building’s glazed facade. These function as "solar chimneys": the air near the facade heats up, rises naturally, and flows into the ventilation system, drawing stale air from the building’s central zones along with it. This process helps to slightly reduce the load on the air conditioning and ventilation systems.
