The 40-storey building bears the unmistakeable hallmark of 4a Architekten. The ideas for the ground plan and facade design were drawn up by the Stuttgart-based architects and executed by the KROST Building & Industrial Company.

Rising up to a height of around 140 metres, this slim-designed residential building towers up to about twice the height of the surrounding buildings – one reason why the building can be seen clearly from far away. Another reason for its prominent presence on the urban landscape is its striking and easily recognisable facade design. 4a Architekten have reinforced its unmistakeable appearance by dividing the building horizontally through the middle. The lower and upper sections of the enclosed facade areas are finished alternately in light-grey and anthracite-coloured plaster. The building is also divided by long, horizontal strip elements: While the window surfaces have been slightly set back to add relief to the facade, the varyingly green and orange tones of the fibre-cement panels provide another striking feature. The cheerful colour scheme and changing arrangement of the elements in each storey give rise to a moving and relaxed-looking facade that is unique in the Moscow townscape.

Yet the building is not only a remarkable project in terms of its unusual design but also with regard to the planning and construction processes that led to its creation. 4a Architekten supplied the idea for the ground plan to their clients KROST back in 2005. One particular feature of their design was to expose every apartment to natural light on three sides to provide residents with a high level of living quality. The generous provision of daylight is provided by means of four single vertical structural units connected via a centrally positioned access zone. This concept formed the basis for the ground plan that was modified and implemented in 2011 by KROST. KROST got 4a Architekten back on board to design the facade of the residential high-rise building. They came up with a distinctive shell to lessen the severity of the tall building structure and to give it particular value. The building’s enormous popularity is reflected not least in the response it has received on the market: Every owner-occupied apartment had been sold before the building was even completed.