When will the "Crystal Island" appear in Moscow?

"Crystal Island" is a cultural and businesscenter, which was to be built in the capital. His project was designed by British architect Norman Foster. It was supposed that he would appear in the Nagatinskaya floodplain. The center was supposed to open its doors in 2014.

What was the "Crystal Island" supposed to be?

"Crystal Island" was supposed to representa huge skyscraper not less than 450 meters high. The total area of ​​internal premises under the project is about two and a half million square meters. Thus, this building was to become the most capacious in the world.

It was one of the most ambitious projects of businesscenters not only in Russia, but also on the whole planet. The cost of construction was about four billion dollars. The main investor who was going to build the "Crystal Island" was Shalva Chigirinsky. He is the head of Russian Land.

Who is Shalva Chigirinsky?

Shalva Chigirinsky - the famous domesticbusinessman of Georgian origin. He was born in Kutaisi in 1949. He graduated from the Moscow State Medical Institute named after Sechenov. He planned to become a doctor.

His life changed dramatically after the collapseSoviet Union. He went into business. In 1989 he founded his first company, which was engaged in realtor activity. He worked in Spain and Germany. Realized projects for the construction and reconstruction of real estate throughout Europe with their subsequent resale. In particular, he was engaged in the restoration of architectural monuments in Moscow.

In 1997, Shalva Chigirinsky led the Councildirectors of the company "ST Group". Since then, he has led major projects for the construction of business properties, mainly in Moscow. In the early 2000s he received a share in the Russian oil business.

In 2004, his new firm, STDevelopment. "It was she who won the contest for the reconstruction of the Rossiya Hotel in Moscow, costing almost $ 1 billion, and later the results of the competition were declared invalid.

The state of Chigirinsky, according to experts,is estimated at two and a half billion dollars. The key projects he directed were the construction of the business district "Moscow City", the skyscraper "Crystal" in Khanty-Mansiysk. Among the projects was the "Crystal Island" in Moscow.

In 2009, Chigirinsky had seriousProblems. The London court arrested his property on the suit of the Russian bank VTB. At the time of trial, the court limited his expenses to 25,000 pounds sterling a week, not counting the services of lawyers.

It did not manage to finance the project "Crystal Island".

Technical characteristics of the business center

The estimated height of the skyscraper was 450 meters. At the same time all the so-called useful areas of the building should have been located below 150 meters. At the level of 300 meters was planned viewing platform.

The Crystal Island in the south of Moscow was supposed to represent a cone with a concave side surface. At the base, the diameter of the building is about 700 meters.

Grid, located diagonally, with cells inthe shape of rhombuses on the facade of the building, as well as the shape of the construction in the form of a hyperboloid, brought the skyscraper closer to the Shukhov television tower built in 1929

City in the city

"Crystal Island" in Nagatinskaya floodplain was planned as a city in the city. The skyscraper was supposed to contain the premises of all kinds of purposes.

Only about 800 thousand square metersintended for the organization of cultural events. Another 300 thousand square meters - under the numbers of hotels and hotels of different star level. In total, about three thousand numbers should have appeared.

On 250 thousand square meters it was planned to open shopping and entertainment centers and complexes. Another 250 thousand square meters - only for sports complexes (gyms and fitness centers).

Huge underground parking more than 400thousand square meters. The building should have been accommodated and accommodations. Almost a thousand apartments of the elite class, as well as an elite school with a bias in foreign languages ​​for five thousand students.

Infrastructure

This skyscraper required a separateimpressive infrastructure. The designers planned that Crystal Island, whose photo at one time adorned all architectural magazines, would be mainly supplied with resources due to modern technologies.

So, part of the electricity was expected to receivefrom solar panels located on the roof of the building, and wind generators. Caring for the environment was also an important part of this project. Also, a natural ventilation system was developed for the skyscraper.

On the outskirts of Moscow, near the business centerCrystal Island, a subway station was to appear. A new stop could have arisen on the Zamoskvoretskaya line, between the Avtozavodskaya and Kolomenskaya stations.

Project history

The Crystal Island in Moscow will be built by 2014 — such dates were planned after the project was approved by the members of the Public Council under the mayor of the capital, Yuri Luzhkov.

The decision was made almost unanimously. The only opponent of the construction of a modern business center was Alexey Klimenko. At that time, he served as vice president of the Academy of Art Criticism. Klimenko compared the architectural design with the Buddhist stupa, noting that this style contradicts the appearance of a European city in the capital. A nearby former royal residence Kolomenskoye, in his opinion, may significantly suffer from the "Crystal Island".

In addition, the Nagatinskaya floodplain, where a skyscraper was supposed to appear, was already considered at that time a dangerous area of ​​the capital from an environmental point of view.

The project invested money exactly until 2010,until the resignation of the capital's mayor, Yuri Luzhkov. After he left the post, the project froze. In addition, serious financial and legal problems have arisen with the main investor of the Crystal Island, Shalva Chigirinsky.

Project Architect

The answer to the question when will be builtCrystal Island in Moscow, the project’s chief architect, the Norman Foster Briton, knew best. A native of Manchester, a native of a working-class family, he graduated from an architectural school at Yale University in the USA. Together with Richard Rogers is considered one of the founders of high-tech style. This style was largely based on buildings built by Soviet architect Vladimir Shukhov (including the famous television tower in Moscow).

Shukhov for Foster was an idol. In most of his buildings, he used the mesh shells so loved by Shukhov. They also planned to use in the construction of "Crystal Island".

Foster's most famous work is the skyscraper.Mary Aix in London, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Law, Metro Bilbao in Spain, Commercebank Tower in Germany, Hong Kong International Airport, Singapore Exhibition Hall.

He actively worked on the territory of the former USSR. In Kazakhstan, he erected the Baiterek monument, the Palace of Peace and Accord, and the Khan-Shatyr shopping and entertainment center. In Russia, he worked on the project of the tower "Russia", in St. Petersburg he developed the Apraksin Dvor shopping center.

Nagatinskaya floodplain

Shopping center "Crystal Island" was supposed to appear in Nagatinskaya floodplain. This is a recreational zone in the south of the capital. It also has another name - "Park named after the 60th anniversary of October."

Currently the park is in neglectedcondition. Neither amusement rides, nor other ordinary city entertainment is here. The only thing that attracts Nagatinskaya floodplain is the opportunity to take walks in the fresh air. The entrance to the park is free.

Residents of nearby neighborhoods opposeattempts at building the park, which are regularly undertaken by the Moscow City Hall. Here they planned to locate the Formula 1 race track, as well as a leisure and entertainment center with a yacht club, hotels and golf courses.

Recently, the Nagatinskaya floodplain is part of the Kuzminki Moscow Culture and Recreation Park.

What will appear on the site of the "Crystal Island"?

After the business center projectThe Crystal Island was frozen, for several years it was not known whether anything would appear in its place. Clarity came in 2014. The new mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, officially announced the construction of a Russian amusement park, an analogue of Disneyland, in the Nagatinskaya floodplain.

In 2015, the draft plan was approved. It includes amusement zones, cinemas, themed cafes, a fabulous children's town, a concert hall, landscaped gardens, a pedestrian promenade, several ice rinks and a yacht school.