Gymnastics Palace in Luzhniki Won the International MIPIM Awards
Irina Viner-Usmanova Rhythmic Gymnastics Palace became the winner in the Best cultural & sports infrastructure nomination of the international competition MIPIM Awards, the most prestigious award in real estate and urban development, as stated by Chief Architect of Moscow, First Deputy of Chairman of Moskomarkhitektura Sergey Kuznetsov.
«We have been heading towards the first prize at MIPIM for 30 years. There was a prize for the project of Zaryadye park last year, and this year there is another one. I think this is a triumph for Moscow and Russian architecture in general. I want to thank Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, who supported us at every stage, the entire huge team of people who helped achieve this victory. I am sure that we will continue to receive international awards, because there are a lot of great projects in Moscow, built, under construction, and projected. It should be noted that five projects reached the final this year. But due to the pandemic, two projects withdrew from participation, so the success with the Rhythmic Gymnastics Center should be particularly appreciated. A huge number of people take part in the voting, and it is almost impossible to win without promotion, through a simple vote on the Internet, so this is a total victory in a situation when people would hardly vote for a Russian project, if it were not head and shoulders above the rest,» commented Sergey Kuznetsov.
According to him, credit for the victory in such a prestigious international competition should be given to the strong team that has demonstrated high professionalism at every stage of work. The project of Irina Viner-Usmanova Rhythmic Gymnastics Palace on the territory of the Luzhniki ports complex was developed by the architectural bureau Creative Production Union PRIDE. The head of the design team was Chief Architect Moscow Sergey Kuznetsov. General designer and technical customer was Mosinzhproekt, AO.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, in turn, thanked everyone involved in the design and construction of the facility, and noted, «Among the finalists were such solid structures as the Chinese Guardian Art Center and the British Tottenham hotspur Stadium. But the European jury has been casting its votes for Moscow objects for the second year in a row. Recognition from world experts suggests that we are building truly modern objects which are ahead of time».
Even French President Nicolas Sarkozy appreciated Moscow’s success in the architectural field, «The city of the world that impressed me the most with its ability to change is Moscow! I have been coming to Moscow 2 or 3 times annually for many years. Those who know Russia, who have been here, will understand me: I am amazed at how Moscow managed to preserve its historical heritage and at the same time become one of the most modern cities on the European continent. This is exceptional! I’m not just talking about the construction of a new metro. They overtook us, my dear Maurice,» Sarkozy addressed Maurice Leroy, who, as an adviser to Deputy of Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction, came out to receive the award for the Gymnastics Palace at the MIPIM award ceremony.
The main architectural pride is, of course, the unique roof structure, shaped like a sweep of a gymnastic ribbon. During the construction of the facility, BIM technologies were used, and the company Autodesk (the world’s largest provider of industrial and civil engineering software) featured the Gymnastics Palace on the cover of its ARCHICAD 23 software product. Last year, the Palace became a laureate of the National Independent Award in the Field of Sports Business and Effective Management of Sports Projects BISPO AWARDS. At the international Aluminum in Architecture and Construction 2019 Forum (Alum Forum) it was awarded the Grand Prix as the best project implemented with the use of aluminum. The Gymnastics Palace also received the Architectural Prize of the City of Moscow in the Field of Architecture and Urban Planning 2020 as the best sports and entertainment facility.
It is worth reminding that five Moscow projects reached the final of the MIPIM Awards international competition. Renovation program and Badaevsky Brewery territory development project became finalists in the Best Futura Mega Project category, the project for the improvement of the Moskva River in the Best Regeneration Project nomination. Rhythmic Gymnastics Palace became a finalist in the Best Cultural & Sports Infrastructure category, and the hospital in Kommunarka in the Best Healthcare Development nomination. International Real Estate Exhibition MIPIM and the MIPIM Awards organized within its framework take place annually in Cannes, France. Covering all aspects of the real estate market, it is intended to highlight important aspects of the current year and the main trends of the next year in this area.
In 2019, only 45 projects from 21 countries of the world reached the final. They competed in 11 nominations, from tourism objects and residential complexes to megaprojects and residential complexes. At the same time, Zaryadye Park received a special jury prize.
