The Atom Pavilion at VDNKh is Planned to be Commissioned in August 2021

The construction of the atomic energy pavilion at VDNKh began in 2018 and is being carried out in accordance with the UNK project concept. The Bureau became the winner of an international open competition, which was held on the initiative and with the support of Moskomarkhitectura.

The customer is Rosatom, the organizer is the private institution Historical and Cultural Center. Currently, the facility is working on the installation of metal structures, reinforcement and concreting of staircases of the underground part, floor slabs and vertical floor structures.

«The project has unique technical solutions — an overhanging console with a projection length of 53 meters, as well as panoramic glazing with double-glazed windows measuring 12×3 meters. It should be noted that the production of glasses of this size is a rarity, and this is also a kind of specialty of the project. The installation of the stained-glass windows will begin next spring, and the builders will soon begin work on the supporting structures and the installation of the console. Recently, Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin personally inspected the construction site and noted that the Atom pavilion will be a new pearl of VDNKh, which will attract the attention of both citizens and tourists from all over the world,» commented Chief Architect of Moscow Sergey Kuznetsov.

The console covering the glazed exhibition space of the temporary exhibition can be interpreted as a wave, a smooth trajectory of an electron in an atom, an abstract form symbolizing energy. With its bend, it supports the plasticity of the dome of the Space Pavilion and figuratively interacts with it, and the fine ribbed texture of the facades gravitates towards the numerous details of historical buildings, due to which the pavilion fits perfectly into the architectural environment of VDNKh.

The ground space of the Atom pavilion is divided into an open part, which is mainly intended for a changeable exposition, and a closed one, which will house a lecture hall, creative laboratories, a reading garden, offices, and cafés. The almost transparent space, bounded by a glass facade to the full height of the building, will advantageously showcase exhibits. There are also plans to build a restaurant on the roof with a beautiful view of the neighboring pavilions. The design features of the facility should also be noted. During its construction, it was decided to use the Top-Down technology, when the building is built from top to bottom. The Kamenka River flows under the pavilion, therefore, special skill was required from the designers and builders when arranging the underground floors and foundations.

The Top-Down technology allowed to minimize ground settlements and avoid the possibility of even the slightest cracks and movement of the neighboring building. In addition, it allowed the workers to significantly reduce the time of work. The concept of the future museum is to show the history and modern achievements of the domestic nuclear energy as a high-tech and safe industry that makes a great contribution to the country’s economic development.

Visitors will be able to get acquainted with the USSR atomic project, see installations and get acquainted with interesting exhibits. The modern exhibition complex will be interesting both for a wide audience and for professionals involved in nuclear energy.