UNK Project won the competition to create the “Pavilion of Atomic energy” at VDNKh

The winner of the International open competition for the architectural concept of the atomic energy Pavilion on the VDNKh has become the UNK project architectural bureau.

The contest was held on the initiative and with the support of Moscow Architecture Committee. The customer is the State Corporation for atomic energy “Rosatom”, the organizer is a private institution “Historical and cultural center” of the State Corporation “Rosatom”.

The beginning of the contest was announced on 20 January 2015. The participants were asked to design the pavilion of atomic energy in total area of 15 thousand square meters on a land area of 0.69 ha. The maximum height of the building has to be 18,5 m, and the height of the front part of the pavilion is 12 meters.

On the whole 118 companies had sent their applications for participation. The jury assessed the objects in the following settings: adaptability, innovation, ecofriendly level, integration to the surrounding territory of VDNKh. As the result the jury had chosen 49 projects, of which only 6 teams passed to the second stage:

• Eugene Gerasimov and partners (Russia, St. Petersburg)
• Consortium: Ital Engineering International, Archea Associati, Zanetti Design (Russia — Italy)
• ABD Architects (Russia, Moscow)
• Consortium: IND Architects, FR-EE (Russia — USA)
• UNK Project (Russia, Moscow)
• Consortium. PJSC “Mosproject”, the Group A+A Architectural Studio, Cardin Ramirez Julien Inc (Russia — Canada)

Before the consideration of the draft in the second round, all finalists had passed the technical evaluation, conducted by the “Branch Center of Capital Construction” of state Corporation “Rosatom” together with specialists of the Moscow State Building University.

At the final meeting jury had considered the architectural concept of the future pavilion. Following the results of voting the project of Moscow architectural Bureau UNK Project won. It is perfectly inscribed in the architectural landscape of the main alley of VDNKh, has a modern architecture and involves significant engineering and exhibition potential.

While creating the image of the building architects of UNK project tried to get away from clear associations with the atom or atomic energy. The space of the pavilion is innovative, and, what’s more, strive to break stereotypes and be open-minded. It is, above all, comfortable and adaptive environment for people. Visitors find themselves in this space, reading the new code of nuclear energy — “Openness. Simplicity. Informativity. Interactivity”.

“The hardest part of the job was to express things which cannot be expressed visually. To show what cannot be seen. This movement of the atom, the motion of particles, which are not visible, says Yuliy Borisov, managing partner of UNK project. — We suggested quite daring variant from the point of view of realization — complex shape with a large console. She expresses the dramatic confrontation of emptiness and fullness”.

The console, covering the glazed exhibition space of temporary exhibition, can be interpreted as a wave, the smooth trajectory of the electron in the atom, abstract form, symbolizing energy. Her curve supports the plasticity of the dome of the pavilion “Space” and metaphorically interacts with him. Also noteworthy the external visor with the overhang of 53 metres and an interesting structural glaze facade with a height of 12 metres. It’s a huge glass showcase, with a regularly changing exhibition with free access, what makes the pavilion one of the points of constant attraction of attention of the public.

In the project the architects have focused on the Pavilion integration into the existing architectural environment — fine ribbed texture tends to be similar with surrounding small plastics of historical facades. Another tradition is to design at VDNKh pavilions with courtyards or open spaces decorated around (the pavilions of Belarus, № 2, № 69, etc.). According to the authors words, “the building is located in the historical complex VDNH, so the project takes into account the current context and historical features of the place.”

The pavilion of “Rosatom” corporation is a structure of simple geometrical forms. The above-ground part is divided into two zones across — open and closed. The open part has a glazed facade. There will be created a versatile exhibition space dedicated mainly to changing exhibitions and active public transit.

And the vertical space of the pavilion can be divided into three main parts. The underground part — halls of fundamental knowledge. The level of the first floor is for constantly changeable exposition, new educational and thematic exhibitions. The upper part of the zone is a place of free communication and interaction between people.

The atrium unifies the public space of VDNKh with the area of the temporary exhibition. This decision erases the border between the building and the street, and allows you to attract more visitors, which are then attached to the information environment of the pavilion.