City Palace Tower

Among the soaring silhouettes, this spiraling 246-meter skyscraper rises within the high-rise vicinity of Moscow, Russia. Referred to others as Evolution Tower, it secured its spot as the model of innovation and evolution.

The sensual nature of its form can be traced from Auguste Rodin’s “The Kiss,” to which the architects drew inspiration from. Designed to celebrate the evolution of human civilization, the development is encapsulated inside a DNA-shaped twisting form with two white façade ribbons engulfed in a frozen embrace. Apart from showcasing its unique sculptural interpretation, it also narrates the high level of technological engineering used to transform this ambitious concept to reality.

On the vertical axis, each floor rotates at 3 degrees, significantly twisting the building at a total of 156 degrees clockwise. To make this possible, a structural scheme of overhangs from its twisted floor plates cradled against a series of cantilevered continuous RC beams and cantilevered floor slabs. This approach created a simple and economical solution to an otherwise complex structural form.

Distributed in 55 floors with 3 floors below the ground, it houses 80,000 sqm of office space and 36,000 sqm of entertainment and retail spaces. Direct links to the metro station and a pedestrian bridge connect its expanse of basement parking. The podium is a terraced and landscaped roof that provides extra space for recreational activities.

Amid facing multiple setbacks prior to its completion – from a global recession to back-to-back design iterations, RMJM’s City Palace Tower or Evolution Tower upholds its strong concept throughout. Rising against all odds, this tower truly spiraled upward and taken its place as the new icon of the Modern Moscow.