Lootch (Russian for light ‘ray’) is the 30,000m2 redevelopment of a former light bulb factory housed in a collection of pre-revolutionary (1901) brick buildings. In its new guise the complex will be transformed into a city-centre business ‘park’ incorporating retail and restaurants, and parking for 300 cars.

With 300,000m2 of commercial office space in the city-centre, our client, Horus Capital International, is the fourth largest developer of commercial real estate in Moscow.

The scheme splits into a 25,000m2 conversion and 5,000m2 new build. Units will range in size from 500m2 to 5,000m2. The design has introduced new entrances and cores, and enabled the building to meet current fire codes. It also incorporates new mezzanines and inhabited roof spaces that increase the net lettable area. Courtyard levels outside have been adjusted to admit daylight to basements in existing structures, creating more useable and therefore valuable space.

Entrances on the streets are marked by new glazed beacons, which incorporate conference rooms. At the heart of the site, a glass and polished stainless steel pavilion, will stand in a naturalistic wooded landscape crissed-crossed by pathways. The pavilion, an optical instrument, will house a restaurant, meeting rooms and gallery space.

The existing, pre-revolutionary buildings, with their ornate brickwork, will be repaired in a sympathetic manner. A language of concrete, glazed brick, Corten steel and glass has been developed for the new buildings and beacons. Unusually the concrete will use pink granite aggregate to differentiate itself from that generally used during the Communist era. Elevations suggest a ‘post and beam’ architecture.

Buschow Henley are working on Lootch with engineers Buro Happold, landscape architects Gross Max and lighting designers Speirs and Major.

The scheme was awarded one of three commendations for Offices at the MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Awards 2008