Skyscrapers are the new calling cards of megacities.

Skyscrapers are more than just tall buildings; they are the true quintessence of the most advanced architectural solutions. They reflect progressive trends and embody innovative technologies, and Moscow's skyscrapers fully demonstrate this principle.

What is Moscow-City?

According to the latest data, there are approximately 120 buildings in the Russian capital that exceed 100 meters in height. The first of these began to appear during the Stalin era, from 1951 to 1955. These seven high-rises marked the beginning of the history of Moscow's skyscrapers. New buildings were gradually added, but the true apogee of high-rise construction in Moscow occurred between 2000 and 2009, when the first multifunctional complexes began to be erected on the land allocated for the Moscow International Business Center. During this time, more than 40 skyscrapers were built. Since 2010, several dozen more projects have been completed in Moscow City and surrounding areas.

Overall, approximately 40% of Moscow's high-rises are residential complexes. The remaining 60% is divided between multifunctional complexes, business centers, hotels, and other facilities. Furthermore, nine of the capital's 10 tallest buildings are located in Moscow City, excluding the Triumph Palace.

The construction of Moscow City was conceived to relieve congestion in the capital's historic center. However, from the very beginning, the project was fraught with controversy, fueled by forced construction interruptions. Nevertheless, today the most challenging milestones are behind us, and Moscow City's skyscrapers have deservedly become the capital's calling card.

Even Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said at a meeting dedicated to the City that the "Big City" project, conceived by Boris Thor, can be considered a success. Today, it is one of the largest business centers in Europe, with nearly 3 million square meters of real estate already built on the 50 hectares allocated for it, and another 1 million square meters still under construction. Meanwhile, the business center's soaring towers employ over 80,000 people.

Most of the facilities commissioned in the Moscow International Business Center were built between 2011 and 2019. Therefore, the area is already largely established, although much remains to be done.

Overall, the entire development strategy for the "Big City" project is divided into three stages, the first of which is scheduled for completion in 2020. Completion of the second and third stages is scheduled for 2025 and 2035, respectively. As a result, more than 4.2 million square meters of residential, office, commercial, and other space will be built in the Moscow International Business Center.

As of today, several more large buildings are planned for construction in Moscow City, including:

• One Tower , which promises to be the tallest multifunctional complex in Europe and is expected to reach a height of 444 m;

• Empire-2 tower, 71 m high;

• concert and entertainment complex Sensorium Hall , 53 m high;

• Multifunctional complex on site No. 15, height 283 m;

• Multifunctional complex on site No. 20, height 228 m.

All of the City's skyscrapers are being built with private funding. However, it has already become the city's primary taxpayer and one of the largest taxpayers in Russia as a whole, thereby generating profits not only for developers selling square meters and companies operating here, but also for the public.

It's important to keep up with time!

According to statistics, in 2019, there were 4,953 completed skyscrapers worldwide (buildings over 150 meters tall), and another 978 projects of this size under construction. These include supertall buildings, defined as those over 300 meters tall: 170 are fully completed, and 126 are under construction. Construction of 208 buildings, including 40 supertall buildings, has been suspended for various reasons. Thus, it is clear that high-rise construction is a global trend. However, since each skyscraper requires years of careful planning, it is important not to follow the latest trends, but to truly be ahead of the curve.

For this reason, architects often incorporate cutting-edge technologies into their designs, ensuring they are not obsolete by the time construction begins, or even by the time the building is commissioned. This is implemented in practice to varying degrees.

Giprogor Project experts even compiled a ranking of completed, under-construction, or planned skyscrapers from around the world, each of which received a score on a 5-point scale for height, infrastructure development, area, architectural design, and more. To determine the final scores, the scores were summed up, revealing the leaders in each category.

Top 5 completed skyscrapers of 2020

Among the newly constructed buildings, i.e. those commissioned during 2019-2020, were:

• Raffles City Chongqing – 16 points;

• Suzhou IFS, Suzhou – 13 points;

• LCT The Sharp Landmark Tower – 11 points;

• Tianjin CTF Finance Centre, Tianjin – 10 points;

• 30 Hudson Yards, New York – 9 points.

Based on the skyscrapers built in recent years, it can be concluded that height remains the predominant parameter, although the principle of "the higher, the better" is no longer so relevant. There is a tendency toward more sophisticated forms and innovative ideas that increase usable space without adding extra floors or expansion. One striking example of this is the horizontal skyscrapers of Raffles City Chongqing in China, connected by a common "bridge." Such solutions enhance the buildings' multifunctionality by creating a variety of public spaces, including walkways with their own microclimates, atriums, and more.

There's also a trend toward skyscrapers with unusual shapes, which significantly enhances the buildings' architectural appeal. Buildings already in operation show a tendency toward streamlined shapes, rounded corners, and structures that allow for extremely expansive panoramic views.

Top 5 Skyscrapers Under Construction in 2020

High-rise buildings under construction include:

• Dubai Creek Tower – 16 points;

• Suzhou Zhongnan Center – 14 points;

• Chengdu Greenland Tower – 12 points;

• Quay Quarter Tower – 10 points;

• 443 Queen Street – 8 points.

Researching high-rise projects in the final stages of construction, one can see that architects are increasingly embracing ambitious ideas. They are increasing the height of buildings, consciously taking risks by locating them in areas with high wind loads, and so on. To implement such complex projects, they are choosing special materials and technologies that enhance their stability. At the same time, there is a trend in architecture toward creating elegant, pencil-like forms incorporating elements of classical architecture, as well as creating green areas on façades to improve air quality and enhance the energy efficiency of buildings. Various techniques aimed at enhancing the skyscraper's visual appeal are also increasingly being used.

Top 5 planned skyscrapers

Among the skyscrapers whose construction is still in the planning stages, the best were:

• X-Seed 4000 – 16 points;

• Dubai City Tower – 15 points;

• Sky Tower Mile – 12 points;

• Mubarak Tower – 9 points;

• The Big Bend – 8 points.

Nevertheless, it's safe to say that the future belongs to ultra-tall buildings, which will soar 1,000–2,000 meters. This trend toward increasing heights is primarily driven by a housing shortage and rising land prices in the most desirable areas of major cities.

Although construction technologies for such tall buildings remain quite expensive and complex, there are already projects for several structures over 2 km tall. However, there is no talk yet of their implementation.

Supertall buildings also include ultra-long ones, whose floor area is increased through unusual shapes or the addition of auxiliary structures. In general, skyscrapers of the future are expected to feature high-speed elevator trains, green spaces, solar and wind energy storage batteries, and other engineering solutions that ensure comfort.