A distinctive scroll-shaped skyscraper design has been chosen by Moscow residents to replace one of the city's most recognizable landmarks on Novy Arbat. The winning design emerged from an online public vote to determine the future of the Soviet-era Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon) building, which was declared structurally unsafe last year.
Moscow's city government announced the voting results on Monday, revealing that 46% of participants supported the scroll-shaped design. The winning proposal preserves the existing 26-story tower while adding a dramatic new skyscraper that takes the form of a scroll and stands twice the height of the current structure. The original building has been a defining feature of the city skyline for decades due to its distinctive book-like silhouette.
The online voting process began on August 15, offering residents three different high-rise designs to consider. The selection came after the Soviet-era building was deemed structurally unsound in October of the previous year, making its replacement a priority for city planners and safety officials.
In February, media outlets reported that Moscow's Mayor's Office had selected commercial developer Kievskaya Ploshchad to lead the investment in this major redevelopment project. The development company was founded by prominent Russian-Azerbaijani billionaires God Nisanov and Zarakh Iliev, who have extensive experience in large-scale urban development projects.
City officials described the scroll tower design in symbolic terms, calling it "a metaphor for upward movement, aspiration toward the future and openness to fresh ideas, innovation and creativity." The mayor's office emphasized that specialists will conduct all necessary reconstruction work, taking into account the current condition of the existing structure.
Kievskaya Ploshchad has outlined ambitious plans for the redevelopment, proposing to create a comprehensive 600,000-square-meter social and cultural cluster. According to the company's plans, 450,000 square meters will be dedicated to cultural, leisure and business spaces, while the remaining 150,000 square meters will house residential units and technical facilities.
The city government has not yet provided a specific timeline for when construction will begin or when the project is expected to be completed. The complex nature of preserving the existing structure while adding the new scroll-shaped tower will likely require extensive planning and engineering work before construction can commence.
