Science Meets the City — A New Benchmark for Biomedical Infrastructure in Moscow

A jury session at DOM.RF has selected the winning proposal for the architectural concept of the Federal Center for Advanced Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies. The competition winner — Moscow-based bureau MUZA FORM — proposes a future-facing research campus in northern Moscow (Sokol district, Baltiyskaya Street 8), featuring two landmark towers and an integrated landscape park.

As Denis Filippov, Deputy CEO of DOM.RF and Chair of the Jury, noted, the project sets a new direction for scientific infrastructure. Over several months, initial ideas evolved into fully developed, high-quality solutions capable of defining a new standard for research environments. The outcome reflects a critical shift — from isolated facilities to integrated urban environments that support innovation and collaboration. The winning concept is expected to create a modern, functional, and highly recognizable destination for the scientific community.

The project envisions a seven-building campus organized around a central courtyard. The ground level is unified by a continuous glazed gallery, creating a seamless network of public and functional spaces. The first-phase buildings feature transparent façades and vary in height from 23 to 50 meters. The composition is completed by two high-rise dominants — 95 and 149 meters — planned for the second phase.

The spatial development concept follows a campus-block model — forming a defined urban perimeter and integrating all volumes through a shared podium with an accessible rooftop.

• Total area — 131,000 sq m
• Estimated investment — RUB 51.2 billion
• Implementation timeline — approximately 10 years

According to Elena Myznikova, founder of MUZA FORM, the project drives urban transformation at the district level. While maintaining necessary security standards, the site will introduce an ակտիվ pedestrian frontage, new public squares, and commercial functions. Internally, the campus will feature a landscape park accessible to residents and visitors — creating a balanced interface between science and the urban environment.

Sergei Kuznetsov, jury member and Chief Architect at VEB.RF, подчеркнул, что проект является актуальным и значимым вкладом в городскую среду Москвы. Он отметил, что конкуренция была крайне высокой, а разрыв между участниками — минимальным, что подчеркивает общий высокий уровень предложений. Реализация проекта станет ключевым фактором, определяющим его долгосрочное качество и значение для города.

Six teams competed in the final stage of the competition. The results are as follows:

• 2nd place — Wowhaus
• 3rd place — IND
• 4th place — TPO “Reserve”
• 5th place — consortium AI-architects + TOLK + ZLT + ArTech Lab
• 6th place — consortium PASP Architectural Bureau + ROST Design Studio

Airat Gatiyatov, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, emphasized that infrastructure has become a key growth driver for science. The challenge is no longer limited to upgrading facilities — it is about creating high-performance research environments that are technologically advanced, functional, and tailored to scientific workflows. The competition demonstrated the ability to design such environments — where every element, from laboratories to public spaces, contributes to research outcomes.

The Federal Research Center is one of Russia’s leading institutions in biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, and drug quality assessment. Its current facilities consist largely of outdated buildings from the 1930s, isolated from the urban environment.

The new complex will host десятки лабораторий, focusing on the development of therapies for oncological, cardiovascular, and rare genetic diseases, as well as research in aging, regeneration, and human-environment interaction. It will also include pilot-scale pharmaceutical production — strengthening the full innovation cycle from research to application.

The competition was curated by DOM.RF with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. The operator is LLC “CENTER LAB” — the International Urbanist Laboratory.

As Sergei Georgievskii, Co-founder and Development Director of the Agency for strategic development “CENTER”, concluded, modern science should not exist behind closed boundaries. A contemporary research center integrates advanced laboratories with a high-quality urban environment — creating open, inspiring spaces that attract talent and shape the city. The project creates exactly such a framework — transforming a previously closed site into a new urban anchor and a point of pride for Moscow.

Photo: Nikolai Sokolov