Foster Partners has already impressedus with the Beijing’s new multibillion-dollar international airportterminal and now, they are planning the world’s biggest building dubbedCrystal Island in Moscow. The mesmerizing US $4 billion ‘city inside abuilding’ is likely to be built within next 5 years. Enclosed within amassive mega structure covering a total floor area of 2.5million squaremeters, the project’s scale is unparalleled. Conceived as aself-contained city within a city, it features a rich mix of buildingsincluding museums, theatres and cinemas, to guarantee that it is amajor new destination for the whole of Moscow. The Crystal Island is1,500ft high, can house up to 30,000 residents, and offers panoramicviews over Moscow from a viewing platform at its apex.The City Islandwill have a range of cultural, exhibition and performance facilities,approximately 3000 hotel rooms, 900 serviced apartments, offices andshops, and an international school for 500 pupils. Energy management isat the heart of the design, with additional strategies to includeon-site renewable and low-carbon energy generation. The proposed sitefor the Crystal Island is a peninsula, which is located five miles fromthe city centre.
