Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have been selected to design Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoe – a mixed-used development and "satellite city" in the westernmost reaches of Moscow.

The planned 400 million sq m metropolis will include myriad sporting and recreation grounds, forested parklands, and a lake, as well as cultural and artistic institutes, offices, and entertainment areas.

With an aim to accommodate Moscow's rapidly growing population, the new urban centre – which is being developed by Sberbank Group affiliate JSC Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye – will also feature a hotel and permanent residences for up to 66,500 people.

ZHA’s proposal explicitly prioritises sustainability, technological connectivity, and civic awareness.

According to Christos Passas, project director at ZHA, the team took a "people-centric design for a smart interconnected city that brings people together not only through innovative technology but also through organising the public realm".

He explained that they wanted to build a "community that integrates the natural aspects of the site with principles of openness and inclusivity in high-quality architecture suited for the 21st century".

ZHA, which outvied four other firms to secure the design contract, will be joined by a supergroup of engineering consultants and architects including TPO Pride Architects, ARUP, Nikken Sekkei, UNK Project, Archea Associati, and ABD Architects.

The initial phases of the project are set to unfold over the course of 2019 and coincide with the construction in 2020 of a metro line linking Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoe to central Moscow.