A decision to build a new multifunctional complex was made over seven years ago. A 1.4 hectare lot was chosen in the vicinity of the TV Center bordered by Novomoskovskaya street in the west and Argunovskaya street in the east.

Danish NIRAS developed a concept design by JSC NTV order.

The initial concept featured construction of a dominant in height building; however the lot location within the development control zone of the “Usadba Ostankino” (Ostankino Estate) heritage asset determined the limits of height parameters – the historic and cultural importance of the Ostankino Palace and the Trinity Church for the urban landscape was recognized as superior.

Thus the finally approved height of the mediacenter became 42 meters while the gross floor area including basement amounted to 76 thousand square meters.

The concept creators designed the building as an inverted glass prism - a tetrahedral crystal with facades made up of pyramidal honeycomb structural elements filled with sealed glaze units and green triangular sandwich panels.

Functionally the structure is made up of several zones: office, news and TV studios, process facilities, workshop areas for assembly and storage facilities, a power center and an underground park. A nine-storey atrium became the centerpiece of the building.

After the concept was officially approved and authorized the NTV company started to develop design documents and, at the final phase of the “Design” stage, to develop detail documentation which allowed builders to start construction works on the site before the design phase was completed. Ground work is currently under completion and the construction is planned for completion in 2016.

 

 

 

Construction of a new TV mediacenter is an event of national and international importance because in world TV practice it is more common to convert and upgrade the existing facilities.

Designers were set a most complicated task to create a project far ahead of time – a smooth blend of the original futurological exterior with function abundance and technical reliability of interconnected units – a unique combination of production-multimedia and social and cultural functions of the building.

Studio layouts provide their prompt multi-level transformation and change of scene and also system integrated equipment for hi-tech multi-media communication.

To study cutting-edge technologies used for design and operation of global TV centers the project team visited major TV studios in Europe.

Reverse tilt of the inverted prism façade-sides of was a challenging structural problem.

Standard methods of design and construction were of no use because the façade planes had different tilt angles. The Permasteelisa company prepared design of the facades with special-purpose software normally used in 3D spacecraft design.

The company faced a complex task– to design and to manufacture and also to mount the façade on the completed building; the facade will be manufactured in Italy.

This determined special requirements for builders.

All structural solutions must be precisely implemented with utmost precision to enable the façade’s “putting-on”.

 Maximum deviation from the design parameters in reinforced-concrete structures shall not exceed 25 mm.

For Russia 3D design appeared quite unusual; it included development of design specifications for other segments of design documentation, primarily a structural segment. The objects were shot from 3D projections and converted in 2D by the façade developer.

Current international standards of design management made teamwork coordination of designers from many countries possible.

A distinctive roof with tilted parts and very complicated junctions with façade surface is also one of structural features.

It is worth noting that this type of facades is totally new for Russia and must be specially certified; currently samples for fire tests are prepared; certificates necessary for commissioning will be issued upon fire test results.

Very high energy demand of the building made concept designers envisage a self-contained life-support system and maximum possible power independence of the mediacenter.

Own power center consisting of a gas boiler unit and an emergency diesel power station, provides the building’s autonomy from city heat supply networks and if connected to two independent electric networks of two different Moscow districts it obtains own generating capacity in case of networks’ simultaneous emergency shut-off.

 

 

 

 

Facing the complex and complicated task of concept realization, design and construction of the mediacenter the client primarily had to hold a competition for choosing an integrated construction manager among most reputable and experienced global companies. The winner was the internationally reputable Aecom company known for its successful project management of the Sheremetievo airport (Terminal D). 

The company is responsible for the cost and contract policy of the client: development and contract management of contractors and sub-contractors including general designer and general contractor, management of inspection, control and acceptance of design and specification documents and also project cost management and, first and foremost, construction management. 

Following the competition results general designer bureau ¹1 of GUP MNIIP “Mosporyekt-4”, was authorized as construction client and manager. The selection was held in compliance with most strict international regulations including the qualification stage during which every applicant was obliged to submit a complete set of documents consisting of a name list of specialists – members of the project team, a list of implementations, general manager’s profile, cost of works and final costs.

In addition, participation of all claimed specialists was guaranteed by their names; same method of detailed presentation was used for every subcontractor.

One of the basic terms of selection was compliance of all design solutions with the current requirements of the client and the norms and standards of the Russian Federation and at the same time a capacity to prepare documentation for Moscow City Expert Examination Board in 4 months – the shortest time possible.

The key members of the project team are “VGES-project” (underground structures), “GK-Tekhstroy”(ground structures), “ADM Partnership” (engineering), Kunkel Consulting (engineering metallic structures and special processes) and several other companies.

The general designer contract was performed in stages with a special algorithm of inspection and acceptance of documentation in a “workgroup” format.

The workgroup consisting of client’s representatives, a construction manager and a contractor inspects documentation. 

Responsible specialists of similar competence from each side participate in the inspection.

Following the results of the inspection which sometimes takes several days, a protocol of requirements and corrections based on comments of all sides is drawn up.

A special maintenance service under the client supervises implementation of the finally adopted decisions.

Apart from that equipment and material parameters were negotiated in detail in accordance with special forms.

Besides the management company administers subcontractor contracts that are engaged directly by the client for design of power supply system, gas substations, boiler house, complex of fail-safe operation of services, data procession center, vertical transport and other.

Many positions were corrected after the choice of participants finished and were adjusted to the contract system in accordance with international standards.

All construction subdivisions are contracted by the client also through the manager’s contract system. SVARGO GROUP is the general contractor.

 

 

 

The center’s functional structure is formed around its central core which includes a multi-light atrium with a translucent cover and a unit of multi-light studios designed for a full range of TV production.

The entire space along the external perimeter of the 9-storey atrium accommodates office and process rooms. For the mediacenter staff with their tight work schedule the atrium is a round-the-clock communication space for meeting, discussing, sharing knowledge and new perspectives, relaxation and rehabilitation in specially designated zones.

Architectural and artistic concept of the atrium is designed as an air space that is timeless and scopeless and reflects the world of thoughts, feelings and associations with media environment in which a person seems to blend with the integrated process of creation and   contemplation.

The atrium’s air is based on four elements – space as is, material, light and sound, and in the designers’ opinion is more a dynamic than a static environment. The layout of the polychrome internal façade made of glass fins in six colors is “enlivened” by special illumination effects and special background sound that arise and fall depending on the air life scenario.

Truss frames make translucent structures nearly invisible and contribute to an atmosphere of openness towards the outer world of which the atrium-air is a part. The layout consists of three main parts: underground, above ground and the power center as an independent facility adjacent to the building from the north. The underground zone houses a two-storey open plan car park for 285 spaces. Entry-exit is accessible from two neighboring streets – Novomoskovskaya and Argunovskaya. Beside the car park the first and second stories accommodate two 20KW substations, a transformer substation and the main distribution board.

The second storey has a two-light cooler and a cable gallery rooms.

In case of an emergency a special studio unit with control and server rooms, a 150 seat shelter with an emergency escape and own engineering unit are envisaged in the design.

The above ground layout consists of several zones – office and visitor zone, studio zone and workshop zone.

 

The visitor zone is used for reception and accommodation of TV program participants. Visitors access the zone through a separate lobby with a cloakroom in the northern part of the building.

The entrance to the studio is through a specially arranged traffic control zone.

The VIP zone for popular politicians, social and cultural celebrities has a special unit with make-up rooms and a separate entrance on the southern side of the building.

The main entrance is on the western side on Novomoskovskaya street. Its zone features a lobby with a cloakroom on the first and second floors; space shared with the visitor zone houses a small trade section with shops, boutiques and bar and café, a bank office.

The office zone is used for organization of work of the mediacenter staff and is concentrated around the multi-light atrium.

The third and fourth floors accommodate news studios and process rooms.

Standard hall office zones are on the floors from five to nine. Location of the offices around the atrium with the translucent cover allows to have additional illumination of workplaces with a second light source through glass partitions that separate office halls from the atrium gallery.

The ninth floor in the north-western corner houses the general manager and first deputy general manager offices.

The office zone has two banks of elevators including the atrium elevators.

The zone space is equipped with raised floors and false ceilings to cover service lines including multimedia peripherals.

 

The studio zone for producing TV programsand management of air events is a specialized multimedia production workshop that is located on the first-eighth floors in the central part of the building.

The best-equipped studio with a total area of 1200 square meters and 13 meter high with two levels of technical and engineering ceilings is located on the 1st-5th floors and features complex systems of lower and upper mechanical aids.

 For prompt transformation of the space, change of scene and studio’s function the floor can be divided into two parts and while production is in progress in one part the other is transformed. The studio can host 600 seats if the entire space is used in a circus mode.

Creation of sound and light climate with technical means requires a complex process of fine tuning of automatic devices which is provided with ceiling grids as upper mechanization system. Systems of portable winches for vertical and horizontal movement of lightning equipment and cameras that also provide their rotation in two directions are fixed to the 13 meter ceiling.

In case of a device failure it is replaced through a system of special hatches in the grid ceiling without changes in studio structure.

Two studios on the 6^th-8^th floors directly above the 1200sq m studio have a 600 sq m area each and are similarly equipped.

Three studios with a less demand for change of scene join the main studios on the south: a 400 sq m studio is on the 3^rd-5^th floors and directly above it on the 6^th-8^th floors are two 200 sq m studios.

This unit uses a system of hoists instead of grids – hoists are special frames that lightning equipment uses for moving in different directions.

Every studio is a “box in box” closed structure isolated from the outer world and implemented with special structural solutions preventing penetration of noise in the studio zone.

Besides, the roof of the 9^th floor accommodates several terraces equipped for special events including shooting news programs with the beautiful panoramic views of Moscow in the background.

News studios are on the 3^rd and 4^th floors in the western part of the building between the visitor and office zones and consist of a 200 sq.m. studio and two 120 sq.m. studios. The central control room is the main communication and controlling station which is located on the 4^th floor in the north-eastern corner of the building.

In the east on the 3^rd and 4^th floors it is joined by the news program studio with a 120 sq.m. studio.

Support rooms (VIP and make-up rooms, scene docks and engineering units) and multimedia center rooms (galleries, editing, server, and speaker rooms) are located from the 2nd to the 9th floors.

All studios have an advanced functional connection by floor with support rooms and the multimedia center and also have a convenient access from the office zone to facilitate editing with hi-tech organization of shooting.

 

The workshop zone – assembly, storage, archive, control and lighting parks, staff premises, cargo elevators, cargo vehicles zones, canteen, snack bars and kitchens are in a direct access of the loading terminal from Argunovskaya street.

Convenient traffic routes between the main studios and main support rooms including scene rooms, workshops, storage, etc., located on different floors are provided by two big cargo elevators with a load capacity up to 3500 kg.

Along the entire façade on the southern side there are rooms for staff that provide round-the clock operation including make-up rooms, dressing rooms, repair rooms.

A bank of elevators in the north-eastern corner provides access to all floors from the first floor of the workshop zone.

 

The power center is an individual component of the complex situated on the northern side; fire division walls separate this isolated zone from the main building.

Engineering space is on the first floor of the power center, the second floor accommodates a gas boiler house with 5 boilers, the third floor houses an individual heating plant (IHP), the fourth floor - emergency diesel power station (EDPS) consisting of 4 diesel generators, and the data processing center (DPC) is on the fifth-eighth floors. 

DPC features specialized equipment (servers) without permanent workplaces. Servers are used for storage and procession of the gigantic data volume that provides all multimedia production processes ranging from situational search of evidential links for news programs to registration of engineering parameters of the building operation.

EDPS is responsible for a self-contained power supply of the mediacomplex in case of the city line emergency shut-off. Normally two distribution substations located in the basement of the main building with connection to two independent power lines of two Moscow districts run.

In case the external supply fails main consumers switch over to the center of uninterrupted power supply and diesel generator power supply.

Estimated time of the complex’ complete transition to a self-contained power supply is 8 minutes.

The gas boiler house and IHP fully cover heating energy consumption and run automatically without permanent presence of the personnel.

The 8-storey power center has a reinforced concrete frame. The first (technical) floor is 1.7 meter high, the second floor is 5.05 meter high, the third floor is 4.3 meter high, the fourth floor is 4.5 meter high, the sixth and seventh floors are 3.65 meter high each, and the eighth floor is 3.7 meter high.

The power center has an elevator and an individual escape route, an isolated entrance and peripheral system of vertical shafts and ducts for engineering communications and technological cables.

Besides, additional emergency exits from the power center to the visitor zone of the building are designed in compliance with STR regulations for design of fire protection system.

 

 Basic structural parameters of the building are the following: lateral dimensions in main (outside axels) - 82,71 õ 123,80 m, height – 42.00 m, number of stories – 9 plus 2 underground levels 3,5 and 4,3 meter high, respectively. The framework structure is based on solid-cast flooring with 3,2 õ 11,1 m spans.

The braced frame consists of individual supports and stiffening cores linked with floor panel slabs. Reinforced concrete walls of the studios and stair-elevator blocks form stiffening cores.

Supporting walls, individual supports and flooring slabs linked with them provide sustainability of the building.

Supporting structures of the ground part are made of: reinforced concrete – square columns, walls, slabs and beams of floors and covers; steel – studio covers and floorings, atrium cover, and passageways on three levels of the atrium.

Studio covers and floorings consist of girders born against reinforced concrete walls consoles with anti-vibration pads.

In lengthwise direction two girders will provide distribution of load and resistance of flooring (cover) to progressive (explosive) rupture.

At the top chords bearer boards are mounted to support profiled flooring which is a stay-in place formwork for the cover and flooring concrete slab. 

At the bottom chords bearer boards for hanging fire-protective reinforced concrete ceiling are installed.

Stability of steel structures is provided by stiffness of floor (cover) slabs and space operation of floor (cover) frame.

Atrium cover is made of steel trusses with a 6,8% slope ratio on the roof pitch. Top chords are made of curved RHS. An aluminum substructure of the translucent cover consisting of stained glass modules with sealed double glazed units is fixed to the top chord of trusses.

A system of vertical bracing, bottom chord division bars and horizontal bracing system provide the trusses stability.

Passageways in the atrium’s three levels will be made of I-beams which support the profiled flooring - a formwork for the reinforced concrete slab.

Concrete inserts in reinforced concrete beams will support steel beams.

At the design stage it was suggested that a full load would be transferred from a column and a foundation slab in the zones between columns to the piled foundation.

The design analysis of the support frames of the reinforced concrete building, foundation and ground was performed in full compliance with the requirements of the Russian Building Code.

Based on the results of the performed analysis required reinforcement of bearing frames under super loads and their basic combinations was determined, dynamic properties of the building were calculated, possible displacement influenced by growth of pressure level under the foundation was estimated.

 

The spatial concept presents the building in the shape of a complex trapezoidal crystal with inversely tilted walls made of facades’ stained glass systems of two basic structural types – flat post-and-bar and relief crystal structures.

The basic types in combination with wall geometry vary in several modifications:

Façade structures of honeycomb types are used in eastern, northern and southern sides of the building.

Façade modules are triangular and are placed alternatively – translucent with double glazing and opaque with sandwich panels thus forming diamond-shaped oriels placed in a checkered fashion that make up a solid relief surface of spatial glass grid. Sandwich panels are placed right-hand relating to the glazing units.

Façade enclosing module structure is mounted on the floors from one to nine on the north-eastern and south-eastern facades.

Façade modules are fixed to floor slabs with aluminum (steel) brackets that have a bolted-type connection with insert elements in floor concrete slabs.

The translucent modules structure has a basic element in the form of a spandrel panel with fire-proof insulation filling at the floor slab.

Center span between pillars (vertical imposts) is 1500 mm. The height of façade module structures of the 1^st floor is approximately 6350-6930 mm depending on the outward tilt angle.

The height of standard floors façade module structures is 4250-4730 mm depending on the tilt angle of structures.

All façade module structures are made of thermal insulating aluminum sections with the following fillings: translucent double glazing coated with High PerformanceBright Green 40/29 Glass; sandwich panels outside PPC coated in Tiger; opaque double glazing units. 

The module aluminum sections are coated indoors using powder method in compliance with RAL 9006 color chart. Spandrel panel is coated using powder method in compliance with RAL 6019 chart.

Fire-proof heat insulating material is used for insulation of opaque parts.

Flat facade structures of post-and-bar type with pads are used on western, northern and southern sides of the building. Façade modules are rectangular and have a diagonal impost dividing the rectangle into triangles filled with double glazing units.

Solid flat glazing of the western façade in the main entrance zone is rearranged into structural glazing of the curvilinear surface made of flat and curvilinear elements of the stained glass panel.

Façade enclosing module structure is mounted on the façade from floors one to nine on its north-western and south-eastern sides.

Façade modules are fixed to floor slabs with aluminum (steel) brackets with bolted connections with embedded anchor bars pre-installed in concrete floor slabs.

Modules’ basic element is a spandrel panel at the floor panel with fire-proof insulating filling.

Center span between pillars (vertical imposts) is 1500 mm. The height of façade module structures of the 1^st floor is approximately 6350-6930 mm depending on the outward angle of tilt.

The height of standard floors façade module structures is 4250-4730 mm depending on the tilt angle of structures.

All façade module structures are made of thermal insulating aluminum sections with the following fillings: translucent double glazing coated with High PerformanceBright Green 40/29 Glass; sandwich panels outside PPC coated in Tiger; opaque double glazed units in compliance with the reduced total thermal resistance. 

The module aluminum sections are coated both indoors and outdoors using powder method in compliance with RAL 9006 color chart. Spandrel panel is coated using powder method in compliance with RAL 6019 chart.

Fire-proof heat insulating material is used for insulation of opaque parts.

 

The Main entrance stained glass panel is a structural type facade filled with double, single, flat and curvilinear glazed units on glass substructure.

The stained glass panel is mounted on the first floor of the western façade and consists of steel and glass edges filled with flat and curvilinear: translucent double glazed units with translucent double glazing coated with High PerformanceBright Green 40/29 Glass; translucent single glazed units with coated with High PerformanceBright Green 40/29 Glass and a spandrel panel with fire-proof insulation filling at the floor slab; opaque double glazed units in compliance with the reduced total thermal resistance.

Center span between pillars is 1500 mm (this figure may vary in the area where the glaze unit is curved). Powder method is used for coating steel girders in accordance with RAL 9006 Chart. Spandrel panels are also coated with a powder method in accordance with RAL 6019 Chart.

 

The Media-façade is also placed on the western side of the building and is a media-screen that is hung with the help of consoles above the main entrance and is used for presenting the NTV brand.

The atrium cover consists of a system of thermally isolated steel sections, transparent double glazed units with heating, heated storm water pipes, drain and rain gutter, drips and stainless steel enclosure along the glazed perimeter and also snowmelting equipment. The stained glass structure of the post-bar “roof” type is mounted on the steel frames of the atrium cover.

In total 11 types of façade structures are used in the building design considering the above modifications of the basic types.

The building’s main function was considered in design of glazed units formulas.

The glazed units’ formulas for façade translucent structures were determined on the basis of heating performance and static analysis with regard to wind load in compliance with “Load and actions” design and construction specifications, requirements of the “Enlakom” Center and general requirements for glazing using the submitted glass samples.

 

 

Main connections between above ground floors are provided by four elevator banks.

The first bank consisting of panoramic elevators is located in the atrium. The second bank – which is the main one – consists of six elevators two of which are fire elevators, and is located in the elevator hall adjacent to the atrium.

The workshop zone accommodates third and fourth elevator banks: three elevators two of which are fire elevators are in the elevator hall of the north-eastern corner of the building and two cargo elevators are in the immediate vicinity to the loading terminal on the eastern side of the building.

In the control room zone there is one elevator and engineering stairs.

Beside the above, vertical communications of the ground part are provided : in the atrium - by one open stairs, from the first to the seventh floor - by five stair halls, from the first to the ninth floor - by four stair halls with an entrance through air-lock and an exit to the roofing.

The basement part of the building has six escape stair halls. Two elevator banks, each of two elevators and located in elevator halls, provide connection of all underground levels (excluding the power center) with the ground part.

The power center floors connection is provided by own elevator and one smokeproof stairway with an exit to the roofing.

All types of cargo-passenger elevators are designed as monospace (without machine room) and are developed and supplied by the ThyssenKrupp.

 

 

Design and construction of the new NTV center provides more comfortable conditions for TV production using maximum level of computerization, edge-cutting systems of tapeless technologies, formats and platforms.

Design of the media center is performed together with the Danish Multi Media Consulting A/S which focuses on development of TV broadcasting complex solutions.

Besides other experienced foreign companies which design and install multimedia complexes globally, participate in the project.

The entire multimedia infrastructure of the new TV center provides HD broadcasting with a future transition of certain services to 4K format.

Engineering design of the multimedia complex structurally consists of six basic units:

Studios have most advanced TV equipment, remotely-controlled robotic cameras, lenses designed to work in advanced 4K format, completely controlled studio lighting system and other.

Studio control rooms are equipped with computerized production system including control of video and audio mixers and other specialized processes.

A possibility to connect a control room to several studios to make studio production process more flexible is provided.

In case of failure this configuration allows fast re-connection of control to an adjacent control room and also co-provision of operation of two studios from one control room.

 

Postproduction coversproduction of TV programs, show programs and different media content that require further processing before broadcasting.

Postproduction technologies involve non-linear editing systems, management of workflow and assets (PAM – Production Asset Management), systems of production materials storage, graphic data and color procession, and also equipment of professional editing rooms.

 

Central control room is a central dispatcher room as a general commutation center of the multimedia complex with all input and output signals, with data processing and transmitting equipment for all necessary formats.

Data flows are arranged by the multi-level decentralized and flexible system of engineering communication. The center is equipped with a gallery and Play-out system, systems for program planning, zone program scheduling and automatic broadcasting.

 

IT & Communications – is a unit which is designed to create a turnkey IT infrastructure including IP networks, telephony, IPTV, data storage system, reservation systems, servers, computers, etc.

 

News production includes a computerized zone tapeless workflow system and a production platform of all news production in the NTV complex.

Key systems of news production platform are news editing, nonlinear editing stations – Production Asset Management (PAM), and automation system.

 

 

 

 

Archives &Media data management system – is a unit based on a consolidated model of NTV metadata that runs together with the Corporate media materials management system. More than 50 000 archive videotapes accumulated during 20 years of broadcasting will be digitized and placed in the NTV consolidated data archive.