Architect：Foster + Partners

Location：Ekaterinburg, Russia

Project Year：2021

Category：Offices

Stories By：Foster + Partners Linea Light Group

The new headquarters of RCC, one of the world’s leading producers of copper, reimagines the conventional cellular office to set new standards in quality, comfort and flexibility.

RCC Headquarters in Ekaterinburg has officially opened. The practice’s first office building in Russia, the building reimagines the conventional cellular office to set new standards in quality, comfort and flexibility. The 15-storey building’s innovative modular office units are enveloped in an energy efficient enclosure, which provides a distinctive symbol for the organisation in Ekaterinburg.

RCC is one of the world’s leading producers of copper and the triangulated form draws inspiration from the chemical structure of copper. The crown of the building integrates RCC’s new logo – a rebranding which has, in turn, been inspired by the architecture.

The starting point for the office floors was to reinvent the headquarters as a ‘house for staff’ – instead of the conventional large, communal workspaces, the rooms are of a more intimate, domestic scale. The practice’s workplace consultancy group analysed the client’s operations and helped to devise the innovative modular system for these rooms. This was then developed with the in-house engineering teams to enable rapid construction and ensure ideal levels of natural daylight for concentrated work. Each two-storey module comprises a pair of offices, stacked one on top of the other – this is expressed externally through the double-storey cladding module. The modules are arranged in rows on either side of a central hallway, which functions as a breakout space, with lounge seating and views of the city through the glazed lift shaft. At level fifteen, the space is top-lit to create a flexible space for company-wide gatherings and events.

The design targets a BREEAM Excellent rating. Responding to Ekaterinburg’s wide temperature range between seasons – often from +30°C to -30°C – the balance between solid and glazed areas is designed as a reaction to low level winter sun, while mitigating the heat of direct sunlight during the summer. The site overlooks the city and the recently landscaped river bank. Extending this greenery to the base of the building, the footprint is shifted to create a private garden for staff. The landscaping echoes the cellular internal arrangement, with a sequence of ‘external rooms’ that provide peaceful spaces for staff to relax and eat lunch. Further facilities within the building include a video conference room and boardroom, meeting spaces and an executive dining area.

“Our first completed building in Russia, the new headquarters for RCC exemplifies the practice’s commitment to innovation and marks the culmination of a long and fruitful process. Throughout the process we aimed to maintain exceptional quality of construction in the face of very challenging conditions. Together with the client, our integrated team has developed a bespoke solution for RCC’s new headquarters that is a perfect fit for the company and the very nature of their work. Everything from the building structure to the bespoke furniture was designed specifically for the company, illustrating our commitment to craftsmanship.

In the centre of Yekaterinburg, the main industrial and cultural hub of the Urals region, stands the new headquarters of Russian Copper Company – one of the country’s largest copper producers, which has received significant international awards for its intelligent and technologically-advanced approach to metal production.

The design of the building, curated by British architect Norman Foster of the famed Foster + Partners Studio, required an integrated approach and a mix of not only architectural skills but also engineering and lighting. And the result today – after 5 years’ work – stands out high in the Urals sky, lighting up the day and illuminating the night.

This 13-storey tower, with comfortable and flexible spaces designed for workers, is comprised of bronze triangular panels with the dual functions of aesthetics to recall the colour and chemical structure of copper, along with design to facilitate the regulation of the internal temperature by providing shade in summer and allowing sunlight to enter in winter.

The Thin66 linear profile, in a customised length designed to adapt to the cabinetry where it has been installed, represents the real innovation of the lighting project. Available in a range of solutions for indoor (but also outdoor) applications, the Thin66 enhancing the entire building by conferring a spectacular look akin to a luminous sculpture.

Dimmable during the day through the DALI protocol, it has also been connected with a home automation system that manages the entire building, with the aim of meeting the various lighting needs throughout the day and all year round. The result is not only magnificent but also and especially intelligent lighting that adapts to this technologically-advanced building.

Credits

Project: Foster + Partners

Lighting Design: Jason Bruges Studio

Electric projects, project adaptation, supply: Solo light solution (Ekaterinburg)

Products: Rubber in a custom version, Xenia, Paseo, Vos, Ice-Cut, Archicove, Thin66 in a custom version

Year: 2020

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