Siemens

A central atrium bathed in natural light became the defining feature and the starting point for the interior design of the new Siemens headquarters in Moscow.

  • Total area: 25,770 m2
  • Location: Moscow, Bolshaya Tatarskaya St., 13
  • Design: 2009
  • Construction: 2011
  • Renovation: 2021
  • Winner of the nomination "Organization of space" Best Office Awards 2011
  • LEED Gold Certificate
  • Project Manager: Igor Lipatov
  • Architects: Mikhail Gumankov, Fedor Rashchevsky, Irina Prisedskaya, with the participation of Ilya Sazhin, Anastasia Ionina

Siemens

A central atrium bathed in natural light became the defining feature and the starting point for the interior design of the new Siemens headquarters in Moscow.

  • Total area: 25,770 m2
  • Location: Moscow, Bolshaya Tatarskaya St., 13
  • Design: 2009
  • Construction: 2011
  • Renovation: 2021
  • Winner of the nomination "Organization of space" Best Office Awards 2011
  • LEED Gold Certificate
  • Project Manager: Igor Lipatov
  • Architects: Mikhail Gumankov, Fedor Rashchevsky, Irina Prisedskaya, with the participation of Ilya Sazhin, Anastasia Ionina

Project Overview

The decision by Siemens' management to consolidate several offices led to the acquisition of a six-story building in the heart of Moscow, complete with two levels of underground parking. Beyond its prime location near the Paveletsky railway station, the building's standout feature was its spacious, light-filled atrium. This became the focal point for the interior design.

At one end of the atrium, a large multimedia wall and a welcoming bar were installed. Custom-designed bench planters, integrated with lighting and connectivity ports, are strategically placed throughout the space. These mobile units, filled with live greenery, can be easily reconfigured or moved aside to clear the floor for company conferences and events.

The ground floor is zoned for collaboration and dining. The right wing hosts an expansive meeting area with its own dedicated reception desk. The left wing is home to a spacious cafeteria, with tables that spill out into the atrium itself. 

Adding a touch of nature, a real, living tree was planted to the right of the media wall.

Spatial Organization

Floors two through five are dedicated to open-plan workspaces. A key feature on these levels are mobile modules, referred to by the project team as "think tanks". These are essentially private meeting rooms that can be positioned near specific teams as needed.

Measuring 2.7 x 2.7 meters, each module has two walls painted in the floor's signature color — green for even-numbered floors, orange for odd-numbered ones. The remaining two walls are made of transparent glass featuring a graphic pattern of birch trunks, a subtle nod to the Russian landscape.

While the initial concept included wheels for maximum flexibility, the final, more cost-effective solution uses stationary partitions and a specialized suspended ceiling system, which neatly integrates with the building's ventilation and air conditioning.

The work areas are filled with thoughtful details:

  • Mobile archives: Rolling units that can be brought nearly to a desk.
  • Personal lockers: Secure spaces for storing personal belongings.
  • Acoustic seating: Brightly colored sofas with high backs designed to dampen noise.

Complementing the main workstations are numerous coffee points, zones for quick meetings, and a large number of hot-desking spots. To promote health and wellness, nearly all desks are height-adjustable, allowing for both sitting and standing work.

The executive area occupies a dedicated section of the sixth floor. It features a reception area integrated with a bar, private offices for the CEO and CFO, two meeting rooms (one of which is transformable), comfortable lounge areas, and workspaces for assistants. The birch trunk graphic motif is carried through to these spaces, creating a cohesive visual language.

Lighting and Sustainability

One of the project's most significant achievements is its innovative lighting strategy. The architects deliberately moved away from standard built-in ceiling lighting. Instead, the workspaces are illuminated by individual floor lamps, each equipped with presence and daylight sensors. The only areas using integrated downlights are a few corridors, and even these are energy-efficient LEDs.

This approach resulted in substantial energy savings and was a key factor in the project's eligibility for the prestigious international LEED certification, underscoring the commitment to sustainable design.

In 2021, the architects returned to the project for a targeted renovation. The atrium and select work areas were refreshed, bringing the original 2011 concept in line with the client's evolving needs.