Dominion Office Building in Moscow, Russia by Zaha Hadid Architects

Situated on Sharikopodshipnikovskaya Street in Moscow’s southern district, the Dominion Office Building was designed as a workplace where interaction and cross-pollination between creative groups is key. Conceived as a stack of rectilinear volumes that are off-set from one another and adjoined with curvy elements, the building now houses several businesses of different sizes, from small, energetic start-ups to larger more established companies. The team at Zaha Hadid Architects created large, open-plan office areas that can be adjusted according to each company’s needs and size.

Dominion Office Space by Zaha Hadid Architects. Render © Zaha Hadid Architects.

Dominion Office Space by Zaha Hadid Architects. Photo © Hufton + Crow Photographers.

These working areas are arranged around a central atrium that runs through all the floors and hosts a restaurant at its bottom, thus functioning as the building’s main core. The atrium also features what is perhaps the building’s most identifiable characteristic: a staggering black-and-white stairway design, which, when seen from below, creates a captivating visual effect. The studio’s principal, Dame Zaha Hadid, is soon to receive yet another prestigious accolade, namely the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture: the honour is awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects and this year signifies the first time in its 160-year history that its recipient is a woman.