Evolution Tower, Moscow, Russia
Further information and case study for this project can be found at the De Gruyter Birkhäuser Modern Construction Online database
The following architectural theory-based case study is not available at Modern Construction Online
Parametric Facade Technology in Evolution Tower, Moscow – High Modernist Influences and Digital Realisation
Completed in 2015, the Evolution Tower in Moscow, designed by RMJM in collaboration with Gorproject and with early façade consultancy by Newtecnic, represents a synthesis of formal ambition and construction precision. The tower’s defining feature—a 90-degree helical twist that gradually ascends its vertical axis—posed a significant challenge to traditional façade design. This dynamic configuration demanded innovative responses in prefabrication, anchoring detail, and environmental performance, all of which were coordinated through a rigorous digital design process.
This case study examines how the façade system of the Evolution Tower responds to these challenges and how its technological strategy builds upon and extends key principles of High Modernism. The tower’s envelope represents a continuity of rational construction ideals, deeply rooted in modernist precedent, yet reconfigured through parametric modelling and off-site fabrication. Its technical logic exemplifies the architectural themes described by Watts (2016; 2019; 2023), wherein expressive architectural form is increasingly facilitated by digital workflows and modular construction technologies. The façade system developed for this project served as a conceptual and technical precedent for the system implemented in Project 03, featured in the second edition of Modern Construction Case Studies.
High Modernist Projects Informing the Façade Strategy
A number of High Modernist projects provide both conceptual and technical precedents for the Evolution Tower’s façade design. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s John Hancock Center (1969) in Chicago exemplified the expressive potential of structural rationalism. Its diagonally braced steel frame and modular aluminium curtain wall system integrated enclosure with engineering, a strategy that resonates in the Evolution Tower’s response to structural geometry through unitised façade modules designed for precise alignment (Frampton, 2007; Ali and Moon, 2007; Watts, 2019).
Similarly, Richard Rogers’ Lloyd’s Building (1978) in London externalised its services and relied on replaceable prefabricated units that reflected a belief in flexibility, clarity, and systematised construction. The segmented logic of its envelope is clearly echoed in the Evolution Tower, where unitised curtain wall panels were prefabricated and systematically installed in a sequence responding to the helical form (Edwards, 2006; Yeang, 1999; Watts, 2016).
The influence of Félix Candela’s work—especially the Metropolitan Cathedral (1971) in Mexico City—is found not in the use of curtain wall systems but in the rationalisation of complex geometry. Candela’s thin-shell concrete forms demonstrated that expressive, doubly curved surfaces could be achieved with minimal material and maximum clarity. The Evolution Tower advances this legacy through parametric tools that transform formal complexity into a manageable series of rationalised, planar modules (Kolarevic, 2003; Picon, 2010; Watts, 2023).
Eero Saarinen’s TWA Flight Center (1962) at JFK Airport served as a prototype of structure-as-expression. Though the Evolution Tower’s use of glazing diverges from Saarinen’s concrete monoliths, both projects aim for formal unity between form, structure, and envelope. Here again, the sculptural quality of the Evolution Tower’s twist is facilitated by precision engineering, enabling a seamless aesthetic through rational production methods (Frampton, 2007; Lynn, 1999).
Finally, the Centre Pompidou (1977), by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, introduced a new language of modularity and system clarity. Its externalised components and prefabricated systems inform the façade logic of the Evolution Tower, where modular glass and aluminium panels are arrayed along a twisted vertical axis to create a rhythmic, expressive skin (Rocco, 2014; Watts, 2016).
Continuities from Modernism to the Evolution Tower
The Evolution Tower’s façade exemplifies the continuation and transformation of modernist ideals—specifically modularity, structural clarity, and environmental responsiveness—through the lens of digital design. Rather than departing from the values of rational architecture, the project evolves them by integrating digital parametric tools into its design and construction process.
The project’s reliance on prefabricated curtain wall modules is a direct continuation of modernist strategies that sought efficiency and control through modularity. As Watts (2019) notes, unitised systems allow for tight tolerances and consistent performance, particularly when fabricated off-site under controlled conditions. In the Evolution Tower, this modularity is key to managing the geometric complexity introduced by the building’s spiralling form.
Equally important is the integration of the façade system with the structural frame. Adjustable anchoring brackets were designed to accommodate the rotation of the floor slabs, allowing the vertical mullions of each façade panel to remain plumb despite the building’s rotation. This approach, reminiscent of the structural expressiveness of the Hancock Center and the flexible servicing of the Lloyd’s Building, underscores the Evolution Tower’s fusion of architectural intent and engineering logic (Frampton, 2007; Watts, 2023).
Geometric rationalisation lies at the heart of the design strategy. Advanced parametric tools such as Rhino and Grasshopper enabled the segmentation of the twisting form into repeatable zones. By manipulating rotation angles, panel dimensions, and anchoring points algorithmically, the design team achieved continuity of form while maintaining fabrication feasibility. This digital workflow reflects the aspirations of Candela and Saarinen, where complex geometry is achieved through rational design methods (Kolarevic, 2003; Oxman, 2010).
Facade Engineering and Environmental Performance
The architectural twist of the Evolution Tower is not merely an aesthetic gesture; it is supported by a rigorous construction logic. The building’s rotation is achieved not through curved elements, but by subtly rotating flat curtain wall modules at each floor level. These incremental adjustments, coordinated via parametric models, produce the appearance of a continuous spiral using standardised, orthogonal units (Watts, 2019).
Each module of the unitised curtain wall was fabricated off-site with insulated glass units set within white aluminium frames. The use of flat IGUs—rather than bespoke curved glass—enabled efficient manufacture while keeping costs and construction risk low. Yet through careful detailing and alignment of corner units and mullions, the façade achieves a high degree of visual fluidity (Rocco, 2014; Watts, 2023).
Anchoring systems played a pivotal role in reconciling structure and envelope. Custom-designed brackets were used to accommodate floor-by-floor rotation, ensuring that each panel remained vertically true even as the floor slabs spiralled. This anchoring strategy was critical in maintaining the consistent visual rhythm of the mullions and preserving the spiral’s integrity from base to crown (Frampton, 2007; Watts, 2023).
Beyond its geometric and structural precision, the façade performs to a high environmental standard. It resists wind loads and moisture penetration, provides airtight insulation, and maintains internal comfort in extreme seasonal conditions. High-performance double glazing with low-emissivity coatings and argon fills ensures energy efficiency and acoustic insulation, while warm-edge spacers minimise thermal bridging. Integrated LED lighting traces the building’s spiral at night, reinforcing its architectural identity and ensuring that its expressive form remains legible after dark (Edwards, 2006; Watts, 2019; Szokolay, 2008).
Conclusion
The Evolution Tower stands as a sophisticated synthesis of modernist architectural legacy and contemporary digital execution. It demonstrates how computational tools can extend the ambitions of rational construction—modularity, clarity, and systematisation—into the domain of formally expressive architecture. Building upon the lessons of mid-20th-century precedents, the project exemplifies how parametric workflows, prefabricated modules, and performance-driven detailing can resolve architectural complexity into efficient, buildable, and evocative results.
Rather than abandoning modernist ideals, the Evolution Tower reinterprets them through the lens of twenty-first-century construction technologies. As discussed in Watts’ Modern Construction series (2016, 2019, 2023), it is through this confluence of expressive form and technical rigour that contemporary architecture achieves both innovation and continuity.
References
Ali, M.M. and Moon, K.S. (2007) ‘Structural Developments in Tall Buildings: Current Trends and Future Prospects’, Architectural Science Review, 50(3), pp. 205–223.
Edwards, B. (2006) Structural Engineering and Building Maintenance. London: Routledge.
Frampton, K. (2007) Modern Architecture: A Critical History. 4th edn. London: Thames & Hudson.
Kolarevic, B. (2003) Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing. London: Spon Press.
Lynn, G. (1999) Animate Form. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Minke, G. (2012) Building with Light: The International Architecture Annual. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Oxman, R. (2010) ‘Morphogenesis in the Theory and Methodology of Digital Tectonics’, in Oxman, R. and Oxman, R. (eds.) Theories of the Digital in Architecture. London: Routledge, pp. 135–154.
Picon, A. (2010) Digital Culture in Architecture: An Introduction for the Design Professions. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Rocco, P. (2014) Façade Engineering: Principles and Practice. London: Wiley-Blackwell.
Szokolay, S.V. (2008) Introduction to Architectural Science: The Basis of Sustainable Design. 2nd edn. Oxford: Architectural Press.
Watts, A. (2016) Modern Construction Case Studies. 1st ed. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Watts, A. (2019) Modern Construction Envelopes. 3rd ed. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Watts, A. (2023) Modern Construction Handbook. 6th ed. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Yeang, K. (1999) The Green Skyscraper: The Basis for Designing Sustainable Intensive Buildings. Munich: Prestel.
