After a lengthy construction process that included a change of owners, the Sberbank City complex in Moscow, Russia opened in November 2021. The Penetron System of crystalline waterproofing products was specified for the below-grade concrete structures.
Located on Kutuzovsky Prospect in the financial district of downtown Moscow, the “Sberbank City” office complex comprises five separate buildings, including two high-rise towers (41 and 47 floors tall), with a gross floor area of 207,700 m2 (2.3 million ft2).
“Sberbank is Russia’s largest bank and this monumental project brings together the company’s 40 offices, which were previously spread all over the city, into a single, modern headquarters,” explains Igor Chernogolov, President of Penetron Russia. “Ultimately, around 30,000 employees will work here.”
The complex was originally designed as a multi-use residential/commercial project in 2006 when construction first began under a different name. In 2016, Sberbank took the project over and the interior was completely redesigned to a modern office complex by Evolution Design, a Swiss architectural and design practice, and T+T Architects.
Repairs Needed After Project Interruption
The new company headquarters features flexible workspaces, a multi-function conference venue, meeting rooms, co-working areas, and a restaurant with seating for 400 guests. The Sberbank City buildings are all interconnected by a network of pedestrian tunnels, some of them reaching five floors below-grade, to the underground parking garage (capacity: 2,950 cars).
During the project’s initial construction phase, the Penetron System was used to treat the below-grade structures. However, because construction work was interrupted for many years, untreated concrete structures suffered significant damage and needed to be repaired. Once work resumed, the Penetron System was specified to repair and restore all damaged concrete.
Protecting Concrete Against Deterioration
Once applied to a prepared concrete surface, the proprietary chemicals in Penetron’s crystalline products react in a catalytic reaction with moisture to generate a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. The resulting formation seals pores and micro-cracks, and becomes an integral part of the matrix, making the concrete impermeable.
“The Penetron System has the added benefit of providing comprehensive protection against concrete deterioration caused by chemical attack, freeze-thaw cycles and corrosion,” adds Igor Chernogolov. “This increases the lifespan of concrete structures and reduces the amount of maintenance required in the future.”
New Sberbank HQ: Located in the Moscow financial district, the “Sberbank City” office complex comprises five separate buildings, with two high-rise towers, and extensive below-grade structures.
