Italian architecture studio Iosa Ghini Associati has worked with Russian firm Mosproekt-3 to complete  47 high-rise buildings clad with colourful panels on the outskirts of Moscow.
Situated in the Dmitrovskoe Shosse district, the development consists of numerous 16-story high-rise blocks arranged around two vast communal courtyards with a strip of green space and low-rise buildings in between.

While Mosproekt-3 dealt with the technical aspects of the buildings, Iosa Ghini Associati was approached to develop the design of the facades and landscaping.
The coloured street frontages and courtyards were created to counter what the studio call a sense of "monotony" in the suburbs. According to the studio they are combined with communal outdoor areas and play spaces to bring a more "human feel" to the scheme. "An effective and creative 'colourful layer' on the facade of the building creates a tasteful contrast to the monotony of Moscow's suburban areas while open courtyards improve perception and quality of life and offer a great number of recreational functions," said the studio.

These coloured panels were created using a mixture of  "Kabanchik" ? tiles typical of Soviet-era prefabricated tower blocks ? as well as more modern fibre-cement panels, creating a variation of shades across each facade.
"Colour, used to create visual references and provide a certain sense of bearing, is transformed into an artistic device used for com...