The Hermitage XXI; The New Art Museum in the general staff bulding

For the 250th anniversary of its founding, a decision to convert the eastern wing’s General Staff Building into a museum of 19th- and 20th-century art led to an international architectural competition.

St Petersburg-based Studio 44 won the commission over a field of global figures. The centrepiece of Studio 44’s elegant scheme, which addresses both the project’s complexity and the needs of a 21st-century museum, is a breathtaking enfilade with ‘hanging gardens’ that will enthral visitors from around the world.