“The plans, critics say, are as vulgar as the people they were designed for.” This is how leading British newspaper, The Guardian, describes the scheme that will transform one of the most exclusive and historic areas of the Russian capital, right in front of the Novy Tretyakov art gallery. The idea is somewhat eccentric – to commission an internationally famous architect to build five luxury residential blocks, each of which will then be decorated in the style of a famous Russian artist.

The architect is to be Eric van Egeraat from the Netherlands who has designed five buildings that will be destined to carry the high sounding names of Malevich, Kandinsky, Rodchenko, Popova and Ekster. The developers, the Capital Group have only to await permission from the institute of architects who should respond by 10 March. E.S.