When David Adjaye was commissioned to design the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management, he turned to the works of Russian artist Kazimir Malevich for inspiration. Adjaye stated that he wanted to create a work that was both reflective of the Russian culture, as well as the school’s innovative and progressive nature. As the campus’s inaugural building, the project offered Adjaye a sense of autonomy, as well as the opportunity to redefine the traditional campus scheme. In addition, Skolkovo enabled the transposition of the emotive nuances found in Adjaye’s residential designs, to his largest work to date.

The Skolkovo design features a central disc located on the ground level housing teaching spaces, lecture halls, as well as a library and food court. Situated atop the disc are four elongated buildings accommodating dormitories, administrative offices, athletic facilities and a hotel. The interior finishes reflect Adjaye’s use of light as material, as well as a meticulous coloration for which his residential works are renowned. The positioning of the program on and around the disc is Adjaye’s attempt to refrain from the typical hierarchal separation of faculty and students, opting instead for cohesion amongst the two.