The Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) has been commissioned to convert a historic Moscow power station into a brand new venue exhibiting contemporary Russian arts and culture.

The firm – which has recently completed work on the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York – will create the new art space for the V-A-C Foundation on a two hectare plot in the Russian capital’s trendy Red October district. The project will be completed by early 2019.

To reflect the site’s industrial heritage, the main gallery space will be built into the existing metal structure of the GES2 power station, which was constructed in 1907 and the building's tall chimney will be converted into a natural ventilation shaft.

The foundation will be split into three key areas – the Welcoming Pole, containing a sculptural garden, a piazza, a restaurant and cafes; the Exhibitions Pole, hosting the indoor art galleries; and the Education Pole, containing classrooms, workshops and an artist residency block.

RPBW will also design the site’s surrounding green space. New topography will be created on three sides of the main building, creating a raised natural amphitheatre. This will be used as a seating area for film screenings and events, while in summer the area will become an open-air cinema.

In a statement, the V-A-C Foundation said: “GES2 will become an exciting cultural destination, offering new opportunities for artists and audiences on a local, national and international level and the first major venue in the city of Moscow for V-A-C.”

The GES2 development is the latest in a series of projects intended to regenerate Moscow’s industrialised areas. The Red October district, which was also once home to a chocolate factory, has been transformed in recent years into a pedestrianised area for cafés, shops, galleries and start-ups. These serve nearby cultural institutions including the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design and the city’s famous Udarnik Theatre.

Meanwhile, it was announced last week that the Dutch firm Neutelings Riedijk Architects have been commissioned to design a new high-rise residential and leisure complex on the site of an old Russian car factory.