Polytechnic Museum: low-voltage systems

The Polytechnic Museum is one of the oldest science and technology museums in the world. Its historic building on Novaya Square took about 30 years to build, and it has been closed for restoration and reconstruction since 2013. At the final stage of this work our team installed the building's low-voltage systems: fire alarm, access control and structured cabling.

Our scope

Automatic fire alarm.
Access control system.
Structured cabling system.
Installation of 53 fire alarm, access control and structured cabling cabinets.
Fire-resistant and low-voltage cable lines.
Installation with materials supplied by the client, to the general contractor's schedule.

Systems

Fire alarm

About 2,000 addressable fire detectors, manual call points along the escape routes and about 17 km of fire-resistant cable lines.

Access control

Card readers, controllers and electromechanical locks at the entrances and in the museum's service areas, with cable lines to every access point.

Structured cabling

Twisted-pair cable lines, workstation outlets and network cabinets for the museum's networks.

How the work went

First steps in a landmark. On 20 February 2025 the first 10 installers entered the historic building.
The crew grows. The crew grew quickly, first to 18 and then to 29 people.
Full speed. On peak days 30 installers worked per shift.
Handover in stages. Completed work was signed off with certificates for each period.

What made the project special

A listed building. The work took place in a cultural heritage site, alongside restorers and other contractors.
A fast ramp-up. The crew quickly grew from 10 to 30 installers.
General contractor's rules. Uniform workwear and protective equipment to a set standard, site access and safety briefings.

Interesting facts

The museum was founded in 1872 on the basis of the collection of the Polytechnic Exhibition.
The central part of the building opened in 1877. The north wing with the 1,000-seat Great Auditorium was completed in 1907.
During the reconstruction the foundations of the three wings were joined and 364 pylons were reinforced, adding 15,300 m² of usable space.
The concept for the museum's renewal was developed by the Japanese architect Junya Ishigami.