Description
From the very outset of this competition, the design parameter for the Pushkinsky cinema has been not only to change the face of the cinema, but to re-evaluate its present-site condition. The prominent location in which the cinema is centrepiece has been compromised by the increase of motorised traffic around the Pushkin Square. This has isolated the cinema complex on a traffic island, drastically limiting the accessibility that was originally envisioned during its construction fifty years ago.
The primary concept of the design is to create a building within a building, inspired by the principle of the Matryoshka doll, establishing an iconic space that interacts organically with the historic environment of the Pushkin Square. The separation between an inner and outer skin creates different layers of characteristic materials that will serve as a mechanism responding to changing climate conditions throughout the year.
Restoring the concept of a grand entrance to the cinema requires the design to make changes at the urban level that will elevate the complex from its isolation, and allow for greater accessibility that will restore its prominent status.
The urban fabric of the Pushkinsky cinema has a rigid framework which compromises the flexibility of pedestrian access to the complex and places a high demand on underprovided parking facilities. The raised square proposed in the design addresses this issue by raising the level of entry over the eight-lane ring road. The raised square creates a bridge between the Northern and Southern parts of the ring road, creating connections between different parts of Moscow. Additional facilities, in addition to reconnecting the existing green urban ring, will create opportunities to establish a larger and safer focus destination. Below the square, a covered car park, directly accessible from main roads, will provide the necessary parking capacity to support present infrastructure.
View Original