Our re-imagining of the
Pushkinsky Cinema pays tribute to and is inspired by sources as diverse as the
delicate cloisonné veining of Faberge enamels, the folkloric Russian Firebird;
the delicate and playful Art Nouveau of Lev Kekushev and the glittering lights
and movement of Tverskaya Street. We imagine a joyful Firebird lighting up the
night sky, a sculpture of light and deftness. We imagine a luminous angel
spreading her wings over the heart of Moscow and warming a Russian winter with
palekh-like colors. We imagine a joyful beacon for families and culture
magnates – the prestigious Moscow International Film Festival.
While preserving
modernist elements of the original structure, we have redefined the material
sources. We used DuPont SentryGlas, SentryGlas Expressions, and DuPont Corian
siding. In order to create the variegated transparencies that create the focal
point of our design, we used SentryGlas Expressions with colored inter-layers
of varying opacities. The aluminum-clad mullions serve artistic, structural and
practical purposes. A structural armature of light-gauge truss-work supports
the cantilevered projection and brings the load of the façade addition down
through reinforced load bearing columns beneath the first floor. The truss-work
also supports light fixtures, which turn the new façade into a sculpture of
light. The new façade is also tied back to the roof. Most of the truss-work
supporting the front-piece of the façade is tied to and hidden by the
centerline column, which also carries the lettering “Pushkinskaya”. Although
the current design does not increase interior space, we have also created an
alternative design which houses a café and elevator/stairs within the glass
enclosure – expanding the commercial possibilities of the space while creating
a unique experience of floating above the heart of the city in a kaleidoscopic
light well. Panasonic large-scale LED screens showcase previews, adverts,
upcoming events and broadcast live-time arrivals and ceremonies to
opening/premiere night crowds gathered in Pushkin Park.