The existing cinema has strong links to the creative
past and sits at the axes of the Pushkin Square, with a powerful processional
link from the square to the cinema podium.
The building seems lost within the chaotic evolution
of the city, we have thought to reflect the Pushkin style of combining romance
and satire, with a curtained structure, to recreate the iconic status of the
building and bring back the national events. This structure has a direct link
to the imagery of theatre, the new cladding deforms and flows creating openings
for entry and light. This static form will peel away and flow into the Moscow
breeze, while the material adds a dynamic experience to the place and visitor.
Neatly cladded within a subtle grid, Corian is the
perfect material to be shaped and manipulated, creating the intended forms
complimenting its qualities of depth and softness. The curtain is designed as a
double layered clad construction with Glacier Ice Illumination Corian, adding
to the esthetics of a rich flowing fabric.
The cladding will be perforated to allow greater day
light penetration to the lobby, revealing a traditional Russian pattern during
the day, and let the building glow during the evening.
The actual entry over the stairs from Pushkin square
would be terminated at the cinema entry lobby. The first level east and west
podiums will be removed giving back the street to public and letting the
building sit more comfortably within its context, any existing exits would be
dealt with within the buildings envelope. The cinema lobby will double in size
and becomes a functional and atmospheric space for social gatherings and
events.