Redevelopment of Moscow’s cinemas: four first project

The first “package” in the framework of a large-scale program on the reconstruction of the 39 Moscow cinemas which done by ADG group company, consists of “Sofia”, “Angara”, “Mechta” and “Kyrgyziya”. The concept was developed by the Amanda Levit British Bureau, and adaptation to Russian norms was implemented by ABD architects. We asked managing partner of ADG Grigory Pechersky and the head of the Russian bureau Boris Levyant to comment this projects.

The British Bureau Amanda Levit in cooperation with ABD architects has proposed a solution for the reformatting of the buildings at 5, 10, 15 and 25 thousand square meters. It laid some universal characteristics on the organization of space, however without any common decisions; each building will be architecturally and functionally linked to the environment.

A single principle for all 39 objects became the preservation of the cultural and educational functions; it should take at least 30% of the total functionality, — says Grigory Pechersky

How exactly it will be implemented in object depends on the characteristics of the area and of the buildings themselves. According to Grigory Pechersky, the ADG has done a great job on the research environment of cinemas, preferences and cultural practices of residents, existing infrastructure and recent global trends.

The main conclusion that we made together with the experts, there cannot be any general approaches to all objects.

As Boris Levyant explained, in the case of the four projects, there will be not only shopping malls in the standard sense but rather multifunctional centres. It is planned to give about 30% of the space to the educational-cultural function, and 70% to commercial use. So, for example, there may appear some convenience stores, sports centres, a number of eating places, small restaurants and cafes e.t.c.

In the concepts for “Sofia”, “Angara”, “Mechta” and “Kyrgyziya”, presented at the working consideration to the chief architect of Moscow Sergey Kuznetsov, the characteristic element of the appearance of all four buildings is the console with the sloped glazing. The console covers the area in front of entrance to protect costumers from rain.

What is more, all four buildings will be completely new, old cinemas will be demolished. The internal structure is organized around a spectacular atrium of irregular shape, which provides good visibility and communication at all levels. In the upper parts of the building will be the cinema.

“Today, the concept was given to the designers of multiple teams. Therefore, we can confidently say that it will be used, it is already working. At this stage other Bureaus are not involved in the project”.

According to Boris Levant, a presence of space for co-working in these centres would be ideal. “However, it will happen someday, however proposals are often goes ahead the reality for 20-30 years, because even now you can see how starting to change mass and the mechanism itself, enormously increased the momentum of Internet companies. This leads to the fact that in such places, for example, can accommodate not shops, but consultants in a smaller space that will result in a change of established paradigms, as the main point of shopping a mall”. It is important that these new centres should be flexible enough to generate a certain environment, level of infrastructure and become profitable tool, notes the architect.