Moskomarkhitektura Approved Forum1914 Project on Garden Ring
Moskomarkhitektura has approved the restoration project of the Forum Electrotheatre building on the Garden Ring, which will be carried out by Hutton Development. At the same time, the architectural and artistic appearance of the historical building will be restored. This was announced by Chief Architect of Moscow Sergey Kuznetsov.
The Forum is one of the oldest cinemas in Moscow. It was opened in pre-revolutionary Russia in 1914, when cinema was just beginning to gain recognition as a new art form. The Forum is located on Sadovo-Sukharevskaya Street ( No. 14, building 1). The building was erected by L. Anokhin (engineer) according to the project of architect F.N. Kolbe, it has the status of a cultural heritage site and will be reconstructed during scientific restoration. Also, nearby, it is planned to build a five-storey building with two underground floors, which will house class A office premises and exhibition spaces. The project for the restoration and adaptation of the historic building, as well as the concept of the new business center, was developed by Kleinewelt Аrchitekten architectural and research bureau.
The total area of the new building (including underground parking for 36 cars) will be about 4 thousand square meters. Most of the building will be occupied by public spaces and offices. The internal unifying element will be a small atrium 21 meters high with a transparent skylight on the roof.
“The building is distinguished by its fundamental simplicity and neatness against the backdrop of an expressive historical building in the neoclassical style. The facades are split into vertical strips of glazing with deep slopes, which will provide an inflow of sunlight into showrooms and office spaces. The first floor is slightly recessed and completely glazed - this gives lightness to the main volume, and also erases the border between the interior space and the street where modern landscaping is planned” - said Sergey Kuznetsov.
Large-format glazing modules will alternate with light-colored natural stone pylons, which will serve as an excellent backdrop for the historic building. The project also provides for the operation of the roof of the new building and two terraces for the office space residents.
The architectural concept is based on association with the cinematic past of the Forum. “The façade of the building is made of pylons rotated at different angles, which creates the feeling of an optical illusion and resembles a rapid change of frames, imitating live movement. The facade is decorated with details with a complex stepped surface. Its linear texture refracts light rays passing through the glass volume of the building. The luminous flux expands, spaces are re-reflected in mirror surfaces”- said Nikolay Pereslegin, partner at Kleinewelt Architekten.
“Now we have started work on the reconstruction of the remaining part of the building. To begin with, this is emergency work, that is, strengthening of walls, foundations, dismantling of emergency structures. We thoroughly and carefully recreate the architectural elements and characteristics of the building, completely repeating its historical appearance. We are planning to make the remaining part of the Forum as universal as possible, so that it can be used as a cultural or public space. Hutton actively supports art and contemporary artists. We are often approached with proposals for the creation of an art cluster or with a request to consider the possibility of using the historical part of the building as exhibition spaces for private galleries. The project is called Forum1914 and includes a building with office space and exhibition halls, and the reconstructed historic building of the Forum Electrotheatre. Construction of the new part will begin in the second quarter of 2021. And we are planning to fully commission the entire complex at the end of 2022” - commented Ilya Davydik, CEO and partner at Hutton Development.
