The School of Modern Play Theatre. New Building. Moscow.
Architects: M. Krymov, D. Krymov, I. Raihelgaus, A. Kozhevnikov
Client: The School of Modern Play Theatre
Project Development: 2007

-Introduction

The facility under project is located at Neglinnaya street, 29, bldgs. 1 and 3. The project objectives included restoration and reconstruction of existing facades and interiors at the School of Modern Play Theatre, as well as building a new stage with a separate entrance from Neglinnaya street. The new theatre complex project provides for a simultaneous use of all three stages. The project provides for building a new floor above the two existing floors in the building 1 at number 29.
Despite the existing decision to demolish the building 3, its historic value has been recently rediscovered, thus the project solutions take into consideration the necessity for maximum preservation of the brick facades in the building 3.

-Present situation

The theatre complex is located at the intersection of Neglinnaya street and Petrovskiy boulevard. The inner courtyard of the complex contains the building 3. The existing theatre buildings are designated architectural monuments. The quarter occupied by the theatre on the south adjoins technical facilities of the Uzbekistan restaurant. On the west, the site adjoins a mixed modern development.
The main theatre entrance is located on Petrovskiy boulevard. The theatre has two arenas. The main 500-seat arena is situated in the former Olivier restaurant, and the small 250-seat arena is situated in the former winter garden. Currently it is impossible to use both stages simultaneously.

-Project proposals

The entrance into the new building from Neglinnaya street is formed by a new bystreet heading towards the theatre complex. The bystreet is connected to the network of the district’s internal thoroughfares. The existing building 1 will be opened along the bystreet so as to expose the building’s preserved internal structure. The new bystreet is designed to lay at the height marks of the second half of the 18th century, which are 1.5 m lower than the existing height marks. Due to this fact, the sidewalk marks are slightly lowered along the Neglinnaya street facade, which allows for a larger opening of the historic facade of the building. It is proposed that the new bystreet would have a wooden pavement, which also would allow restoring the old Moscow look. The bystreet entrance portal is formed by the movable unit of the historic facade. When the new stage is built, the auditorium, stage and auxiliary rooms will be located within the perimeter of the existing brick building 3 walls. The higher part of the new stage building (the gridiron) is situated deep inside the quarter, which allows minimizing its influence over the existing development.

The interior space of the new stage consists of 2 parts: the entrance group of rooms and the auditorium and stage space.

1- The entrance group consists of a multi-light space and the backside of the auditorium with open frames entering the space. The auditorium space and the exterior balcony galleries are detached from the existing walls.                                                                                                  

2- The multilevel auditorium and the stage are a modern replica of the ancient theatre architecture represented by the Gonzago Theatre in Archangelskoye, the Malyi Theatre in Moscow, and the former Korsch Theatre in St. Petersburg on Petrovskiy side-street (formerly Moskvina street)