Pushkinsky cinema

Concurso «Changing the face – Pushkinsky Cinema»
Moscú, Rusia
colaboración con Isabel Domínguez

The concept is based on historical location of Pushkinsky Cinema, more exactly on the Tver Gate, that was the access to the White City, called like this because of the white stones from which the stood was made. We want to recreate a big white and luminous stone as a milestone and make it a great landmark of actual Moscow.

The project tries to preserve the identity and glamorous epochs of the first years of Pushkinsky Cinema, making its surrounding cleaner, in order to rediscover its essence, taking advantage of the new materials and technologies.

We have 3 layers. The first one is the original building; we let it as it was conceptualized. The second is a layer of light that is intangible but gives a different image in the night and also the day. The third layer is a skin of glass and solid surface that covers the previous layers, with the form and visual aspect like a stone of the stood of the white city. The skin has different levels of opacity and transparency that responds to the original volume of the building, making strong it’s geometry. This layer is big enough to cover the main part of the building and generates a perimeter space that can be used as a big foyer of the cinema for the feature presentations or premiers.

The opacity of the volume is most at the back part of the skin. As closer to the main façade and access – more transparent it becomes, so the projecting roof has more presence, in this way giving a clean, smooth and clear architectural image.

At the original volume we integrate 2 media matrix (one in the projecting roof, that becomes a background for the huge letters “Cinema Russia”; the second matrix is integrated in the original windows frame, located at strategic places to break the strong symmetry of the building). The main use of both matrixes is to transmit sensations of what is happening inside the building, with the people that assist to the events or also give the possibility to speak with the environment in a clear way, emphasizing both day and night images.  The matrix also makes the movement of light that is the main concept of cinema.

The basement of the building remains tucked, that gives us a levity sensation, it increases during the night with a perimeter light.

The access stairs from the Pushkinsky Square is lighted with red so the people can access by the red carpet, feeling as the stars of the movies. The ones for whom the cinema is made.

This project is made for Pushkinsky cinema to become a landmark of Moscow, an architectural reference, the greatest cinema to show movies and a milestone of the history of the city.