coop himmelb(l)au proposes monumental theater + museum in kemerovo

with its sculptural museum and theater complex, coop himmelb(l)au envisions a new cultural hot-spot and architectural landmark in the cityscape of kemerovo, russia. the project would be sited east of the city center between sovetskiy prospekt and pritomskiy prospekt and is embedded within the iskitimka river course landscape. the exposed location offers all-round visibility and a monumental presence within the urban setting. together with the future embankment development, the opera will be connected with a spacious network of public promenades and squares.

all images © coop himmelb(l)au

coop himmelb(l)au designs the kemerovo museum and theater complex as a transparent and publicly accessible sculpture for visitors and residents of kemerovo. the building integrates itself confidently into the surroundings and forms with its four main functions a recognizable ensemble. suggesting a gracefully suspended cloud — two volumes demarcate the museum and the art center and embrace the public 24-hour foyer atop the plinth. the elevated public space distributes not only the visitors into the different functions, it also acts as a new communal meeting point for the city. exhibitions in the foyer, events of different purposes and a restaurant will add to the cultural life of kemerovo.

the public entrances to the kemerovo complex are accessible from the cultural plaza. a wide foyer space with an encircling glass façade allows panoramic views into the surrounding welcome the visitors of all functions. the center of the foyer acts as a hub for various functions such as ticket counter, cloakroom, a restaurant and public service areas. stairs, escalators and elevators lead also to the ground level in the plinth and to the the small halls of the complex.

the base of the building, known as the plinth, separates the public, technical and back of house areas of the complex. toward the north and the west, where the terrain drops down, a VIP entrance is situated through the parking level. the staff entrance and the loading dock on the side of pritomskiy prospect occupies the north side of the building. storage spaces and technical spaces are arranged around the loading dock area. the public area of the plinth houses a chamber hall for 300 visitors and is located below the main foyer. it has its own foyer space connected to the main foyer by an open staircase, escalators and elevators. the main public restrooms are located in the plinth in direct connection from there.

both the museum and art center are accessed through the plinth. entrances on street-level and the lower part of the 24h foyer distribute the visitors through the vertically arranged building parts. while the two functions share spaces with each other in a synergetic sense, they also work completely independently. the arrangement around the 24-house foyer will enable the complex to be the new cultural hot spot in kemerovo.

meanwhile, the auditorium is located in the center of the building. it has three entrance levels — the foyer level and two balconies. each level has cantilevering platforms into the foyer and allow spaces for spectators to enjoy the pauses. director control room and light control room are located on all levels in the back center of the hall. a VIP box is located on the center of the first tier and has an independent access.