Palace of Culture of Vkhutemas

Silesian University of Technology, (Politechnika Śląska), Faculty of Architecture, Gliwice

Project idea

The main goal of project was to create connection between three different functions of the building: Museum, school and housing complex. It is achieved by locating all the function in one solid block so to not take too much space off existing park. There are few intersections in the solid block to connect the building with the park and to not disturb urban flow.

Project description

Functions of the building are mainly separated in the 3 parts of the building but also are intersecting with each other. Every part of the building has its own atrium. In the museal part of the building, the great glazed atrium exposing structural elements is used as foyer and exhibition hall there is also openwork 75m tower that function as vertical communication core and viewing point with sight of the city center of Moscow. Museum part is also equipped with audience hall with mobile audience, cinema, restaurant and diverse exibitional spaces. In the school part grand auditorial stairs are designed as a heart of the school and place for informal meetings, studying and hanging out for students and the professors. This part contains various classrooms and exhibition spaces, offices and services like cafeteria, printers, shops. Roof space can be adapted as sports area with running track and courts and serve the school and also be accessible for regular users.
Housing part contains 32 housing units in which 11 of them have two levels and mezzanine. This part contains also gym, big comon space for all the residents locaed in the middle and grand gren atrium integreted with surounding park.

Technical information

In tribute to the architecture of constructivism, we equipped the building with various types of structures that are as exposed as posible such as trusses and tie-beams. Characteristic feature of the building are red masts rising above main block that are thought as frame to span tensile structures that can create diverse spaces. Thus the roof space can be used as a public space for various activities that can be extension of the functions placed inside and also it can be used for public or private events. Therefore the building would be adaptive to more and more changeable modern lifestyle and great addition to vibrant and dynamic Moscow city life.

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