The Russian city of Perm in the Urals is currently transforming from an industrial to a cultural city. City planners and local politicians are investing large sums of money in the city's cultural life. Projects for new theatres and art galleries are emerging on many corners and are thus shaping the new cityscape. The programme for the new Perm Theatre on Uliza Lenina of a main street in the centre of Perms required a large theatre hall with at least 1200 seats, a concert hall with 150 seats, an auditorium with 170 seats, as well as extensive artist areas, stage equipment areas, underground parking and a multifunctional foyer. In addition, historical buildings are integrated into a museum park. The design concept sees the two main buildings as shining river stones, which are supported on a wave-shaped base - the "beach". The river Kama flows through the city of Perm and plays a central role in the city's history. By adopting this image, the connection of the theatre to history is made clear.

Opera House and Theatre in Perm

Location

Perm / Russia

Size

18.000 m²

Year

Competition 2015

The property is located at the Ul. Lenina, which runs parallel to the river like most of the main streets of the city, but bends at an angle directly at the property. The two buildings take up this change of direction and form a new common unit together with the museum and other buildings in the park in this area. The large metal theatre body is pushed into the visual axis of the street, thus marking the new cultural site. The smaller Konzerthausfels is situated parallel to the river and the street, so that the entrance plaza, which is designed in a variety of ways with water surfaces, is formed between the two. The undulating platform leads the visitor into the various connected foyer areas below the "river stones". This base connects all uses with each other. From here, visitors reach the three halls and, via staircases, the upper floors with the galleries. Here is also a second break foyer with a view of the city through a large urban balcony as a cut into the river stone.

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Picture Credits: Christian Schreinert, PSP Architects Engineers, Hamburg

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