Primorye City Planning Council Approves the Concept of Theatre and Educational Complex in Vladivostok

The concept of the theatre & educational centre on the Orlinoye Gnezdo Hill designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta was presented to the Governor of Primorye Territory Oleg Kozhemyako at a meeting of the City Planning Council last Friday, 1 October. A Russian designer, GORKA Group, is responsible for adapting the design to Russian conditions and standards. The employees of Stroytransgaz Group are building the magnificent facility in cooperation with ChinaStroy LLC.


The complex on the Orlinoye Gnezdo Hill will represent a composite architectural project consisting of three buildings, a museum, a concert hall and an educational building. It will house branches of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, the Mariinsky Theatre and the country's largest museums, the State Hermitage, the Tretyakov Gallery and the Museum of Oriental Art.

The concept of the Cultural & Educational Complex in Vladivostok was presented at the City Planning Council meeting by Timur Chopolavov of GORKA Group, Lead Architect of the Project.
"The building will consist of horizontal lines. The project provides for a winter garden, a summer terrace, a panoramic platform and a pond," said Timur Chopolavov.

Members of the City Planning Council, including the leading architects of Primorye Territory, noted the high level of concept elaboration by the company that has already built five opera and ballet theatres around the world.

“In general, we accept the project. However, based on the opinion of our colleagues, it is still requires some landscaping work and parking lot considerations," said the Governor of Primorye Territory Oleg Kozhemyako.

To recap, Stroytransgaz Group builds cultural & educational complexes in Vladivostok and three other Russian cities on behalf of the National Cultural Heritage Foundation for Social and Cultural Projects by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin. A large-scale cultural cluster in Vladivostok will be located on two sites, Russky Island and Orlinoye Gnezdo Hill.

When designing the Orlinoye Gnezdo complex, Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta proceeded from the premise that Russia holds a unique position in terms of the prospective cultural development. The arrangement of a museum, a performing arts school, an opera and ballet theatre at an important location in Vladivostok is an evidence of Russia’s constant striving for the global leadership in terms of cultural experience in future.

The decision to replace the concert hall for 950 seats with a bigger hall for 1,300 seats has become the most noticeable change from the previous design concept. The project provides for dressing rooms and scenery bays, stage facilities, side stages; the area of the stage itself has been increased.

The guests of the theatre complex will first enter a spacious bright lobby with glass facades. From there, they will go to the main theatre hall. On the third balcony level, a Stravinsky Hall area is arranged with tiered stalls for children’s matinees and chamber concerts. There is also a winter garden accessed from the theatre lobby; the garden is located between the theatre, museum and school of theatre arts.


The museum building will be located in the southern part of the site with stunning views of the Golden Horn Bay and the historical part of Vladivostok. The museum lobby leads to the exhibition rooms located upstairs. The architectural concept provides that the exposition will be a system of rooms arranged as a promenade. A sky bar with an incredible view of the surroundings will be arranged at the highest viewing point. The museum building will also house a conservation and restoration centre.

The educational building will be located in the western part of the complex. The first floor will house a training theatre with its own stage and stage premises. It will also house a school of creative industries and a gymnasium. Educational facilities and administrative offices will be located on the upper floors.

Construction of the cluster will not only unlock the cultural and educational potential of the region and secure the status of its tourist and cultural centre, but also help expand cultural ties with Asia-Pacific countries and improve the insight of the Far East residents and foreign tourists into the best pieces of the Russian culture.