Bauer BG 39 Drilling Rig Arrives in Kaliningrad

The equipment will be used during the site investigation at the future branch of the Bolshoi Theatre in Kaliningrad. Another Bauer BG 40 drilling rig is being relocated from Murmansk.

The rigs are ultra-heavy (about 140 tons each) high power drilling rigs with a kelly bar and casing. Due to complex soil conditions at the construction site, the designer has decided to build the central part of the piled foundation, in particular under the concert hall and the stage, using bored piles of large diameter and length. In contrast to 28 m long brunspiles with a cross-section of 35 centimetres used at this project, the bored piles are 45 m long and have a diameter of 1 meter.

It should be noted that such deeply bored piles of such diameter are used for the first time in our region. Bored piles are installed as follows: after the shaft for the future pile is drilled, the casing is lowered, then a reinforcement cage is installed in it and the casing is filled with high-grade concrete.

Due to their large size, bored piles will make the pile as stable as possible. In addition, this technology is used for construction in the soft aqueous soil. Thus, it provides an unprecedented reliability and strength of the building foundation.

Another advantage of bored piles is that there are no vibration and dynamic ground motion during their construction. As the pile is made directly in the soil rather than installed using the impact method, there is no impact noise and soil vibration and it is extremely important considering a close proximity of residential buildings.

A separate reinforcement shop has been established at the site to make and weld reinforcement cages.

At the first phase, 30 bored piles selected by the designer for core penetration tests will be installed at the site to verify site investigation findings.

"It is no secret that there are soil constraints on Oktyabrsky Island in Kaliningrad where construction is underway, so all expected load parameters and the corresponding engineering solutions are estimated at the project definition stage. In addition to pile installation works, C.R.P. tests are performed to determine the scope of works at the next stage," previously said the General Director of STG Zapad LLC Andrey Ivanovich Fedorov.

Step-by-step inspection is mandatory at each phase. Concrete density is checked using ultrasonic methods to identify even the smallest voids as they may subsequently cause deformations. Ultrasound is also used to check seam strength during frame welding.

The design of the future branch of the Bolshoi Theatre in Kaliningrad was developed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, and the Russian designer GORKA Group is responsible for adapting it to Russian conditions and standards.

The architectural concept provides that the theatre building shaped as a hyperbolic paraboloid will have three zones, public spaces, a stage complex and office premises. The large hall will have 950 seats and there will be 300 seats in the small one. They intend to make a functional roof; it can be another stage for performances on warm days.

The architects sought to create a minimalist space in the building that will have an authentic look even after many years of service.

In addition, a spectacular diagonal layout of the Opera and Ballet Theatre will provide its unique view from the scenery spots in the city. Roof structure will be a unique solution as it merges into amenities of the amphitheatre designed as a public space and used for various events. Natural materials have been selected for the decoration, including multi-shade granite, metal and glass. Terrazzo, natural stone and metal will be used in the interior design. The large hall, the core of the building, has acoustic elements made from dark wood.

A museum complex of the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts are also being built in the area of the Second Overpass. These facilities will be fit into the park area, which will become a recreation area for citizens and tourists, including open air spaces, recreation facilities, amphitheatres and terraces. All buildings, including the stadium, will make up a single architectural ensemble.

Historically, Kaliningrad, a significant Baltic cultural, trade and business centre, has become the western enclave of Russia and the second centre of Russian culture in the Baltics after St. Petersburg. In recent years, the Kaliningrad Region has been actively developing. Durable and beautiful modern housing and other structures are being built in the Region. Real estate prices in the Kaliningrad Region are growing. It indicates that more and more citizens want to live under comfortable conditions and work successfully in Kaliningrad and its suburbs.

It is here, on Oktyabrsky Island in Kaliningrad, one of the four large cultural, educational and museum clusters is created by order of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. (Three other clusters are being created in Vladivostok, Kemerovo and South Russia). To date, it is the largest project of its kind not only in the Baltics, but in Europe.

The customer of the entire project is a non-profit organization, the National and Cultural Heritage Foundation for Social and Cultural Projects, founded by the world famous Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theatres, the Hermitage and the Tretyakov Gallery. The Foundation is a humanitarian institution staying out of politics. The Foundation is engaged in the art and culture development and vocational education. The project will bring together dozens of partner museums in the Russian regions. The clusters will also include a substantial educational segment.

The project is implemented by one of the largest Russian construction companies, Stroytransgaz Group. Two sites have been allocated on Oktyabrsky Island with the stadium between them.

Residents of Kaliningrad are concerned that the soil on Oktyabrsky Island is quite suitable for the construction of large buildings. So, it is important to note that the builders have a tremendous experience in the construction of buildings under more difficult conditions. The Hermitage building was built on the banks of the Neva River. The building of the Mariinsky Theatre is located on the bank of a canal with very complex soil. In Moscow, the historic building of the Bolshoi Theatre was built at the mouth of the Neglinnaya River. The building of the Tretyakov Gallery is located on the low bank of the Moskva River. All these buildings have been intact for several centuries. And Stroytransgaz developing the construction site in Kaliningrad has had dozens of much more complex structures in its portfolio.

Future cultural centres will be the landmarks of the cities they are built in. The cutting-edge architectural projects and solutions were selected to create them. The construction of such buildings and structures requires unique equipment and technologies used by a limited number of Russian and international companies.