Video Overview of the Kaliningrad Culture and Education Complex Construction (June 2022)

The month is marked by the first large-scale concreting of the foundation slab of the Bolshoi Theatre branch, and a high percentage of completion of residential houses for staff. Apartments for the Culture Complex employees are being furnished and equipped, asphalt is being laid in the housing area.

Facilities in Kaliningrad are being built at two sites – Eastern and Western, located on both sides of the Kaliningrad Stadium built on Oktyabrsky Island for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.

At the Eastern site, STG-Zapad is building residential houses for staff. The total area of ​​apartment buildings is 27,693 sq.m. Dormitory area for students of the Higher School of Arts (a Russian State Institute of Performing Arts branch) is 4,174 sq.m. To date, the overall percentage of completion of facilities has exceeded 90%.

The facades of three apartment buildings (bld. 1,2,4) are complete, two more houses are at their final stage. Stained-glass windows are 100% installed. Interior finishing is in progress. In buildings No. 1,2,4, the most pleasant stage of construction has begun – furnishing, installation of household appliances, final interior cleaning.

Apartment buildings for masters and artists of the Culture Complex are built under the "come and live" principle. Residential houses for staff will be provided with all necessary furniture, household appliances, and even kitchen utensils.

Employees of the branches of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, Moscow State Academy of Arts, the Central Music School, the Bolshoi Theatre, and the Tretyakov Gallery will live here comfortably. Every detail is discussed with future dwellers: colour, texture, functionality, material manufacturer, interior solutions, and so on.

When equipping apartments, import substitution was taken into consideration. Supply contracts have been concluded with Kaliningrad furniture manufacturers.

Preparations for landscaping have begun on the territory of the residential complex. Asphalt is being paved around the buildings.

Three facilities are under construction at the Western site: a branch of the Tretyakov Gallery, a branch of the Bolshoi Theatre, and a branch of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts.

The first large-scale concreting took place at the site of the Bolshoi Theatre branch. 1,200 cubic metres of concrete mix was put into the foundation of the building. The work was carried out non-stop, for 18 hours. For such a large-scale concreting, a thorough preparatory work had been carried out for a month to reinforce the foundation slab and install the formwork. Before that, the concrete bed necessary for seamless and high-quality laying of the structure foundation, stability and long-term operation of the facility had been completed under the foundation of the future theatre.

Due to high groundwater, waterproofing was made between the concrete bedding and the foundation slab. In addition, before pouring concrete, a reinforcing cage was made. According to the project, the volume of the entire theatre foundation framework is 13,700 cubic metres.

At the same time, heavy-duty bored piles, 45 metres each, are being installed. 5 bored pile rigs are involved in the process. Pile foundation is 69% complete. 400 out of 582 bored piles have been installed. 15,000 cubic metres of concrete and more than 2,100 tons of reinforcement were used to install the bored piles.

The immediate plans for the construction of a branch of the Bolshoi Theatre include the completion of the installation of piles and even larger-scale concreting of the foundation slab, up to 2,000 cubic metres each.

At the construction site of the Baltic Higher School of Music and Dramatic Arts (Russian State Institute of Performing Arts branch) with a total area of ​​8,900 sq.m., the pile foundation of the building has been completed. 663 piles have been sunk.

The percentage of completion of the pile field is 100%. Piles have been trimmed, concrete bedding is underway for smooth and high-quality laying of the foundation. In the first half of June, it is planned to start reinforcing the foundation slab.

Work is also in progress at the branch of the Tretyakov Gallery. At the administrative tower, builders are working on the reinforcement of the frame and form work on the last ninth floor of a fifty-metre structure.

In-situ casting operations have been completed up to 38.2m.  The monolithic frame of the administrative tower is 90% complete. 875 cubic metres of concrete and more than 500 tons of reinforcement have been used. Concreting of the administrative tower is 75% complete.

Inside the building, floors are being screeded, metal frames and ventilation system and utility systems are being installed, walls are being plastered.

1,340 people and 40 pieces of equipment are currently involved in construction projects in Kaliningrad.

Construction of the Culture and Education Complex on the Oktyabrsky Island in Kaliningrad is carried out by Stroytransgaz Group commissioned by the National Cultural Heritage Foundation for Social and Cultural Projects. The designer is GORKA Group.

For reference:

The construction of the clusters is set to become one of the largest contemporary cultural projects. The objective of building four new cultural centres (Vladivostok, Kemerovo, Sevastopol, Kaliningrad) was set by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in his 2018 Federal Assembly Address and explained in greater detail in the Executive Order On National Objectives and Strategic Goals of Development of the Russian Federation till 2024.

The President believes that creation of culture, education and museum complexes will make it possible to unlock the cultural and educational potential of the regions and to create a modern cultural space throughout Russia, to change the life quality of the residents of these regional centres through art, and to make these cities particularly attractive for tourists.

Construction of the Kaliningrad facility began
in 2019. The developer is the National Cultural Heritage Foundation for Social
and Cultural Projects (founders: the Mariinsky Theatre, the State Hermitage Museum,
the Tretyakov Gallery, the Bolshoi Theatre), the general contractor is
Stroytransgaz Group. The designer is GORKA Group.