UNStudio’s design has been selected in the competition for
a 21,000 square meter dance theatre in the historic centre
of St. Petersburg. The new complex houses The Eifman
Ballet of St. Petersburg, headed by the prolific
choreographer Boris Eifman. From the four projects
presented (Jean Nouvel (FR), UNStudio (NL), Snøhetta
(NO), ZAO (RU), UNStudio’s design was yesterday
unanimously chosen by the jury for realisation.
Essential to UNStudio’s design for the main auditorium in
the new dance theatre are both the acoustic considerations
and the proximity of the audience to the stage. For this
reason the horseshoe form was chosen. This form is
considered to be one of the most successful forms
acoustically in ballet and musical theatre for both
performer and audience, whilst the proximity it affords to
the stage ensures an intimate and collective experience for
the spectator.
“An essential requirement when we were designing the
auditorium was to make it possible to see the dancer’s feet
from every seat in the hall at all times, no matter where
the performer was positioned on the stage.”
The Dance Palace forms an integrated part of the European
Embankment city quarter masterplan for a new urban
square in the historic centre of St. Petersburg.
According to Ben van Berkel, “The urban context of the
building is essential to the design. The Dance Palace is
positioned on the square in such a way as to allow for
unrestricted visibility towards the nearby Prince Vladimir
and Peter and Paul cathedrals, thereby framing some of
the most exceptional buildings in St. Petersburg. The
sculptural qualities of the Dance Palace reflect those of the
surrounding buildings in the masterplan, providing a
connection to its surroundings yet still retaining saliency. A
central main entrance is incorporated into the façade
design in order to fully integrate the building into this
lively public square.”
UNStudio’s design for
the Dance Palace presents an open and inviting theatre
building with provision for 1300 guests (large auditorium
1000, small auditorium 300). Programmatic considerations
focus on the spacious circulation of the public foyer and
the transparent relationship to the surrounding public
square and the city. Integration with the existing
neighbouring buildings is achieved by both the scale of the
building - which in elevation follows and respects St.
Petersburg’s typical 28m roofline – and the transformative
transparency which is introduced by a facade system of
triangular cladding panels. The variation between opaque
and perforated panels creates a controlled openness,
depending on programme, views and orientation.
Ben van Berkel says of the foyer design, "The vertical
foyer provides a high level of transparency from inside to
outside, whilst also presenting a kind of stage for visitors
to the theatre; a place to see and be seen. The open
arrangement and balcony structure in the foyer provides
plateaus for its own choreography of both intimacy and
exposure.”
Photos courtesy UN Studio
UNStudio wins the Dance Palace in St. Peterburg
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- Elena Sommariva
- 01 August 2009