Piuarch will design the Ekaterinensky Congress Centre in Krasnodar. The Milanese architectural practice has been appointed to design a new cultural complex, a project that redefines the Russian city’s relationship with its river.
The Milanese architectural practice Piuarch will design the new Ekaterinensky Congress and Cultural Centre on the banks of the Kuban River in Krasnodar, Russia. The new cultural centre will be located between the city and the river, in a natural and urban setting which reflects the results of years of disorderly stratification.
The architects of Piuarch have begun by redefining the city’s relationship with the river banks. The cultural complex will have a long, winding wall permeable to light on the side facing the river, a form underlined by the curved windows around the perimeter of the façade, which will transform the building into a lantern visible all along the river in the evening. The linear, geometric wall opposite with its big rusted copper sunbreaks will be the key element identifying the construction, making it instantly recognisable in the fabric of the city. The grand floor to ceiling entrance hall will link the different floors and functional areas in the complex, which will rise up on three levels with a total surface area of 2840 square metres.
The building will contain a congress hall that may be adapted to a variety of different configurations with a maximum capacity of 720 seats, a foyer, a bar, a restaurant with a rooftop patio and utility areas. On the outside, the architects worked on the side facing the city, creating a pedestrian plaza at the entrance to the cultural centre. On the side facing the river, they improved the waterfront by redesigning the gardens and part of the embankment, adding a small arena for open-air performances as well as pathways, patio areas and children’s playgrounds.
(Agnese Bifulco)
Design: Piuarch
Location: Krasnodar, Russia
Images courtesy of Piuarch
www.piuarch.it
