"Change the face" – Reconstruction of "Pushkin" Cinema in Moscow. International competition project. The current project was created within the frames of the international architectural competition «Change the Face» of Reconstruction of Pushkin Cinema in Moscow. Purpose of the contest: Transformation of cinema image and its reorganization in accordance with the contemporary demands of society and new architectural and urban environment of Pushkin Square. Cinema "Russia" ("Pushkin") is an architectural structure typical for the 60-ies of the Soviet period. Over the past 20 years of post-Soviet period and in the current transitive economic situation of the country, Pushkin cinema, like many other buildings of the Soviet cities, partially changed its function (the building has been surrounded by all sorts of cafes, restaurants, clubs and casinos) which negatively affected its appearance. Chaotic and cheap advertising, signs and banners are a typical virus which is fruitfully multiplying in the post-Soviet cities on the facades of monumental buildings and architectural monuments, blocking not only rich ornaments and decorations of facades, but also, light areas and balconies, disfiguring architectural appearance of the building and distorting the perception of urban environment. However, the abovementioned advertisements are the integral part of our cities and architecture with the commercial content of a modern capitalist society, which in our opinion, should be considered at the early stage of building design. Therefore, one of the main ideas of transformation of shape and functional-informational reorganization of the building was the use of a digital LED screen across the entire main facade. The main facade is a LED screen, which transmits announcements of new films as well as advertisements with the help of connected software module. In special cases, New Year congratulations or a Victory Day Parade on Red Square can be broadcasted on the building façade of the Pushkin Square. Films, football matches etc. can be transmitted in Moscow summer evenings. Shifting the on-screen dynamic, colorful scenes will be in the focus of passers-by, and decorative and light-color scheme of the main staircase of the upper tier of the cinema are favorably resonate with the appearance of a nearby park, as if being its natural continuation. The building itself is "dressed" with a lace cover styled as fractal structure of snowflakes, which are symbolic for such northern cities as Moscow. The bypass gallery (the cover) provides year-round protected from snow, snowstorms, rain, dust, noise and wind passage for pedestrians. A demi-season cafe and a bar are also located in the gallery, where you can always drink a cup of coffee or hot chocolate at the sounds of live music of street musicians.

Architects:  Mariam Ayvazyan, Telemak Ananyan