BORIS EIFMAN DANCE ACADEMY

Authors of the project:

Architects: Nikita Yaveyn, Valery Kulachenkov, George Snezhkin, Sergey Aksenov, Marina Goryachkina with the participation of Aleksey Vetkin

Structural engineer: Vladimir Gerstein, Irina Lyashko, Dmitriy Kresov, Natalya Prosvetova, Elena Silantyeva

Boris Eifman Dance Academy occupies a historical block with two existing buildings – a former cinema house (1913, architect F. Korzuhin) and a former private house (1896, architect A. Reinberg). Two new volumes appeared on the parcel – teaching and dormitory blocks. The hall of residence accommodates 135 students and a medical centre, the teaching block contains 2 ballet classes, physical training centre and administration.

The gap between the new volumes is interpreted as an atrium, where recreation spaces co-exist with 12 rehearsal halls. A system of stairs and transit links serve to inter-unite all of the Academy spaces. To provide more light inside the Academy the walls of recreation spaces and ballet classes were realized in semitransparent glass.

In contrast to rather weightless interiors, Academy facades was made of traditional materials (brick, plaster). A QR-code bas-relief with locutions about the art of dance added to the entrance exedra of the front building (former cinema house). A rare example of St. Petersburg wooden private housing located within the parcel that will be restored and converted into a media library and Academy museum.

Data
Parcel area – 4 852 sq. m
Footprint – 3 000 sq. m
GFA – 11 939 sq. m
Structural volume – 60 154 cub. m, that also includes, over ground – 51 760 cub. m, underground – 8 394 cub. m
Number of floors – 3-4 floors