Kyiv, Ukraine

Mystetskyj Arsenal: Cultural-Art and Museum Complex in Kyiv, Ukraine

kleihues + schuwerk, klaus schuwerk, Kleihues + Kleihues, Jan Kleihues

area plan

the acropolis of kyiv

view from ramparts

leading concept of the project is to create a forum of culture inside the Kyiv-Pechersk Fortress, to create a kind of ‘acropolis’ of Kyiv. Each of the main buildings represents a different aspect of the culture of Ukraine. Like different personalities sitting around a table, the buildings form the connecting public space. This public space of the forum is made for man in order to reflect himself, as culture is nothing more than a reflecting of mankind about itself. Just as the idea of the forum and the acropolis is a reflection on European culture, coming from Greek and Roman origins, over the Piazza San Marco of Venice, the Forum Fredericianum with the buildings of Schinkel, also the Pechersk Lavra is conceived in this way with the Dormition Cathedral, the Bell Tower and its other buildings. The project starts at this point and extends this quality to the area of the Mystetskyj Arsenal integrating the Old Arsenal as the main anchor point. Therefore Ivan Mazepa Street will be pedestrianized and get a long square, the forum, of which the new Mystetskyj Arsenal Square becomes its natural extension. From here on with a series of small piazza’s the project is developed along the ramparts using it’s concave and convex parts to integrate buildings and landscape elements like the arena on Uspenskyj Bastion. The historic form of the defence system (see typological section on plan #4) is reinterpretated to a new urban park situation and to integrate the new functions. The footprint of the Hotel is exactly on the historic ‘Ravelin’, while the Children’s town and the Center for Creative Industries use the section of the Wall Walk and the Glacis, to create an urban upper level and a green, intimate lower level. This section is also applied to the hotel where functions like the Wellness and Spa are integrated in the basement, still having relation to a green outside. In order to create the sacred space of the acropolis the three historic accesses have been redefined as passing through a gate anticipated by a bridge situation. This point is too the beginning and the end of the panoramic promenades on the ramparts and the access to the park around the fortress, which should be concluded to the existing southern park. In order to respect the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and the human scale of the forum the project does not exceed the existent eaves level of about 18 metres. The exception is the translucent ‘dome’ of the Center for Ukrainian Music with it’s 27 metres, also necessary in order to house the concert hall.

view of CFUM and mystetskyj arsenal square

the center for ukrainian music

general plan

the building is one of the above described characters, lying like a relaxed sphinx at the forum. From the entrance at Mystetskyj Arsenal Square flat stairs lead up to the base where functions like ticket offices and coat check are located. Large stairs lead up to the main foyer with its natural light falling from the roof. From here you have direct access to the concert hall with its translucent quality in the upper parts and a wood in the area of the audience seating. The whole concert hall is conceived as an inlay with a different materiality as stone of the building. At night the illuminated dome is getting a sign in the skyline. The concept of the Auditorium is a “Box in a Box” , infact the Box Auditorium is a box lighting that is sourranded to stone volumetries. In summer during concert intervals the roof is open to admire the breathtaking panorama of the golden-domed Pechersk Lavra and Dnipro River. The Administration and the spaces for the resident orchestra are located in the smaller building in the Petrovskyi Bastion, connected on the basement level.

view from Mystetskyj Arsenal square

the museum of contemporary art

the center for ukrainian music

the museum opens to the Mystetskyj Arsenal Square on the ground floor and with a big window from the exhibition space in the first floor, a space connected to the entrance foyer. The exhibition areas extend to second floor with skylight illumination and the basement.

the center for ukrainian music section

traffic concept

museum of contemporary art internal view

while all the area is accessible by car with special permission, public access is limited to the public parking and drop-off at the hotel, cinema and the art apartments. Delivery is organized completely underground with a single access integrated from unfderground street that run Ivan Mazeba street, the new way is link with Pechersk Lavra

Museum of contemporary art model

uckrainian center for screen arts model

model

Europaconcorsi Beta

Mystetskyj Arsenal: Cultural-Art and Museum Complex in Kyiv, Ukraine