New Holland Island Saint Petersburg, Russia

AMPC + SSD had collaborated with Foster + Partners and won the design competition in 2006. AMPC was susbequently contracted for theatre consulting and auditorium design, which we completed in 2008. We had an in-depth collaboration with acousticians SSD on the auditoria concept design.

A 2,000 seat vineyard/surround Festival Hall for concerts, ballet, banquets and special events required a quick and flexible approach to seating. Using cutting edge technology the shallow stalls rake for music could be flattened in a minute. A three piece canopy above the central stage could be raised in sections to respond to the different settings of the stage and amplified or non amplified music.

The rake of the concert hall stalls had to rise over existing historic buildings creating a unique form.

A 400 seat surround recital hall was created in the basement of an existing rotunda building, with the foyer in an enclosed courtyard above.

An outdoor performance space was created in the centre of the turning basin to the canals around New Holland Island seating VIP guests in glased boxes and a standing audience of 5000 on the edge of the water.

The three performance spaces complement each other in terms of scale, form, repertoire and ambience.

The project was put on hold after detailed design.