The mansion on Potemkinskaya Street No. 4 in the northeastern part of the Tauride Garden was built in 1910-1914 in the neoclassical style. The history of this building reflects the important cultural milestones of the last century.
History
1. The Imperial Exhibition Pavilion
Since the first time the World Exhibition of Industrial Achievements was held in London Hyde Park, fashion for all kinds of expo events has reigned in Europe. In St. Petersburg, the most successful organizer of the new social fun was the Imperial Russian Gardening Society. It was for him that in 1914, near the Tauride Garden on Potemkinskaya Street, an exhibition pavilion was built. The project of the pavilion was completed by civil engineer, architect of the St. Petersburg Palace Administration N. N. Ignatiev, and the construction was entrusted to engineer E. F. Rydzevsky. The building met all the requirements of world exhibition practice: a huge glass lamp above the main hall, special ramps for unloading heavy tubs with plants, rooms for lectures. The exhibition pavilion immediately became a new fashion location, taking the place that art galleries and salons occupied in the consciousness of the secular public. In May 1914, the International Anniversary Gardening Exhibition was hosted under the patronage of Nicholas II.
2. Transitional period
After the closing of the exhibition pavilion, the building was in oblivion for almost half a century. During the revolution, the armored battalion defending Smolny was located here. After 1917, the building was rebuilt into a two-story garage for party cars.
3. Panoramic movie theater
Since 1959, the building was rebuilt into a cinema. The panoramic cinema "Leningrad" with 1128 seats, designed by architect I.I. Chashnik, was one of the first large-scale projects in this segment. The hall was equipped with the country's largest screen and stereo sound. Here were the most high-profile premieres. Leningrad has long set the tone for the cultural life of the city. By the end of the 20th century, the technical side of the cinema was outdated, and the cinema life of the city moved to shopping and entertainment centers.
Panoramic cinema "Leningrad"
Panoramic cinema "Leningrad"
Panoramic cinema "Leningrad" - hall
4. Show space
Professionals from around the world were invited to restore the cinema building to create a new generation theater in it. The reconstruction was carried out under the supervision of the Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill , known for his Olympic construction projects for the 1992 Games in Barcelona and the famous Paris quarter Les Espaces d'Abraxas. Bofill preserved the appearance of the building, external changes affected only the attic roof, which acquired terraces. A large-scale unit of work was done in the constructive structure of the building. Bofill got rid of some interfloor ceilings, which were inherited from the reconstruction of the Soviet period and, thus, recreated the original internal exposure. Marta de Villalonga, Valentin Yudashkin, Pavel Kaplevich were responsible for the interior design. Gigantic work was done to strengthen the foundation, which is located on an underground river and, due to the nature of the soil, is at risk. To ensure perfect geometric performance, about 7,000 cubic meters of concrete were poured into the foundation and 36 piles were driven.
An old mansion today
December 25, 2014 in the legendary building, which once served as an exhibition pavilion and cinema, the Leningrad Center opened