Project manager

There are always challenges in renovating historic buildings. You have to preserve the appearance of the building and comply with all the regulations. And the devil is in the details.

One example: in the main building there is a café and next to it there is an external staff entrance with stairs. The regulations require removing the stairs and installing a new door. The existing staircase violates the technological requirements, the single load of staff and food goes against the fire safety regulations. But the building is historic, and making a new doorway is not an option.

The task is to arrange an entrance for staff and loading of the catering facility in the existing doorway with the stairs and level difference. The solution is a hydraulic scissor lift leading from the ground level down to the basement production floor. The lift's roof is at the ground level, so it does not spoil the look of the building and does not add extra elements.

Another important aim is to accommodate all the museum's needs within the limited space of the existing building. The technology part of the task is to work through all possible use scenarios and find the means of implementation. Creative spaces and multifunctional zones are particularly important for the modern museums' life. For instance, to hold events in the main hall, we have developed several scenarios of its transformation.

Column skirts will be used instead of chairs to accommodate 900 seats – simple and original solution for large banquets. Similar variation scenarios have been developed for other halls and tours.