Children’s Musical Theatre of the Young Actor
Working and emergency lighting for a public cultural building
The Children’s Musical Theatre of the Young Actor is a state theatre founded in 1988. It is a living cultural institution where stage and the education of children aged 4 to 16 share a single venue. For us it is one of our flagship projects in public lighting.
The interior concept rests on two priorities. The first is to preserve the theatrical aesthetic: bright decorative elements, a foyer arranged around “tree” columns, an artistic mural on the staircase with characters from the productions, and interactive video screens. The second is to step away from a purely theatrical style in the teaching and rehearsal wing and create the friendly environment of a children’s educational institution, while keeping the overall atmosphere of a theatre.
The reconstruction covered not only the interiors but also the façade. This is a three-storey building: the ground floor holds the foyer, the vestibule and the café; the second floor, the rehearsal halls, the dining area and the first tier of the auditorium; the third, the administration and the second tier of the auditorium.
The main task did not come down to installing light. The working and emergency lighting project had to be adapted to new technical requirements at very short notice, while preserving the original concept and the illumination standards.
The second condition was to supply the entire volume of lighting equipment within no more than one month, without shifting the commissioning schedule.
How light supports the architecture and atmosphere
Adapting the lighting project
We adapted the working and emergency lighting system to the new requirements without rewriting the concept: light supported the existing forms — the “tree” columns, the mural, the decorative elements — and preserved the theatre’s recognisable atmosphere.
Calculations and a 4000 K temperature
We carried out photometric calculations and selected fixtures with a neutral 4000 K colour temperature — it combines best with the cool colours of the theatre’s finishes. The lighting of the spaces and the façade was brought into line with the standards.
One environment for stage and study
The stage and teaching spaces were united by a shared lighting logic: theatricality and accents in the foyer, and even working light — comfortable for children’s lessons — in the choreography, vocal and acting studios.
During realisation we carried the project from the adapted concept to working solutions: adapting the working and emergency lighting system, photometric calculations and delivery of the equipment to site. The project uses Svetovye Tekhnologii and Arlight fixtures.
The entire supply of lighting equipment was completed within no more than one month. The lighting of every space and of the façade fully complies with the original concept and the standards, and the project was reviewed at the highest state level.
Tasks during lighting commissioning
- 01Adapt the working and emergency lighting project to new requirements
- 02Preserve the original interior concept and the illumination standards
- 03Carry out photometric calculations for a public building
- 04Select fixtures with a neutral 4000 K temperature to match the finishes
- 05Supply the entire volume of equipment in no more than a month
- 06Unite the theatre and teaching spaces with a single light
The theatre kept its character: the renewed lighting supported the architecture and the interior concept rather than obscuring them. The stage and teaching spaces gained a coherent 4000 K lighting environment, comfortable for audiences and young actors alike.
The lighting of every space and of the façade fully complies with the original concept and the standards, and the supply was completed within the allotted month. The project became a laureate of the Eurasian “Golden Photon 2022” award.
- Building type
- Public cultural building (theatre)
- Use
- Theatre and teaching / rehearsal spaces
- Storeys
- 3 floors
- Architect
- Leonid Gavrilov
- Light design
- ALL PROJECTS LLC
- Scope
- Project adaptation, calculations, supply
- Equipment
- Svetovye Tekhnologii, Arlight
- Colour temperature
- 4000 K (neutral)
- Supply time
- No more than 1 month
- Award
- Laureate, “Golden Photon 2022”
Official visit
On 25 March 2021, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin visited the new premises of the Children’s Musical Theatre of the Young Actor in Moscow, including its educational and rehearsal facilities and auditorium.
Official publication on the Russian President’s website ↗Golden Photon Awards 2022
The lighting project for the Children’s Musical Theatre of the Young Actor received the title of Laureate of the Golden Photon Awards 2022 in the Public Space Lighting category.
Project page on the award website
Competition entry for the project in the Public Space Lighting category.
View project on the Golden Photon Awards website ↗
What we applied
The thinking behind this project
Here the point was not to “light it more brightly” but to preserve: to support the theatre’s character with light, adapt the project to new requirements and meet a tight deadline without losing the quality of the lighting environment.
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