Syndicate architects-designed Garage Screen Summer Cinema has been opened in in Moscow's Gorky Park. The translucent structure is located in front of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow to act as a multifunctional temporary summer cinema pavilion that would be accessible to visitors with disabilities and meet the Museum’s standards of environmental responsibility. 

The pavilion was realized as a result of a competition opened on October 2017 and organized by the museum and Strelka KB. The concept came to its conclusion on December 26, 2018, Russian architects Syndicate took this opportunity to tackle an ambitious task to design a concept for a temporary pavilion. 

Image courtesy of Syndicate architects

Syndicate's pavilion is composed of a truncated pyramid elevated off the ground, which allows for the cinema hall to visually unfold into the park, referencing the architecture of the former Vremena Goda café, which was reconstructed by Rem Koolhaas as a permanent home for Garage. 

Image © Iwan Baan

With its bold shape, unusual materials, and functional design, the pavilion is an architectural statement, and offers the experience of an open-air cinema in any weather, while its holographic facades, Garage Screen neon sign hung at eye level, and red velvet curtains will create a festive mood.

Image © Iwan Baan

"The cinema is open and translucent; it interacts with the building of the Garage Museum, with the Arts Square and the people who come here—thus we tried to interpret the idea of inclusivity in a broader sense," said Viktor Stolbovoy, co-founder of the Moscow-based architecture firm Syndicate.

Image courtesy of Syndicate architects

Syndicate architects competed against more than 130 teams from two dozen cities in Russia and kicked off five other shortlisted proposals in order to win the task of building this year’s pop-up cinema. 

It follows last year’s Garage Screen cinema built by GRACE architects, which boasted a mirror surface that reflected the architecture of the museum building. 

Image © Iwan Baan

The Garage Screen Summer Cinema will be open until this September and it will screen premieres and special programs, and collaborate with Russian film festivals. The program of the pavilion can be seen from here. The program is curated by critic, Rotterdam Festival programmer, and Iskusstvo kino editor Evgeny Gusyatinskiy.

Image courtesy of Syndicate architects

Project facts

Name: Garage Screen Summer Movie Theater

Architect: Syndicate architects

Client: Garage Museum of Contemporary Art

Competition organizer: Strelka KB 

Location: Moscow, Russia

Top image © Mark Seryy

> via Garage Museum of Contemporary Art