The "Tsarskoye Selo" State Museum-Reserve has officially invited the "ACM Group" team to participate in a competition to develop a concept for the restoration and adaptation of the "Chinese Theatre," located in the Alexander Park of Tsarskoye Selo.
The "Chinese Theatre," designed by the great Antonio Rinaldi in 1777, was built under the supervision of Ilya Neelov in 1779. Its exotic character was defined by roof corners that curved upward in the Chinese style and a colorful, variegated cornice. Inside the theater, the Chinese theme was carried through by a golden silk curtain and a collection of imported decorative art objects. The theater boxes were lavishly adorned with elements made of colored cardboard, set against a backdrop of shimmering foil. The ceiling, stage, and boxes featured motifs including figures of Chinese people, dragons, and signs of the zodiac.
Between 1914 and the 1930s, the theater stood empty. On September 15, 1941, during the shelling of the city, the theater building burned down; it has never been restored.
The "ACM Group" team is entering the competition in partnership with a highly regarded firm from the Association of Architectural Studios of Saint Petersburg.