Reconstruction of the Victoria Gallery building

Vitaly Stadnikov

RBTY Architectural Studio

We are creating a multi-level enfilade gallery space, with the main entrance from the embankment. The exhibitions will be grouped along spacious staircases leading to a lighted atrium. They lead the visitor along a fascinating path through many intermediate levels to the roof of a building with a sculpture garden and a view of the Volga River.
The architecture of the gallery is functional, but solemn. It reveals the beauty of the building’s constructive organization, previously hidden by the decorations. The open flowing spaces are pierced by columns, and the window openings open the building to the outside as much as possible. The entire ground floor becomes transparent, making the massive volume of the exhibition spaces float.

The facade will be decorated with custom-designed fibreglass panels with three types of surfaces defining three types of physical and temporary space.:

— Panels with vertical «flutes» reflect tradition and roots.

— Panels with horizontal cylindrical elements — a reading of the passing modernity. They are based on the archetypal tile of Alvar Aalto, a pioneer of modernism.

— Flat panels are a blank slate and freedom of expression.

Renata Nasybullina

link.bureau architectural workshop

It was important for us to create an interior that would reflect the values of the Victoria Gallery and its local identity as much as possible.

The basis of the interior concept was the river, which is different and changeable. Like the Victoria Gallery, it changes itself, changes everything around, nourishes and fills the environment. The river is the absence of hierarchy, a single harmonious system in which there is no main and secondary. And the river is also about the Volga and the locality.

The staircase connecting all floors of the building will become an artery river. We tried to create a flexible, fluid space without rigid zoning with horizontal interaction with the river, the city, and the viewer, where functions «exchange» common elements among themselves.

This approach assumes the flexibility of both the space itself and its technical equipment. The interiors can be easily converted to suit the current task: they are combined into large halls for events, divided into a series of flowing spaces or separate isolated zones, and the hanging area increases or decreases if necessary.

The integrity of the interior solution in a relatively small space with a wide variety of functions and elements was achieved due to three components: the overall color scheme, modularity, and uniformity of details. Light colors and natural materials will become a neutral background for the events that will take place in the gallery.

1ST FLOOR

The main entrance to the Victoria Gallery will be from Maxim Gorky Street. There will be a reception, a cloakroom, a bookstore, a MUWA coffee shop and a children’s studio.

The former Victoria Underground space will be reformatted. There will be an Art Workshop, a Silkscreen printing workshop and a Ceramics Workshop with professional pottery equipment. The small exhibition hall — «Hall A» (48m2) will present the results of the workshops and personal and experimental projects.

2nd floor

A separate exhibition space «Hall B» with an area of 200 square meters will appear on the second floor. A lecture hall with 60 seats will be located in the left wing of the floor.

3rd floor

The main exhibition space will remain on the 3rd floor, where the «Hall C» is located. During the reconstruction, the exhibition area will increase to 335 square meters. A staircase from the exhibition hall leads to the roof of the building, where an observation deck and an exhibition space for installations will be open during the warmer months. A library will be located in the former Banquet Hall, where visitors will be able to study literature on modern art with a view of the Volga River.

About the reconstruction

Since May 2023, a large-scale reconstruction has begun in the Victoria Gallery building at 2 Nekrasovskaya Street. Victoria has long moved away from the concept of a private commercial gallery to the format of an interdisciplinary cultural institution. We want to transform our space into a modern and functional venue for contemporary culture and art. The renovated building will meet all modern museum requirements in the field of safety, climate and inclusivity. The Victoria Gallery will become one of the few venues in Samara where it will be technically possible to exhibit world-class masterpieces.

The renovated building will become a unique point of the architectural landscape of the center of Samara, and the new concept of space will be more open and accessible to citizens and tourists. We will create a new place of power, where not only European-level works of art will be exhibited, but also created.

The reconstruction works will be completed in December 2025. The opening of the renovated Victoria will take place in the spring of 2026.

Architecture of the building: RBTY Architectural Studio.

Interior design: link.bureau architectural workshop, Vladimir Izakson, Elizaveta Usacheva.