Published on: 2026-07-28
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
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Representatives of the Department of Construction Technology of SPbGASU visited the construction site of the F. I. Shalyapin Musical Theater (the historic “Music Hall”) in Alexandrovsky Park. Head of the department Anton Gaydo and associate professor Yury Tilinin familiarized themselves with the progress of the work and studied the engineering solutions applied, which will subsequently be used in the university’s educational and scientific activities.
The reconstruction of the theater is considered one of the most complex projects for adapting a cultural heritage site for modern use. Specialists had the opportunity to study in detail the technologies for creating underground spaces, strengthening structures, and organizing construction processes while preserving the historic building.
The obtained materials will be used in the training of bachelors and masters, as well as in the development of a new discipline in the specialty. “Restoration of buildings and structures”, as well as in the preparation of a collective monograph dedicated to the arrangement of underground spaces during the restoration of historical sites.
Currently, a number of unique engineering solutions are being implemented at the site. In particular, the level of the ground floor was lowered by 5–7 meters, which made it possible to create additional underground premises for housing engineering systems, stage equipment, dressing rooms, and other functional areas. As a result, the usable area of the building increased by more than 6,000 square meters without altering its historic appearance.
Work continues in the space beneath the dome, where a rehearsal hall for the orchestra is being created. A special PERI formwork system is used for the installation of the structures. After the reconstruction is completed, the theater will receive a modern transformable stage with multi-level lifting mechanisms that allow changing the configuration of the stage area and the orchestra pit depending on the requirements of the productions.
SPbGASU has been involved in the scientific support of the project since the early stages of the reconstruction. Previously, the university’s specialists conducted an examination of the building’s structures and an assessment of the engineering and geological conditions of the site. According to the head of the Geotechnics Department of SPbGASU Anatoly Osokin, the execution of the work required the use of complex soil and foundation reinforcement technologies adapted to the conditions of the historic monument. Additional studies made it possible to choose the optimal technical solutions and ensure the safety of the reconstruction.
During previous stages of work, the builders managed to implement unique engineering solutions for deepening the building and creating a new underground space. One of the most complex operations was the sequential reinforcement of existing columns using individual temporary metal frames, which made it possible to preserve the load-bearing structures and maintain the historical appearance of the building.
The Department of Construction Production Technology expresses its gratitude to the head of the commercial department of LLC PSB “ZhilStroy” To Andrey Kvar for assisting in organizing the visit to the site and the opportunity to become acquainted with advanced restoration technologies of one of Saint Petersburg’s iconic buildings.
Such field trips allow teachers to update the content of educational programs, acquaint students with modern construction and restoration technologies, and also to form a scientific basis for further research in the field of cultural heritage conservation.
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