GES-2 House of Culture is a focal point of Moscow's cultural life. GES-2 is the city's oldest power station, which operated for nearly a century — from 1907 to 2005. The municipal power plant supplied electricity to the Kremlin and the capital's tram lines. The station's design was by architect Vasily Bashkirov, who collaborated with Viktor Vasnetsov and, following his sketches, created three buildings, including the classical building of the Tretyakov Gallery on Lavrushinsky Lane.
GES-2 model
In 2009 GES-2 was granted cultural heritage status, and in 2015 it was purchased by patron and owner of the contemporary art foundation V-A-C (Victoria – the Art of Being Contemporary), Leonid Mikhelson. The reconstruction project of GES-2 was undertaken by Italian architect Renzo Piano — the author of the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The architect faced the difficult task of preserving the building's historic appearance while making it modern and adapting it to the goals and objectives of the V-A-C foundation. Renzo Piano carefully restored the building, reopened windows that had been filled in during the power plant's operating years, and filled it with light using a glass roof and a milky-colored interior.
Play of sun glints and lacy shadows in the GES building
Play of sun glints and lacy shadows in the GES building
In 2022 GES-2 received LEED Gold certification for green construction and careful environmental stewardship. Solar panels on the roof help generate about 10% of the total energy consumed by the GES building. The building's ventilation shafts draw in fresh air and, via a special ventilation system, supply it back into the interior spaces. The green grounds of GES-2 deserve special mention: 620 birches and 800 species of shrubs were planted there using a special technology. The park area blends the urban landscape with nature — it is a place to relax, recharge, and reflect.
Interior of the exhibition "Index of Similarity"
Interior of the exhibition "Index of Similarity"
The picturesque power station also appeared in film: the operational GES can be seen in Stanislav Govorukhin's series "The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed" and in Eldar Ryazanov's "The Promised Heavens." The House of Culture is divided into various thematic zones. It includes a library, a concert hall, halls for public events, a cinema, exhibition halls and workshops, offices, a cafeteria and a canteen, artists' residencies, and a children's playground. The building has been made barrier-free and includes rest areas. Visits to GES-2 are free with prior registration.
