Yanka Kupala Theatre reconstruction from inside and above (photo+video)

From the outside, the old part of hte Kupala Theatre building is only getting smaller. Euroradio decided to take a look what is really happening there and got right to the construction site.

"We surpass the schedule for 2 weeks with the new part. As for the old one, we are 1,5 weeks behind the schedule, as designing engineers do not provide us projects and cost sheets. The new part is built on the place of the demolished part, and the old one - just inside. It will be strengthened, we will install metallic retainers so that there wouldn't be any cracks all over the building" - says the specialist responsible for the old part of the building.

We have noticed an interesting vehicle at the site - it looks like a small tank. It is a special drill, it makes a hole and pours liquid concrete into it. This is how a pile appears in the ground. It is not allowed to install piles in a usual way - by beating them into the ground, as there are very serious neighbours - no noise is acceptable. When the state leader is going to the Administration, they stop construction works. Sometimes they stop the works during some important sessions as well.

We leave the construction site. When we proceed to the historical part of the building, we notice cracks in the wall.

"They appeared when the old part was demolished. We even installed screeds to keep an eye on these cracks. We are going to mount a concrete retainer around this old wall to prevent the walls from falling apart".

The old bricks will be covered with a layers of concrete in order to strengthen the walls, they won't be seen anymore. However, they are not going to remove the bricks - this should not be done as this is a historical part. However, the builders say it would have been twice cheaper to build something new like this. 

The hall remained in the old part of the building. They made a new floor and a ventilation outlet under each chair.

"The hall will be ventilated from the bottom. There will be a ventilation room under the floor, not as usual, under the ceiling".

The upper floors are also dismantled, in order to place a solid mass instead. When they dismantled the floors at the 3rd level, there was a very interesting roof framing system with old forged nails.

Were they really this old? - we asked.

"They would have survived for some 50 years to come".

So why changing them?

"We would have to change them later in any case. So we decided to do it now. The roof is old, there are leaks, it should be replaced as well. However, we have no project yet".

We take a picture of the ceiling in the hall for a long rememberance - there will be a different one in the new building.

Then we proceed to the roof. It is a bit frightening to walk on it.

Although the roof does not look safe we take a risk and walk on the edge. There is a view on the construction site, the plce where the stage used to be. The stage has been demolished and now the builders are making the solid mass to build a new one. The stage will have several levels with 3 elevators for actors and scenery. 

"This part has been demolished in order to widen the stage. It will be a modern one, with several levels. There will be an opportunity to lift and lower different parts of the stage. The circle will be in the center, and the orchestra pit will also be lifted and lowered, like in the best theatres of the world".

Many young people work at the construction site. The workers - students at practice - get degrees. The masters and the taskmaster are also young. The terms have been reconsidered 3 times already: they planned to finish the work in July, then postponed it till September and even planned the first show, and now they think they will complete the construction works by December.

This is how the construction site looks from the roof.

 

Construction of the stage - view from the balcony.

Euroradio's journalist getting down to Kupala Theatre's basement.

 

The mine of the biggest elevator.

 

The only woman at the construction site - placing the bricks.

 

A metallic retainer which will support the walls.

 

All this will also be supported by metal and concrete

 

The head of the construction company prohibited the journalists to walk without safety helmets - he says the helmets will definitely protect from at least bricks.