TAU’s new space for musical cultures unfolds inside the former Metmash factory, using the building’s rugged industrial shell and the capital’s factory heritage as a living backdrop. The project is guided by Ivan Shilnikov, the architect behind the concept, who explains how the space connects the site’s history with its future as a vibrant cultural hub. The idea is to create a venue that feels earned, where every brick and beam tells a story of making and art, and where visitors sense the city’s industrial memory reimagined for contemporary creativity.
Shilnikov describes the central motif as a metal pipe image, a direct nod to the metalworking legacy that shaped the neighborhood. This signature reference appears throughout the design, from structural elements to lighting and sculptural touches, linking past practices with present-day artistry in a tactile, immersive way. The result is a space where material honesty and artistic ambition coexist, inviting visitors to experience history through a modern lens.
Spread over 6,700 square meters, the complex envisions a dynamic program: a dance floor that can accommodate up to 1,500 participants, numerous recording studios, electronic music schools, book and record shops, an art space, and coworking areas. The layout supports live performances, education, collaboration, and community gatherings, while the flexible plans allow artists to experiment and audiences to engage across disciplines in one continuous cultural ecosystem.
The architectural language blends a raw Soviet industrial vibe with contemporary creativity. Exposed textures, metal finishes, and expansive volumes meet refined acoustic design and modern materials to craft an environment where elemental history meets current practice. The result is a venue that feels both historically resonant and forward-looking, a place where art disciplines can intersect and evolve in public view.
Shilnikov emphasizes that the new forms and content are a respectful tribute to the site’s past. The homage runs through how the space is organized, how events unfold, and how communities move through it, rather than being a decorative flourish. By embedding remembrance into daily use, the project aims to keep the factory’s spirit alive while pushing it into contemporary relevance.
On November 13 and 14, the forum Culture. Media. Number gathered a wide range of voices from the worlds of culture, technology, and media. Attendees included Russian and international directors, producers, public relations and marketing experts, information technology professionals, esports figures, and game developers, all converging to discuss how culture, media, and technology intersect in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Among the notable participants were respected filmmakers and industry leaders who helped shape global cinema and digital culture. Directors Oliver Stone, Luc Besson, Emir Kusturica, and Liang Du, along with other influential figures in media and entertainment, joined the conversations to share perspectives and explore collaborations that bridge art forms and audiences.
The opening program of the new venue drew on a dialogue with the site’s industrial heritage. It featured the symphonic poster Factory and the piece Music of Machines, works that evoke the era of mechanized production while reinterpreting it through contemporary orchestration and sound design. The program set a mood that honored industrial memory while celebrating the transformative power of music and art.
Musician Yuri Usachev and the Persimfance symphony ensemble delivered a large-scale electro-acoustic performance based on scores linked to the Soviet avant-garde. The performance merged expanded instrumental techniques with entrancing dance rhythms and improvisations by orchestral soloists, creating a living link between historic experimentation and present-day sonic exploration. The result felt expansive and immersive, asking listeners to rethink what a concert can be when technology and tradition fuse on stage.
The modern edition of the program advanced with richer instrumental textures, evolving rhythmic structures, and opportunities for improvisation that invited performers to push boundaries. The blend of electronics, orchestral color, and contemporary choreography offered a fresh take on how large ensembles can engage audiences in industrially inspired spaces that are also intimate enough for dialogue and discovery.
To close the evening, world-renowned talent Mark Knight, a Grammy-winning producer, and DJ Pierre illuminated the musical chapter with a high-energy set that underscored TAU’s aim to fuse global stars with emerging voices. The lively finale showcased how a venue rooted in history can become a stage for contemporary cross-genre collaboration, drawing audiences from different scenes to share in a single, ambitious cultural moment.