On the 7th of December, Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat officially opened his Chess-club Building in the Khanti-Mansiysk autonomous region. The new 5.000 sq. meter building in Khanty-Mansiysk already hosted the 2010 Chess Olympics in September. Now in December it will officially open for the inhabitants. More images and architect’s description after the break.
Erick van Egeraat worked closely with the municipality of Khanty-Mansiysk and its main benefactor Gazprom in realizing this extraordinary building. He compared the Chess Club’s sleek, but slightly distorted appearance with the physics of a chess player. Motionless on the outside, but with great internal struggle to beat the opponent. This contrast is emphasized by the “cool” zinc-clad façade and the “warm” predominantly wooden interior.“This tiny building is a little Icon but could soon become the first step in the redevelopment of this unique city in the centre of Eurasia”, says Erick van Egeraat.
