From 22 to 28 September, the Magnitogorsk State Technical University named after G.I. Nosov hosted the XXXIV International Competition of the Best Graduation Theses in Architecture, Design and Art.

It was attended by forty-seven architectural schools from Russia and neighboring states. More than 400 works were presented across various fields of study in architecture and design. The most extensive exhibitions were presented by the Moscow Architectural Institute (MARCHI) and the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPbGASU).

The works of graduates of the bachelor's and master's programs were presented by the teachers of the Faculty of Architecture: from the Department of Architectural Design - Associate Professor, PhD of Architecture Fedor Perov, Associate Professor Igor Ivanov and Associate Professor Olga Kokorina; from the Department of Urban Planning - Head of the Department, Professor, DSc in Architecture Yulia Yankovskaya and Associate Professor, PhD of Architecture Mikhail Vilensky; from the Department of Architectural Environment Design - Head of the Department, Associate Professor, PhD of Architecture Maria Granstrem and Associate Professor Yan Korzhempo; from the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage - Associate Professor, PhD of Architecture Natalia Dubrovina; and from the Department of Landscape Architecture - Associate Professor Ksenia Yakovleva and Assistant Anna Lapkina.

Our university submitted 49 final qualifying works, all of which were awarded first-place diplomas from the Interregional Public Organization for the Promotion of Architectural Education (MOOSAO). Furthermore, our graduates' theses received additional awards and diplomas from the competition's partners.

In addition to the competition events, the organizers offered participants the opportunity to learn about the work of the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, take a tour dedicated to Magnitogorsk's Soviet architectural heritage, and visit the archaeological site of the ancient city of Arkaim.

"This year, SPbGASU confirmed its high status as a leading university in the field of architectural education in the Russian Federation. It's important for our teachers to attend these types of competitions to showcase their teaching staff's outstanding achievements and learn about Russian and international trends in architectural and design education," noted Yulia Yankovskaya.

Awards to SPbGASU representatives

The following final qualifying works were nominated for the medal of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences: "Ecoparks as Elements of the Urban-Ecological Framework of the Volga Delta" by Daria Chernyshova, a Master's student of the Department of Urban Planning; "The Educational Campus of the Arctic University, Naryan-Mar" by Aleksey Matveenko, a Master's student of the Department of Architectural Design; "Restoration and Adaptation of Estate Development in the Vyborg District of the Leningrad Region" by Ksenia Gnevasheva, a Master's student of the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage; "Preservation of Noble Estates of the 18th-19th Centuries in the Modern Development of St Petersburg" by Ulyana Shvedova, a Master's student of the same department.

Bachelor's theses by Sofia Yarueva ("Project for a Public Center with a Hotel in Kirovsk", a project that also received a Lazar Khidekel Prize diploma) and Yuliana Noskova ("Renovation of the Port-Industrial Zone in Perm. Cultural and Recreation Center) were awarded RAACS diplomas.

The Union of Architects of Russia awarded diplomas to the works by Daria Ivanova "Concept for the Renovation of an Industrial Area on the Coast of the Amur Bay in Vladivostok", Elizaveta Khalilova "Natural Scientific and Tourist Complex, the city of Kandalaksha, Cape Monastyrsky Navolok" (both - Department of Architectural Design) and Kazbek Tkhostov "Formation of a System of Multifunctional Public Spaces in Small Towns and Rural Settlements of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania" (Department of Urban Planning).

Anna Varankina was awarded a diploma from the Union of Designers of Russia for her work “Strategy for the Spatial Development of the Baltic Spit Territory” (Department of Urban Planning).

Yulia Semenova, a graduate of the Department of Architectural Environment Design, was awarded a diploma from the National Academy of Design for her final qualifying work, "Renovation of Coastal Territories in the Context of the Historically Established Urban Environment of Vyborg."

The diploma of the Moscow Union of Architects was awarded to Vasily Matovnikov, a graduate of the Department of Urban Planning, for his work "Urban Planning Organization of Peripheral Transit-Oriented Zones (using the example of the territory in the southern part of Volgograd)" and Lev Svetlichny, a graduate of the Department of Architectural Design, for his work "Multifunctional Cultural and Business Center, Saint Petersburg, Porokhovye District".

A number of works were awarded diplomas from regional branches of the Union of Architects: diploma of the Nizhny Novgorod branch went to the final qualifying work by Anna Kotlyagina “Project of a Museum Complex in Krasnoyarsk with the Inclusion of Valuable Elements of Historical Development”; from the Krasnoyarsk branch – to the works by Artem Martynenko “Museum and Exhibition Complex, Kovdor” and Alina Borisova “Project of a Hotel Complex, Kirovsk”; from the Saratov branch – to the project by Arina Safronova “Complex of a Technology Park with a Waste Processing Function. Saint Petersburg, Yuntolovo district”; from the Sverdlovsk branch – to the works by Victoria Ivanova “Residential Quarter with a Multifunctional Tourist Complex, Monchegorsk”, and by Evgeny Maistrenko “Residential Complex with a Sports and Fitness Center. Saint Petersburg, Porokhovye District" (all – Department of Architectural Design) and Yuliana Noskova "Renovation of the Port and Industrial Zone in Perm. Cultural and Recreation Center" (Department of Urban Planning); and from the Voronezh Branch – to the projects by Timur Sibagatov "Regional Scientific and Technical Cluster near the Yugorsky Tract in Surgut" (Department of Urban Planning) and Daria Kondratyuk "Restoration and Adaptation of the Albrecht Estate Ensemble in the Village of Kotly, Kingisepp District, Leningrad Region" (Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage).

MARCHI diplomas were awarded to Maria Kotova for her work "Landscape Organization and Revitalization of the Arakcheev Barracks Complex in the village of Medved, Novgorod region" (Department of Landscape Architecture), Inga Khafizova ("Landscape Organization of the Industrial Park in Nizhny Tagil", Department of Architectural Environment Design), Sofia Patenko ("Project of a Museum and Exhibition complex, Saint Petersburg, Porokhovye district" (Department of Architectural Design) and Sofia Malysheva ("Project for the Development of the Northern Territory in Syktyvkar. Innovative Cluster "Yugyd Tui" at the data center" (Department of Urban Planning).

Irina Ivashkina was awarded the Golden Trezzini International Prize Diploma in the Best Museum Project category for her work "Ruskeala. Concept for the Museumification of the Marble and Lime Plant Territory with the Development of Recreational and Tourist Infrastructure" (Department of Architectural Environment Design).

The following graduates of the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage were awarded the diplomas of the Union of Restorers of Russia: Arina Devyataykina (FQW "The Concept of Restoration and Adaptation of the Sokolov Flour Mill Building Complex in Samara"), Daria Kondratyuk ("Restoration and Adaptation of the Albrecht Estate Ensemble in the Village of Kotly, Kingisepp District, Leningrad Region"), Ksenia Gnevasheva ("Restoration and Adaptation of Estate Development in the Vyborg District, Leningrad Region"), Ulyana Shvedova ("Preservation of 18th-19th Century Noble Estates in the Modern Development of Saint Petersburg") and Elizaveta Kosyakova "Preservation of Wooden Architecture in the Podporozhsky District, Leningrad Region".

Several graduate theses from the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage were awarded diplomas from the National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). These include the work by Yulia Byzovaya "Renovation of the A.A. Paramonov Tannery with a Concept for the Development of the Adjacent Territory in Saint Petersburg," Ksenia Gnevasheva "Restoration and Adaptation of Estate Development in the Vyborg District of the Leningrad Region," and Yulia Aitova "The Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus with Renovation of the Adjacent Territory."

The diploma of the Non-Profit Partnership "Russian Association of Restorers" was awarded to the works "Reconstruction and Development of the City of Priozersk in the Leningrad Region" by Marya Tyryshkina (Department of Urban Planning) and "Features of the Preservation and Development of the Baltic Resort Cities of the Kaliningrad Region" by Evgeniya Saenko (Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage).

The National Association of Designers and Surveyors (NOPRIZ) recognized the work by Sofia Patenko, "Project for a Museum and Exhibition Complex. Saint Petersburg, Porokhovye District" (Department of Architectural Design).

The ANO "Re-Start Center for the Development of Culture and Art of Restoration" awarded the final qualifying work "Project for the Regeneration of the Historical Environment of the City of Lomonosov (Eleninskaya Street)" by Olga Burdakova (Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage).

Final qualifying works from the Department of Architectural Environment Design have received commendations from the ICOMOS Scientific Committee on the Heritage of Industrial Architecture and Engineering. These include works related to the preservation of industrial monuments: "Revitalization of the Historic Industrial Site of the A. L. Stieglitz Flax Spinning Manufactory in Ivangorod" by Elizaveta Luksha, and "Ruskeala." The concept of museumification of the territory of the marble-lime plant with the development of recreational and tourist infrastructure" by Irina Ivashkina, "Public interior in the production buildings of the factory of Baron A. L. Stieglitz in Ivangorod" by Maria Shirokova and "Landscape organization of the industrial park in Nizhny Tagil" by Inga Khafizova. 

The materials of the XXXIV International Competition of the Best Graduation Theses in Architecture, Design and Art can be found at the link.