Master Classes on Restoration Work and the Board Game "Memo" from Students

Summing up the winter, we note SPbGASU's participation in the IV Specialized Exhibition "PROrestoration. Import Substitution in Restoration Materials and Technologies," which took place in Moscow last December. The exhibition was organized by the Moscow Government jointly with the non-profit partnership "Russian Association of Restorers."

This key event in the restoration industry has traditionally become a platform for professional dialogue between restoration companies, design institutes, museums, educational organizations, regional specialists, and international experts. The exhibition, covering a total area of ​​4,500 square meters, was attended by over 20,000 Muscovites and visitors.

SPbGASU participated in the event as one of the leading universities offering training in architectural restoration. The university was represented by Nadezhda Akulova, Acting Head of the Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage, Associate Professor, and PhD of Architecture, and students—future restoration architects.

Aleksey Emelyanov, Head of the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage, noted that the exhibition's business and educational program was very comprehensive: "Over the four days, nearly 200 events were held—presentations, lectures, roundtables, and master classes. More than 100 Russian companies presented modern solutions and technologies for preserving cultural heritage sites."

One of the exhibition's central events has traditionally been the competition for young restorers. In 2025, teams from 25 universities and vocational schools from 13 regions of Russia and the Republic of Belarus participated. Students competed in the restoration of stucco and plaster, easel painting, stone and wood decoration, metalwork, and monumental painting.

The exhibition also featured a student scientific conference, bringing together over 70 speakers. Students from SPbGASU presented their research: Alena Turpak reported on her work "The historical and cultural potential of princely estates in the Lipetsk region and modern approaches to their preservation," and Natalia Semenova presented her project "Restoration of the Noginsk tram line: harmony between the preservation of historical and cultural heritage and sustainable mobility."

The exhibition was attended by international experts from China, Jordan, Mexico, Algeria, South Africa, Serbia, Italy, and Cuba. They participated in professional discussions, shared their experiences in restoring architectural monuments, and actively interacted with students. The SPbGASU stand generated considerable interest. It offered the international guests an interactive workshop, "Find the Defect," where they experienced the role of restoration students.

Jorge Ortega González, Director General of the National Association of Mexican World Heritage Cities, emphasized the exhibition's uniqueness and the importance of competitive formats for supporting youth. Perla Rosales Aguirreurreta, Deputy Director General of the Havana Historical Bureau, noted the importance of professional exchange and the prospects for forming international expert groups.

In total, the exhibition featured over 120 master classes on artistic carving, icon and fresco restoration, and copper gilding and silvering techniques. Some objects were restored directly on site: specialists from the State Research Institute for Restoration, along with volunteers, restored the sign of the "Entuziast" Cinema, while the "Man" company completed the restoration of a fragment of the 1911 facade of a commercial school.

Throughout the four days, SPbGASU presented a rich program of specialized interactive activities. Visitors were offered master classes such as "Young Detective" (a dive into diagnosing defects on building facades), "Historical Washing" (working with fragments of Ivan Sytin's printing house—the building where the exhibition was held), "Choosing a Color Scheme," "Find the Defect," and the board game "Memo," which became one of the exhibition's most talked-about activities.

Visitors were particularly drawn to the board game "Memo," developed by students from the SPbGASU Department of Architectural and Urban-Planning Heritage specifically for the "PROrestoration" exhibition. The game combines educational and playful formats, exploring the history of Ivan Sytin's printing house and the concept of "cultural heritage."

Nadezhda Akulova thanked her team for their professionalism, proactive communication, and excellent representation of the university at the exhibition. Special thanks were extended to students Ekaterina Vasilchenko, Daria Kondratyuk, Daria Kuvshinova, Sofia Mironova, Tatiana Murachova, Varvara Tuchina, and Galina Fedotova.

A significant part of the exhibition program was devoted to professional discussions and roundtables devoted to the preservation and adaptation of cultural heritage sites, the strategic objectives of monument restoration, and the training of professional personnel in the field of restoration.

Nadezhda Akulova moderated a discussion on the training of specialists in the restoration industry – from secondary vocational and higher education to continuing professional education and scientific support for the industry.

SPbGASU is traditionally recognized by the professional community as one of the leading educational and scientific centers in the field of architectural restoration. Indicatively, on 24–28 March, the university will host the 6th National (All-Russian) Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation, "Reconstruction and Restoration of Architectural Heritage."