Anastasia Dzyurbey, a third-year student at the SPbGASU Faculty of Architecture, has won an open competition to develop the architectural concept for the facades of a kindergarten to be built in the IQ Gatchina residential complex in the Leningrad Region. The winning design will be implemented during the facility construction.
The competition was organized by BIP LLC and Lenstroytrest Group of Companies, with the support of Sergey Lutchenko, Chief Architect of the Leningrad Region. Students of architectural universities and young professionals under 25 were invited to participate.
The contestants were required to develop an expressive architectural facade design for an existing building without altering its spatial structure, as well as create an original mascot for the future kindergarten. In addition to a cash prize for the winner, the organizers offered the main prize—the implementation of the best concept.
Anastasia's design is based on the image of a giraffe—a friendly and easily recognizable character that becomes a key element of the building's architectural identity. The designer eschewed excessive decorative elements in favor of large, graphic animal silhouettes, seamlessly integrated into the facade composition. The minimalist aesthetics of the images make them easily understood by children of all ages, creating a memorable image for the educational institution.
The concept is complemented by a calm palette of pastel shades—terracotta, sand, light green, and beige—paired with wood-grain cladding. This solution creates a warm, emotionally comfortable environment while preserving the building's contemporary architectural character. The primary materials chosen are fiber cement panels with a wood texture and colored plaster surfaces that meet durability and fire safety requirements.
Ilya Edemsky, Chief Architect of BIP LLC, noted that the competition was conceived as an opportunity to offer young architects not just an academic challenge, but a real professional one.
"We deliberately offered the participants a realistic project. A kindergarten is a facility with pre-defined constraints, and it's precisely in such conditions that an architect's professional skill shines. It was important for us not only to choose a winner but also to support young professionals and give them the opportunity to test their skills on a real-world project. The submitted works demonstrated a high level of motivation and preparation among the participants, so we hope to make such competitions a regular occurrence," emphasized Ilya Edemsky.
Valeria Malysheva, General Director of Lenstroytrest Group, noted the high standard of the submitted works. She noted that the participants had prepared not just sketches, but deeply developed architectural concepts, making selecting the winners a challenging task.
Chief Architect of the Leningrad Region, Sergey Lutchenko, emphasized that such competitions were of great importance for the professional development of future architects.
"It's wonderful that student projects are being implemented. The new competition for the architectural design of a kindergarten facade is also aimed at bringing the ideas of a young, aspiring architect to life. Such projects allow students to work with real-life projects while still in their studies, gain experience interacting with the professional community, and better understand the requirements of modern architectural practice," noted Sergey Lutchenko.
The organizers plan to continue holding similar professional competitions, providing young architects with the opportunity to implement their ideas in real projects.
