SPbGASU team: Ekaterina Kozlova, Anastasia Skvortsova, Elizaveta Kasparyants, Petr Kuzichkin, and Georgy Shvets
On 21–22 May, the Moscow Institute of Architecture (MARKHI) hosted the presentation of concepts submitted for the IV All-Russian Competition of Student Works in the Field of Universal Design and Design of Barrier-Free Urban Environments for People with Disabilities, "City in Detail."
The competition is dedicated to the development of urban planning concepts based on the principles of universal design. This year, the project under design was the historic town of Torzhok in the Tver region, with its complex terrain and rich heritage. Participants were tasked with creating a safe, informative, and comfortable urban environment equally accessible to all.
This season, applications were submitted by 94 teams from 29 universities in 19 Russian cities. In total, over 1,500 students and teachers participated in the 2025–2026 competition. The eleven best teams presented their projects at an in-person defense in Moscow.
The Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering was represented by a team from the Department of Architectural Design. The team included Elizaveta Kasparyants, Anastasia Skvortsova, Ekaterina Kozlova, Petr Kuzichkin, and Georgy Shvets. The team's mentors were teachers from the SPbGASU Department of Architectural Design: Associate Professors Igor Ivanov and Maria Yakunenkova, and a Senior Lecturer Nina Drizhaplova.
Our students developed the "Golden Accessibility Thread" project, which envisions the comprehensive development of the area around the Travel Palace, integrating inclusive infrastructure, adaptive use of historic buildings, and the creation of circular tourist routes.
Team captain Elizaveta Kasparyants at the stand with the project
The SPbGASU students took second place in the competition and were also awarded a prize in the special category "Aesthetics and Functionality" for their "charm of universal design, embodied in elements and fragments of the urban environment."
The team members shared their impressions: "We are delighted to be part of this competition and are happy that our efforts have borne such significant fruit! We are taking home invaluable experience, a wealth of memories, and complete satisfaction with the result."
The project is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund, the Federal Educational and Methodological Association "Architecture," the Russian Ministry of Construction, and the Russian Ministry of Labor. Competition partner: the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.