SPbGASU master students took part in the architectural foresight

Alena Svoekoshinova and Savely Zagrebin, first-year undergraduates in Urban Planning, took part in the architectural foresight The Spit Environment: Science Quarter. The foresight was organized by Project Baltia magazine and the Sparta Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.

Foresight is a joint study of a possible future object or phenomenon and working-out of an optimal path for its development. Young architects led by specialists from KATARSIS Architects were looking for ways to reorganize the eastern part of Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg, where a number of universities and scientific institutions are located, by creating a system of public spaces that unite the area into a single Scientific Quarter. Sergey Lyulin, Deputy President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, took part in preparing the foresight program.

In addition to foresight, Alena Svoekoshinova and Savely Zagrebin were attracted by the opportunity to gain additional experience and make new professional contacts. It was necessary to attach one's portfolio to the application, on the basis of which the organizers conducted the selection. Nine people were allowed to participate. Beside SPbGASU students, students of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts named after I. T. Repin, representatives of architectural associations participated.

“As part of the event, other participants and I explored the territory, visited some of the facilities located here and developed solutions for reorganization: a network of public spaces with street art objects, a draft design of a transforming pavilion for holding conferences in the courtyard of the North Stock Exchange warehouse (Museum of Soil Science), solutions for a number of interiors of the Institute of Macromolecular Compounds of the Russian Academy of Sciences on Bolshoy Prospekt, where scientific excursions are supposed to be held. It was proposed to improve the courtyard of the building of the Russian Academy of Sciences for use as a lecture hall, with an information center and places for relaxing,” said Alena Svoekoshinova.

✔ As part of the foresight, lectures by artists, architects, historians and urbanists were held for participating students.

During the work on the project, students were advised by Vera Stepanskaya and Petr Sovetnikov from the architectural bureau KATARSIS Architects, architect and designer Ilya Mukosey. At the defense of the project, it was evaluated by members of the expert council: Anna Katkhanova, adviser to the chairman of the Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of St. Petersburg, Liza Savina, founder of the Sparta Cultural Initiatives Fund, Vladimir Frolov, editor-in-chief of the Project Baltia magazine, and others.

Text: Tatiana Petrova
Photo: courtesy of Alena Svoekoshinova and Savely Zagrebin

✔ Learn more about the University's Department of urban planning