Partners and chief projects architects of the architectural bureau “Studio 44”, as part of the Architectural Seasons, held a lecture-presentation for SPbGASU students, and based on their own experience, told what advantages in professional activity come from working in one of the largest architectural bureaus in Russia.

Head of the SPbGASU Scientific and Technical Library unit Alina Lipskaya and Daniil Shiryaev

The head of the PR department, Daniil Shiryaev, recalled that “Studio 44” was founded by a graduate of LISI (now SPbGASU) Nikita Yavein, having started the history of the bureau with the opening of an author’s creative workshop. Today, the bureau with thirty-five years of experience employs more than a hundred employees, have completed about two hundred large-scale projects, and have successfully implemented a third of the projects.

Ivan Kozhin

The chief project architect, partner of Studio 44, Ivan Kozhin, added that the bureau employs both students and experienced architects, but almost all top managers are a young team, which indicates career prospects.

“A large bureau allows you to follow an interesting professional path: migration from one team to another gives you the opportunity to participate in different projects. This way you constantly learn something new and gain a lot of experience. As practice shows, this experience subsequently helps to either open your own architectural studio, or continue to work in the office, participating in large-scale and significant federal and foreign projects,” explained Ivan Kozhin.

The chief project architect, partner of Studio 44, Evgeny Novosadyuk, drew attention to another important aspect that increases professional competencies and promotes personal development. It is working in a team with specialists in related fields. Professional growth also helps to respond correctly to criticism from the mass audience, if necessary, find valuable grain in it and reject inappropriate ideas.

Ilya Sabantsev

As the chief project architect, an SPbGASU graduate Ilya Sabantsev, noted, “Studio 44” is unthinkable without restoration and reconstruction projects.

“In this direction, we also work with iconic, large-scale and complex objects with a rich history, and often with those which restoration and reconstruction, for many reasons, were considered impossible. This is achieved through an integrated approach that avoids restrictions that prevent correct, good decisions. Which is especially important, since there are often cases when new parts are discovered during work,” said Ilya Sabantsev.

He explained that complex work includes restoration and reconstruction of the external appearance, redevelopment, engineering, and design solutions. Therefore, the distribution of responsibilities of restorers is a matter of principle. The first task is the responsibility of restoration architects, the rest - adaptation restorers. But both of them reconstruct history bit by bit, using archival drawings, photographs, surviving fragments, and conducting scientific research. This work is not only difficult, but also financially expensive, so only large bureaus with wide capabilities take on such projects.

Meeting participants

The guests presented to the audience an album of the best projects of Studio 44. The architects donated one copy to the SPbGASU Scientific and Technical Library, where it will be available in the reading room. The second copy was presented to the author of the most interesting questions to the speakers: it was master’s student of the Department of Architectural Environment Design Aleksandra Polyanskaya.

“I became interested in the activities of this bureau when I was still a bachelor’s student. I really like their projects. Today I had the opportunity to learn about the details of their work and the author’s approaches. I received comprehensive answers to all questions, including those regarding restoration. This is valuable for me, because I am working on this topic as part of my master’s thesis and in the future I want to open my own bureau. Therefore, I need experience. Now I am organizing a youth architectural association at our university and am looking at large bureaus as potential employers. I’m glad that I was able to learn in detail about the activities of Studio 44 from those who work in this bureau,” shared Aleksandra Polyanskaya.

“Meetings with student audiences allow us to popularize architectural work, talk about the advantages of work and interesting tasks characteristic of a large architectural bureau,” explained Daniil Shiryaev.