Fourth-year students of the SPbGASU Faculty of Architecture Nina Maslikova and Dang Van Hung (supervised by Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Architecture for Career Guidance Counceling, Associate Professor at the SPbGASU Department of Architectural Design Oleg Fedorov) took first place in the competition to create an architectural concept for a parklet for squares in cities of the Leningrad Region.

The competition was organized by the Committee for Urban Development Policy of the Leningrad Region with the aim of creating an architectural composition measuring 4x4 meters in the form of a parklet – a small recreation area adjacent to the sidewalk, which is planned to be used in the cities of the region.

As reported by the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Urban Development Policy of the Leningrad Region - Chief Architect of the Leningrad Region Sergey Lutchenko, the idea of ​​creating an architectural concept for a parklet emerged at the All-Russian scientific and practical conference "Development of additional education in the field of architecture and urban development" organized by the committee. It was fortunate that producers of small architectural forms, representatives of universities, as well as heads of urban development activities of municipal entities of the region participated in this event.

"I proposed the format of a new competition for the central cities of the Leningrad Region, which was supported by manufacturers of small architectural forms - General Director of OOO "Krasivy Gorod" ("Beautiful City") Aleksey Petrov and Director of "Berkano" Maria Zorina. On the same day, we announced a creative competition. My condition was the implementation of the winner's project and mandatory installation in the administrative center of the municipal district of the Leningrad Region, on the central square. We received applications from all cities in the region, but the first to respond was the administration of the Tosno District, and we plan to install the parklet there in the summer of 2025. I will gladly support the annual format of this competition with implementation, everything will depend on the first positive experience of SPbGASU students, the administration and manufacturers," noted Sergey Lutchenko.

Formation of a comfortable urban environment is a topic that has not lost its relevance for several years, Aleksey Petrov emphasized. According to him, parklets are a new direction in the development of the improvement industry.

"As a socially responsible company, we believe it is necessary to give students the opportunity to implement their ideas and projects. This will significantly improve the quality of competencies of present graduates. The production of the facility will be implemented at the facilities of the "Krasivy Gorod" company and is planned for 2025," said Aleksey Petrov.

Winners Nina Maslikova and Dang Van Hung admit that the competition allowed them to visualize the synergy of ideas of representatives of Asian and Russian cultures. They were motivated to participate by the desire to implement the project, so they sought to compete for the opportunity to bring their ideas to life.

"Our project "Time Square" combines two time dimensions: the present and the past. Wood, as a symbol of antiquity and simplicity, brings warmth and naturalness to the space. Plastic, a triumph of human ingenuity, is the face of technological development, symbolizing innovation and modernity. The interaction of materials creates harmony between the past and the present. The project has become a striking example of the synergy of nature and architecture, emphasizing the importance of creating high-quality public spaces in modern cities," said Nina Maslikova.

She added that the creative tandem with Dang Van Hung has developed very harmoniously: both have been studying in the same class for many years, they always have a lot of ideas and interesting discussions, which only strengthens their friendship.

"I appreciate Hung for his unconventional view of things, and he, in turn, listens attentively to my recommendations. Back in my first year, I invited him to my dacha to show him our culture. It was a wonderful experience that united us even more and added bright colors to our cooperation," Nina said.

Sergey Lutchenko said that they plan to move the parklet around the cities of the Leningrad Region every year, but if the city residents like it and it becomes a place of attraction for residents and guests of Tosno or any other city in the region, it may be left for a longer period of time or even for good.

"A parklet is a temporary object. In St Petersburg and Moscow, this practice has found a positive response and has decorated the cities. We have agreed on locations for parklets with the administrations of regional cities. I plan to open a parklet in Tosno by Children's Day. The winning project assumes the use of the parklet more in the warm season, but there may be additional proposals for its operation - everything depends on the capabilities of the manufacturers and the idea of ​​the authors of the small architectural form," concluded Sergey Lutchenko.