Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
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Representatives of SPbGASU participate in the discussion: Mikhail Vilensky (first from left), Yulia Yankovskaya (second from left), Svetlana Levoshko (fourth from left)
On November 6, as part of the XXXIII International Architectural Festival "Zodchestvo-2025" in Moscow, a discussion entitled "Architectural Science 'On the Edge' – A View from the Oldest School of Architecture" was held at the initiative of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPbGASU). This year's festival motto, "On the Edge," reflected the theme of finding common ground between science and practice in contemporary architecture and urban planning.
The event, organized by our university, brought together academics, practitioners, and representatives of government and public institutions. The event was moderated by Yulia Yankovskaya, Doctor of Architecture, Professor, and Head of the Department of Urban Planning at SPbGASU, and Mikhail Vilensky, Associate Professor of the Department of Urban Planning at SPbGASU and PhD in Architecture.
The discussion covered a wide range of current topics: from ecology and demography to digitalization and the preservation of architectural heritage.
Boris Revich, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, and Head of the Laboratory for Forecasting Environmental Quality and Population Health at the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized the importance of hygienic comfort and the need to restore the integrated approach to urban design characteristic of the Soviet architectural school in his report "Ecology and the City. Demographic Processes in Urban Space."
In his presentation, "Master Plan: Theory and Practice," Daniil Veretennikov, Director of the VEB Assets: New Solutions Unit at the State Development Corporation VEB.RF, highlighted the current challenges and prospects of master planning, emphasizing the importance of balancing economic goals with the quality of the urban environment.
Ekaterina Tribelskaya, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts and Head of the Department of Architecture at the V. I. Surikov Moscow State Architectural Institute, presented her experience of "synthesizing the arts" in creating comfortable urban spaces in her paper "Architecture – Science and/or Art." She expressed concern that artistic aspects are gradually disappearing from architectural practice.
Svetlana Levoshko, PhD in Architecture and Associate Professor in the Department of Urban Planning at SPbGASU, raised the issue of preserving architectural and urban heritage. She noted the contribution of LISI/SPbGASU to the development of scientific approaches to heritage protection and the need for comprehensive solutions in this area.
Oksana Peslyak, PhD in Architecture and Associate Professor in the Department of Urban Planning at St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, spoke about the digital challenges facing the architectural profession. She emphasized that the implementation of digital models should be based on scientific architectural typology and not replace the research process.
In closing the discussion, Yulia Yankovskaya identified the key problems of the current stage in the development of architectural and urban planning science: the loss of continuity and the substitution of long-term scientific guidelines for short-term economic decisions.
In his presentation, "Participatory Design in Architecture and Urban Planning: Theory and Practice," Mikhail Vilensky addressed the issue of resident participation in public discussions of territorial development projects, noting that actual citizen engagement remains extremely low.
The discussion became a significant event in the business program of the Zodchestvo-2025 festival. Participants concluded that the combination of scientific approach and practical experience will preserve and develop the best traditions of the Russian architectural school.
Particular attention was paid to the SPbGASU initiative to develop architectural science, including through the creation of a new scientific specialty 5.6.6 "History of Science and Technology (Architecture)", aimed at preserving the continuity and study of architectural heritage.
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