Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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The opening ceremony of the joint international project marathon "Reconstruction of Industrial Facilities Using V.G. Shukhov's Spatial Structures" was held at the Institute of Civil Engineering of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. It was organized by the Institute of Civil Engineering and the Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology. It will run from March 13 to June 22, 2026.
The Project Marathon is an interdisciplinary educational event that brings together students and experts from across the globe to collaborate on a challenging project. Students, as part of international teams, will develop a concept for the renovation of an industrial site in Xi'an, including architectural and structural solutions for historically valuable industrial sites using designs by the distinguished Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov.
Vladimir Grigorievich Shukhov was the first in the world to calculate and create suspended and arched latticed spatial roofs, pioneering a new direction in construction. The buildings constructed according to his designs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries remain relevant today, retaining an aesthetically perfect and contemporary appearance. Vladimir Shukhov constructed buildings of this new type in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, Vyksa, Maykop, Kronstadt, and elsewhere.
The Russian side was represented by Dmitry Arsenyev, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at SPbPU; Marina Petrochenko, Director of the Institute of Civil Engineering; Margarita Perkova, Director of the Higher School of Design and Architecture; Mikhail Romanov, Responsible for International Affairs at the Institute of Scientific Research; Elena Ladik and Alena Sheremet, Associate Professors at the Higher School of Design and Architecture; Alexandra Zatsepina, Senior Lecturer at the Higher School of Industrial, Civil, and Road Construction; Natalia Braila, Associate Professor at the Higher School of Hydraulic and Power Engineering; and students from the Institute of Civil Engineering.
The Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology was represented by Li Yueyan, Director of the Belt and Road Initiative Joint Laboratory; Dang Yutian, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Architecture; Zhao Jingzhu, Vice Dean of the Faculty of International Education; Chen Jing, Director of the Academic Committee and Chief Master Class Instructor; Wu Guanyu, Deputy Director of the Faculty of Architecture; and Li Tao and Chen Yalan, Master Class Instructors.
Dmitry Arsenyev, Marina Petrochenko, and Li Yueyan delivered welcoming remarks. The key stages of the project's implementation were presented. The first introductory lecture, "Shukhov's Projects: Towers and Roofs," was dedicated to the architect's creative path and professional legacy, and was given by Elena Ladik, Associate Professor at the Higher School of Design and Architecture.
The marathon is held in a hybrid format, including online lectures and seminars led by faculty from both universities. A total of 40 students from Russia and China and six faculty mentors are participating in the project.
A key stage of the marathon will be a field trip to the design site in Xi'an, scheduled for April 9–15, 2026, and organized with the support of the Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology. This will allow students to get to know each other better, gather the necessary data for their work, and gain valuable experience from their Chinese colleagues.
Polytechnic has been successfully using this format for a long time andhas been organizing student project marathons since 2018 In collaboration with international universities, students from different countries are brought together in intercultural teams to solve real-world engineering problems. This format allows them not only to apply their knowledge in practice but also to learn how to work in an international professional environment.
The marathon's results will be summarized at final presentations, which will be held remotely. Participants will present their projects and receive feedback from experts from both countries.
The marathon participants face a challenging and at the same time highly ambitious task. This is a unique opportunity to demonstrate engineering courage, following the example of Vladimir Shukhov, and to test their ability to work in an international team. I am confident that for students from Russia and China, this marathon will not only be an important educational experience, but also a true youth laboratory for engineering ideas, another step toward creating new engineering solutions that will combine the traditions of outstanding past masters with the technologies of the future and will be beneficial for our two leading engineering universities—the Polytechnic University and the Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology," noted Dmitry Arsenyev.
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