Journal of architecture, design and urbanism published by the VostokSibAcademCenter of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences
Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences
Art Nouveau architecture in the historical buildings of the Daowai district
The article is devoted to the study of the influence of Art Nouveau (Modern) architecture on the historical development of the Daowai district in Harbin. The architectural appearance of the district is traditionally associated with the “Chinese Baroque” style, which was formed as a result of the interaction between Chinese and European architectural traditions in the early 20th century. However, some of the buildings in the district are designed in the Art Nouveau styleor contain its characteristic elements, which indicate the influence of the Russian architectural school. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze Art Nouveau objects and their role in the formation of urban environment. The research results show that the use of Art Nouveau forms in Daovai was fragmented and manifested itself mainly in individual decorative motifs and compositional solutions for the facades, but plays a significant role in the architectural appearance of the district.
Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The article presents the materials and results of the study conducted by the authors with the support of the grant of the Russian Science Foundation “Methods for integrating historical building zones and preserving cultural heritage sites in the context of the development of modern cities in northeast China”. The article examines the multifaceted process of interaction between Western European, Russian and Chinese architectural traditions, one of the manifestations of which was the formation of an original movement, which has received the name “Chinese Baroque” in modern scientific literature and found vivid expression in the development of Harbin’s satellite city, Fujiadian.
Architectural contrasts in Shenyang’s railway station square
The greatest concentration of the examples of historical architectural heritage in the Tatsuno style occurs in the station square and in Zhongshan street. The author examines the stylistic features of contemporary buildings near the station square in the historic center of the Japanese concession in Shenyang and considers maintaining its appearance by modern buildings. The paper identifies key stylistic features of Japanese historical architecture from the 1910s to the 1930s in the center of the Japanese concession in Shenyang and compares these features with new high-rise buildings.
Museumification of the historical buildings in Zhalantun
The article is devoted to the study of the experience of using railway cultural heritage sites and their museification in China. The object of study is the development in the city of Zhalantun, the stations along the China Eastern Railway, where at the beginning of the 20th century there was a well-known resort in Northern Manchuria. The article considers the current state of recognized architectural monuments – the railway club building and the former military barracks, which have nowadays been turned into the museums. The research is based on a field survey conducted in 2024 using literary and archival materials.
The Gulf’s first contemporary art hub is dedicated to new media and digital art. A global laboratory, museum, and visionary space is designed by the Italian firm Schiattarella Associati.
Modern architecture in Yemen: problems and solutions
Modern architecture in Yemen is at the intersection of traditional building practices and new challenges associated with climate change and urbanization. This article analyzes the main problems faced by the country’s architecture, including environmental and sociocultural factors, and proposes ways to improve the design and organization of the urban environment, taking into account the natural potential and climatic features of the region. Special attention is paid to eco-friendly materials and landscape integration to enhance microclimate, resilience, and environmental sustainability while preserving national traditions.
Najib Abdulkhaleq Mohsen Mohammed Al-Badwi
Restoration of historical buildings in Syria: Creative solutions
The article focuses on the restoration of historic buildings, especially in Syrian cities, against the backdrop of global changes (urbanization, information revolution). It analyzes the problems that hinder urban development in these areas. In response to these challenges, it proposes modern creative solutions: integrated planning, advanced technologies, community involvement, and international cooperation to preserve and revive historical heritage.
Architectural image of contemporary spectacular buildings in Kazakhstan
The purpose of this study is to analyze the architectural image and technological solutions of three contemporary spectacular buildings in Kazakhstan. The research methodology is based on the analysis of open-source materials, design documentation, photographic records, professional publications, and visual observations of the buildings’ operation within the urban environment. The results demonstrate that the integration of global design practices, digital technologies, and local cultural motifs contributes to the formation of a distinctive architectural image of spectacular buildings and enhances their role as urban landmarks and carriers of regional identity.
The centers of folk crafts as an expression of genius loci
This article analyses the architecture of folk craft centres as a spatial expression of genius loci. It examines the role of craft practices in shaping local cultural identity and their influence on architectural decisions. Based on foreign and Kazakhstani case studies, it is shown that folk craft centers can serve as models for the integration of culture, education and the economy. Particular attention is paid to completed and planned projects in Kazakhstan that demonstrate the potential of context-oriented architecture in sustainable regional development.
Mont-Saint-Michel Cloister: architectural and cultural study
This article examines the cloister of Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey as a medieval architectural space in which geometry, symbolism, and materiality construct a powerful heritage image. Through historical review and spatial analysis, the study interprets how architectural form expresses monastic ideology and cultural identity. The research argues that these layered meanings extend beyond religious function, shaping visitors’ perception and reinforcing the abbey’s enduring touristic appeal as a global cultural landmark.
The article describes a cultural and environmental phenomenon of the historical town of Zemun, which was incorporated into Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia, in 1934, but managed to preserve its identity – to remain a town firmly established on earth. The centuries-old synergy of multicultural vernacular environmental practices has created here an original stable unity of land, river, inhabitants, and buildings – the results of their work and creativity. Zemun proves that a “good town” can not only be created almost without the participation of professional architects, but also be preserved with public recognition of the value of such an environment, even once inside a modern, rapidly developing metropolis.
In this section of the issue, we have collected examples of how local cultures interact with “big”, national and international cultures. The small town of Zemun in Serbia, despite its proximity to Belgrade, was not absorbed by the capital, but retained its identity and unique charm. A medieval abbey on an island in Normandy lost in the northern waters is becoming a world landmark, embodying the half-forgotten wisdom of the High Middle Ages. Kazakhstan demonstrates beautiful modern iconic objects in Almaty with the active participation of foreign architects in their creation. And centers of traditional arts and crafts are growing nearby. Both war-torn Syria and relatively prosperous Yemen are making efforts to preserve and restore the amazing Arab architecture. We continue the traditional collection of our regular authors writing about architecture at the Eurasian crossroads of Northern China. And the winner of the international competition in Baku was chosen as the object of the issue – a project by a European team of architects who perfectly understood, felt and embodied the culture of Saudi Arabia.
Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in Podporozhye
The article is devoted to an outstanding monument of wooden architecture of the 18th century – the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Podporozhye, Arkhangelsk region. The church was part of the temple complex. Based on historical sources, the history of all the facilities of the complex in the period from the middle of the 17th to the end of the 19th centuries is revealed. The authors also present the information about the previous churches. It is determined that the original architectural appearance of the object has been preserved to our time with minimal changes. The architecture of the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is analyzed in the context of the development of local traditions. The article reveals the origins of architectural features of the object and considers their analogues. The current state of the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is characterized, and attention is focused on its high historical and cultural value.
Prospects for the tourism development of the “Greater Urals”
The formation of a tourist route through the territory of the “Greater Urals”, including the Perm and Sverdlovsk regions, is a multi-component task. To create such a route, it is necessary to explore the historical and cultural potential of the key points of the route, including both civil and historical industrial facilities. The route can be interesting and informative if the problems of revitalizing historical industrial enterprises located in the Perm and Sverdlovsk regions are solved, a system of campsites and hotels is developed, and tourist attractions are organized. It is also necessary to take into account the natural features and climate of the places where the route will run.
Architectural heritage and the historical identity of towns
In many small towns, economic development is stagnating, which exacerbates the problem of urban degradation, especially of nearwater areas. This study is devoted to the analysis of the urban development situation in the small towns of Svetlogorsk and Kyshtym in order to identify the possibilities of their revitalization. The author used the method of qualitative comparative analysis of “polar cases”, field surveys, and the study of documentation. In Svetlogorsk, architectural heritage, historical identity and water spaces have become drivers of the revival; in Kyshtym, a similar potential has not been realized. It is shown that effective revitalization requires the transformation of architectural heritage into a functional asset and the improvement of water areas.
The Transfiguration Cathedral in Khabarovsk
The article examines the architectural, stylistic and compositional features of the largest religious building in the Far East. Its design features and interior decoration are analyzed. Attention is paid to the decorative design of the interiors of the main and lower churches, as well as the composition of all four facades of the cathedral. The author carries out a comparative analysis of the Transfiguration Cathedral with other large religious buildings: cathedrals in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Magadan, as well as the cathedral of the same name in Vladivostok.
Chronotope and the transformation of the founding site of Tyumen
Within the framework of the concept of chronotope (spatial and temporal unity), it is shown how the time and place of the city’s foundation determine its fate. Tyumen is the oldest city in the south of the Tyumen region, which is developing dynamically. Today, the territory of the city’s founding site has lost its attractiveness, becoming a transit zone. A number of historical and modern objects, symbols of public consciousness, are not semantically related. The emotional connection between residents and the place has been lost. The article studies the dynamics of the transformation of the city’s founding site, reflecting the evolution of socio-economic and cultural structures. On the basis of historical data, the author proposes a logical structure of the modern content of this place as an integral cultural landscape. The author also considers the stages of changing the semantic content of the founding site of Tyumen, which allows for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of urbanization and the identity of the city.
Renovation of urban areas with historical wooden buildings
Using the example of areas with historical wooden buildings, the article considers preservation of the identity of historical cities in Russia. It gives an analysis of the spatial composition of the historical and architectural environment of Tomsk. It is shown that scientifically substantiating the principles of developing urban areas with estate buildings will enable a shift from targeted restoration of buildings to comprehensive management of the identity of urban environment.
Project Baikal continues to publish myths of the Quarter based on Irkutsk material. Kozma Kvartalov, an honored story-teller and collector of urban folklore, turns to the past of merchants and Old Believers.
The Glazkovsky Bridge: a monument of the industrial era
The article features the Glazkovsky Bridge (Irkutsk) as a key infrastructure and urban development project of the industrial era of the 1930s. Drawing on archival sources, the author analyzes the process of designing and building a monolithic reinforced concrete arch bridge in difficult hydrological and climatic conditions of Eastern Siberia. Special attention is paid to the comparative analysis of the Irkutsk bridge and the similar European models of the early 20th century. The Glazkovsky Bridge is a significant achievement of the Soviet engineering school and an important element in the formation of a new spatial structure of Irkutsk.
The urban environment as a carrier, a guardian, and a threat to the local culture
The concept of urban environment is one of the most discussed and, at the same time, the most ambiguous concepts in modern urban studies. Most models of the urban environment consider it as a static object in which any cardinal changes are undesirable and even catastrophic. The article shows that this attitude to the dynamics of the urban environment is deeply rooted in the methodological foundations of the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. It is proposed to use the methodological base of metamodernism for the study of the dynamic urban environment. Practical cases of successful architectural projects using this approach are considered.
Irkutsk: an essay on the culture of the place
The local culture of Irkutsk developed in the context of the Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Buryat and, more broadly, European and Asian cultures. The influence of major personalities in the history of Irkutsk is greater than in central Russia, since not all aspects of life were determined by the central government. The city and its culture were formed as a result of several passionate impulses that occurred successively in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Yakov Pokhabov’s Cossacks, enterprising merchants, Old Believers, exiled Decembrists, the Polish “Sybiraks”, exiles of the 1930s, architects of the sixties initiated the phenomenon of passionate impulses, as a result of which Irkutsk received an impulse to development.
Siberia has its own stable image – a harsh land where few cities, like lighthouses, shine to travelers across thousands of kilometers of snow-covered expanse. Like most popular beliefs, this image has to do with reality. But the reality, of course, is much more complicated. There are some Siberian cities that have the status of a historical city. And this is not accidental. Historical cities have received this status because the very image of these cities reflects the history of our country, the stages of development in accordance with the age of the city, its priorities and traditional values. Such is Irkutsk in the year of its 365th anniversary. Do we manage to preserve what is worthy and pass on the best to future generations? Unfortunately, not always. But also, “thanks for trying”… In addition to beloved Irkutsk, there are Tomsk, Tyumen, Khabarovsk, Svetlogorsk and Kyshtym, the Urals and the Arkhangelsk region in this section.
Within the framework of the third scientific picture of the world, there is a beginning of the active formation of a new synthetic planetary and civilizational reality based on the interaction of the natural, social and spiritual. The essential information about a person’s worldview is encoded in the deep mental and artistic features of folk art. The cybernotopic chronotope implies the search for a junction of space and time, in which the artistic image creates a single symbolic system of signs reflecting the network of regional interactions that form it in the “nature-population-economy” triad in a global equilibrium-web connected with the past and the future.
Legal and urban planning dynamics of local cultures in Russia
In the development of the Russian civilization state, local cultures have traditionally been identified and interpreted in an ethno-religious context – in the field of law, literature, and society as a whole. Today, this trend continues and is clearly evident in urban planning practices. In these practices, the trend becomes particularly illustrative and convincing when creating and perceiving religious buildings that present local cultures in the architecture of a modern city. Such cultures often overcome the barriers of locality through the realization of their creative and aesthetic potential.
Chromatic landscape of the city: local color in a global context
The article analyzes projects for the preservation of local colour in modern urban space, which were proposed for various cities in Europe, Asia and America. The theoretical and methodological basis of successful color solutions is discussed. The author assesses the economic, political, and environmental risk factors essential for the preservation of the chromatic landscape. The author also determines the specifics of understanding the structure and physical nature of the local color. The spatiality and mobility of local coloristics, the concept of the light identity of a place, and the concept of sustainable color are also important for discussion.
Aesthetics of the marginalization of urban spaces
This article presents an analysis of the current aesthetics of marginal urban spaces, particularly those reflected in the media, messaging apps, urban myths, and theories. This study demonstrates how urban spaces previously associated with decay and decline are attracting the interest of younger generations and creative professionals, giving rise to new aesthetic values and narratives. The authors conclude that contemporary reality reflects the exceptional social, aesthetic, and historical significance of marginal urban spaces, as well as options for their future transformation
Preserving local cultures in territorial development projects
This article examines how cultural heritage sites (CHS) shape local cultures and affect the outcomes of integrated territorial development (ITD) projects. Drawing on international policy documents (UNESCO, the Council of Europe) and Russian sources, it proposes a typology of the spatial integration of CHS within ITD projects: core, anchor, insertions, frame, and interstices. The paper identifies the effects and risks associated with each type and outlines approaches to assessing the contribution of heritage to territorial development.
Local resources and materials: The potential of the region’s identity
Ice hotels, sand sculptures, salt chapels, bamboo pavilions created using the basic materials and resources of the region – everything turns into a means of preserving the identity of the territory, into symbolic capital, and the potential for its development. The increasing diversity of the use of regional resources and natural materials – from traditional to non-standard, sometimes shocking techniques and means – can play an important role in the future of many regions, in the development of tourism, local cultures and economies, creative industries, etc.
The article shows that, throughout their history, cities have been formed from many self-sufficient enclaves, between which there was only a relative community. There were times when the main goal was to achieve the compositional and stylistic integrity of the city as an ensemble. Then the alienness of some urban objects became especially noticeable, and it had to be dealt with. Modern sprawling cities cannot claim absolute unity: they mix highly contrasting localized architectural and planning formations. According to the task set by Project Baikal journal to focus on “local cultures”, the author substantiates the idea that the harmonization of heterogeneous urban loci requires an increase and alignment of the overall cultural level of their formation and functioning.
The concept of place in the theory of architecture is opposed to the category of space. Unlike the category of space, the concept of place is not operational, because it has no mathematical support. At the same time, a place is a structural concept distinct from an element. The concept of place contains phenomenological and symbolic meanings (genius of place, relevance, gesture), which largely determine the nature of form making in modern architecture. The understanding of place as an anthropological unit of spatial experience refers to the concept of gesture introduced in the theory of architecture by A. Gabrichevsky. The gesture and the place are connected, but this connection is far from clear. The concept of place belongs to a specific fragment of the territory or structure of a building, limiting the possibility of filling this fragment with other structures. The gesture corresponds to the place. It is carried out inside the place but is oriented externally.
“Creative City” is a new international project that is carried out at the INRTU site, presenting creativity as a strategic potential for the development of a territory/place, restoring and promoting uniqueness and investment attractiveness. The exhibition-competition is held in seven nominations, involving the students and practitioners, representatives of Russia, Belarus and China from 21 cities. The results of the exhibition showed the high quality and creativity of the works, the depth and consistency of the issues discussed, and the strategic prospects of the project.
From March 1-6, Sheregesh hosted the annual, already traditional, festival of the Ski Club of Architects ARCHIGESH 2026. It has become a significant and highly anticipated forum for Russian architects and designers. This year, the traditional “old-timers”, teams from Novokuznetsk, Barnaul, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, St. Petersburg, Tyumen, were joined by a friendly team from Tula, delegations from Tambov, Kazan and Chelyabinsk. The event was organized by the teams from Novokuznetsk and Irkutsk.
From March 5 to March 9, 2026, the All-Russian Architectural Festival “ArchBukhta. Recursion” was held on the territory of the Azatai Country Park Hotel (Bolshoe Goloustnoe village, Irkutsk region). It has been held for the 20th time on the shores of Lake Baikal under the auspices of the Club of Young Architects. In 2026, 136 students and young professionals represented 23 teams from 12 regions of Russia, from Irkutsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Samara, Barnaul, Tomsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Orsk and Ufa.
The article provides information about the RAACS exhibition “Housing 2026” held at the Central House of Architects in Moscow, reflecting the experience of designing and constructing residential buildings in the Russian Federation over the past 20 years.
The news section presents the laureate of the 2026 UIA Gold Medal and the laureates of the Triennial Prizes, as well as the results of the 2026 International Innovative Design for Health Award.
The places where each of us was born and raised leave their mark. The character of each place, its genius loci, forms its own local (from Latin ‘locus’, meaning ‘place’) system of values, its own concepts of beauty, which are related to the landscape, climate, history, traditions – all that, in fact, is called culture, including architectural culture. The search for a local identity is not an easy task. It is not always possible to identify and understand the elements of cultural heritage that are useful and necessary in the present and the future. Today, it is impossible to live the way our ancestors lived in ancient times. What projects on the search for local culture can be cited as a good example? What mistakes have already been made and now need discussing so as not to be repeated? What can and should local cultures share with each other in order to ensure the movement towards “flourishing diversity”, and what obstacles must be overcome on this path? The topic of local cultures, like the term itself, is philosophical, but it is also relevant to our profession, so we tried to touch and even illustrate the philosophical subject in this issue of the Project Baikal journal.
Architecture should be a territory of memory where the topological poetics of space is conveyed, absorbing the centuries-old metabolic experience of its structure. The formation and selection of images in folk art is based on ancient times, and is conditioned by the real economic and geographical environment in which the people live. Folk art is the soul and strength of the people. Cybernotopic prochronism implies nature-centrism and the formation of an architectural image as an architectural melody based on prescriptions of ancestors and folk traditions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Злата Гаевская https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The article deals with medals and plaquettes by architect and sculptor Stanislav Netšvolodov (born in 1935). Most of them are kept in the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. He struck and moulded more than 40 medals in 1980s. Sixteen medals are kept in the Pushkin Museum’s collection: most of them were donated or bought from the author.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ульяна Волкова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The article is devoted to the modernist heritage in the architecture of Tel Aviv, and, above all, the influence of representatives of the Bauhaus school on the development of the city. The article examines the specifics of the development that took place from the founding of the city in 1925 until the 1950s, as well as the features of architectural and urban planning concepts that determined the stylistic and functional continuity in the urban history of Tel Aviv.
Copyright (c) 2026 Леонид Салмин https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Red Corbusier in red Moscow (а coloristic sketch)
The article examines the change in the color of the cladding of Le Corbusier’s Centrosoyuz building during its designing and the impact of this circumstance on the architectural practice in the Soviet avant-garde period of 1929–1935.
Copyright (c) 2026 Петр Завадовский https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Architectural and planning features of the village of Hengdaohezi
This article analyzes the planning structure and architectural heritage of Hengdaohezi, one of the most completely preserved station complexes of the Chinese Eastern Railway. It examines the settlement’s development in challenging terrain, its functional zoning, and the spatial logic of its development. Particular attention is paid to the completed and planned departmental buildings of the CER, their architectural solutions, and their role in shaping the village’s appearance. Hengdaohezi is considered a unique example of the adaptation of Russian architectural and engineering traditions to the Manchurian context.
Copyright (c) 2026 Дмитрий Целуйко, Евгений Базилевич https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Historical and architectural heritage of the CER: Hengdaohezi
The article publishes the materials and results of a study conducted by the authors with the support of a grant from the Russian Science Foundation “Methods of integrating historical development zones and preserving cultural heritage sites in the context of the development of modern cities in Northeast China.” The authors present the data obtained during the historical and architectural study of the township of Hengdaohezi located on the eastern section of the Chinese-Eastern Railway (CER), which are related to the formation of its planning structure and architectural landscape. The zones of historically valuable development have been identified, and its individual objects relevant for the development of tourism have been considered
Copyright (c) 2026 Евгений Базилевич, Дмитрий Целуйко https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Almost thirty years ago, the only monument of Vladimir Pavlov’s wooden architecture was destroyed in a fire. It is unique in its realization, but programmatic in its creative endeavor. The House of Fisherman and Hunter embodied an unprecedented idea of connecting the spirit of material and place with the reinterpretation of traditional technology in the pure functional aesthetics of the author’s technique. Thanks to timely photofixation and preserved sketches, the research and design team of the Department of History and Theory of Architecture of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering managed to develop a method of sequential reconstruction that allows us to accurately recreate this timeless example of modern architecture.
Copyright (c) 2026 Милена Золотарева, Никита Еремин https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
On Vladimir Pavlov’s first residential buildings
Vladimir Pavlov’s creative activity is internationally known and universally recognized. The architect’s legacy impresses with its innovation and originality of solutions, as well as skillful use of compositional, artistic and engineering techniques that remain relevant to this day. The article presents the results of an in-depth study of the architecture of Pavlov’s first residential buildings, defines the time frame and exact chronology of their construction. The authors reveal the features of urban allocation of facilities, layouts of sections and apartments, constructive and facade solutions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Елена Григорьева, Инна Дружинина https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Chartreuse d’Ema as an archetype of modern mass housing
The article examines an important historical prototype for Le Corbusier’s work – the Carthusian monastery in Galuzzo. It also analyzes the formal and symbolic influence of the monastery’s architecture on the formation of the conceptual foundations of Le Corbusier’s residential architecture, as well as the reproduction of the characteristic features of the monastery’s architecture in the Immeuble-villas project
Semiotics of architecture of low-rise residential buildings in an international context
This article examines the architectural features of low-rise housing in various countries, focusing on their functional and semiotic aspects. It analyzes low-rise residential building types in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Morocco from the late 19th to the first half of the 20th centuries shaped by socioeconomic development and the needs of the population. The research is based on specific examples of architectural practice and includes a discussion of the role and significance of semiotics in shaping the image-spatial structure and symbolic content of low-rise housing. Special attention is paid to the cultural codes embodied in architectural forms, as well as to how the semiotic features of low-rise housing reflect the social status, lifestyle, and values of the society of its time. This analysis allows for a more profound interpretation of low-rise architecture as a significant element in the formation of the urban environment and its cultural identity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Арай Сайбулатова, Дана Дюсенова, Аркен Есенбаев, Алмагул Тойшиева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Residential development of Changchun during the Manchukuo period
The article is devoted to the study of the architecture of residential buildings in the city of Changchun. It considers the changes in the construction technology and the style of the facilities under construction expressed in adaptation to local climatic conditions and interaction with European architectural traditions. The article examines the features of architecture that arose as a result of the mixing of Japanese and European styles, as well as the spatial perception of Chinese traditional architecture. The impact of these changes on the development of residential buildings has been determined.
Copyright (c) 2026 Татьяна Смольянинова, Антон Ким https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Dalian mansion districts: History and modernity
The article reflects the results of the study conducted by the author under the grant of the Russian Science Foundation “Methods of integration of historical development zones and preservation of cultural heritage sites in the context of development of modern cities in northeastern China”. The main stages of formation of individual residential development areas (mansions) in Dalian are considered and characterized. The author reveals the features of placement, planning and architectural and artistic organization of buildings of this type. The author also notes the importance of preserved historical and cultural heritage sites in the growth of modern development of the city.
Copyright (c) 2026 Михаил Базилевич https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Governor’s House in Tambov: urban planning and implementation
The article examines the formation of new principles of the organization of the main square of the Russian city under the influence of political reforms of Catherine II. It studies the history of design and construction of the Governor’s House in Tambov. Conclusions are drawn about the reasons for the violation of the plan confirmed in 1781.
Copyright (c) 2026 Надежда Грязнова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Constructions around the Church of the Redeemer in Ani
The study of groups of buildings around one of the largest churches in the medieval Armenian capital of Ani is based on written sources and excavation findings from the XII campaign of 1913 of the Ani Archaeological Expedition led by N. J. Marr. A comparison of the data available in these documents, as well as the search and analysis of the current state of some buildings, lead to a new understanding of the structure of the urban area, its dominants and the changes that have taken place over three or four centuries.
Copyright (c) 2026 Армен Казарян, Ольга Баева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Dwelling accompanies human beings throughout their history. As a matter of fact, dwelling facilities appeared much earlier than humans: many creatures living on Earth build their nests, which are sometimes very ingenious. But only a human dwelling bears the imprint of a lifestyle that is infinitely diverse among people. Today, ancient residential buildings tell us stories about how our ancestors lived, what value system they adhered to, what they considered beautiful and what they considered shameful. The history of dwelling is the most complete, ancient and continuous collection of narratives about the past of peoples. Our collection contains several examples of what the dwelling can tell the current generation and future generations about the past life, without which, however, there is no future.
Copyright (c) 2026 Константин Лидин https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Vossoughian, N. (2020, June). Alvar Aalto, Ernst Neufert, and Architectural Standardization in Germany and Finland, 1933–45. The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 79(2), 202-212. DOI:10.1525/jsah.2020.79.2.202
Copyright (c) 2026 Александр Янов, Ольга Рязанова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
On the universality of conditions in large scale residential architecture
The article examines the applicability of the most widespread modernist structural principle of a frame residential building in connection with folk and vernacular architecture in the conditions of dry subtropics. The desire to radically reduce the construction cost and examples from automobile and ship construction inspired architects of the first half to the middle of the 20th century to develop a type of house with a load-bearing steel or reinforced concrete frame and a flat roof, which paradoxically reminded of local types of non-professional architecture dating back thousands of years.
Copyright (c) 2026 Николай Васильев https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Breathing architecture: Integrating nature and cities
The ongoing expansion of metropolitan areas leads to a separation between daily urban activities and the nearby ecosystems, which fragments habitats and lowers the availability of green areas. Based on such challenges, Breathing Architecture proposes a new and cohesive approach to building design which would lead to buildings that actively breathe and would enable the flow of air, light, and energy through porous boundaries instead of rigid shells. The study investigates how urban roofs, facades, and joinery can be synchronized with seasonal rhythms and the local climate. Using concepts from environmental psychology, cultural symbolism, biomimicry, and the research formulates adjustable shading fins, daylight chimneys, adaptive cladding, and other processable design solutions which would functionally reconnect buildings with natural systems.
Copyright (c) 2026 Сайфиддин Джураев, Санобар Шадманова, Хамза Хаитов, Дилобар Якубджанова, Гульзина Тулишева, Мустафо Турсунов https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Typology of hybrid panel and modular housing systems
The work is devoted to the analysis of the adaptability of mass housing in conditions of climatic and seismic constraints. The purpose of the study is to develop an architectural and typological tool for assessing the adaptive potential of hybrid panel and modular systems. The study applies typological and comparative analytical methods based on the analysis of the interaction of load-bearing structures and filling elements. As a result, the author proposes a typology of hybrid residential systems, which reveals differences in the distribution of spatial rigidity and transformation possibilities. The study shows the dependence of architectural flexibility on the context in the conditions of industrialized construction.
Copyright (c) 2026 Мадина Мукашева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Urban development practice versus the politics of memory in Irkutsk
Large volumes of housing construction in Irkutsk create opportunities for expanding the godonymic space, that is, the totality of names of linear geographical objects officially fixed on the territory of the city, exercising the powers to name streets, alleys, squares, territories. However, in practice, developers with the tacit consent of local authority are sabotaging this.
Copyright (c) 2026 Александр Гимельштейн, Ирина Гимельштейн https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Local materials for sustainable medium-rise housing: Syria and Ghana
The article considers the relationship between the concept of sustainable settlement development and the variety of housing development methods. Using the examples of two regions, Syria and Ghana, it shows two main types of “species diversity” of low-rise housing. Syria is characterized by diversity due to the simultaneous presence of elements from various historical eras and cultures, from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to modern construction technologies. Ghana is more characterized by a combination of diverse building traditions of differenct peoples inhabiting this multinational region.
Copyright (c) 2026 Сиба Дауд, Юджин Нейзер Кисси, Иван Халиль https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Integration of educational facilities into residential complexes
Modern challenges in urban development of Astana, including population density, traffic load and shortage of educational institutions, require new models of residential complexes. Today, the integrated and attached areas in residential complexes are mainly used for commerce and short-term services – shops, salons, small offices. It creates an excessive concentration of similar functions and does not meet the long-term needs of residents. Instead, it is possible to reorient a significant part of such areas to educational blocks of preschool, primary and secondary education. Such redistribution will ensure the walking accessibility of educational spaces, reduce the load on the transport and pedestrian network, increase the user capacity of urban areas, and at the same time increase the social value of residential buildings.
Copyright (c) 2026 Аршын Ожет, Сеймур Мамедов, Елена Феоктистова, Вера Наумова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Social quality of open spaces in government housing
The design of residential neighborhoods significantly shapes how people use outdoor spaces and interact socially. Recent changes in urban planning have transformed traditional societies and produced modern, car-dependent neighborhoods. These shifts have weakened social ties in new governmental housing areas, where many residents report feeling isolated. This study examines how open spaces influence social quality in these developments. The research enhances understanding of how urban design affects social quality in government-planned communities and provides design recommendations to reduce social isolation and strengthen community connections in Bahrain’s housing projects.
Copyright (c) 2026 Хала Нехад Абушакра, Ислам Хамди Элгонайми, Айгуль Иисова, Салтанат Мырзахметова, Аймаш Слямбаева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Architectural solutions for collective housing for young people
Using examples of residential complexes from Japan, South Korea, the United States, Israel, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, this article examines the architectural, planning, and social aspects of youth housing. Particular attention is paid to shared living models that balance personal space with public areas, as well as the integration of amenities into the living environment. An analysis of projects in these countries demonstrates a trend toward creating adaptive, cost-effective, and socially oriented residential spaces tailored to the needs of the younger generation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Евгений Огиенко, Александр Колесников https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Residential complexes in the developing architectural environment
The article considers the phenomenon of a residential complex (housing estate) as an integral part of the architectural environment of the city. The architectural environment and the concepts of housing and residential complex are complex multifactorial constructs. In the course of their consideration, both material (skeleton) parameters and flow (energy) and information (socio- psychological) parameters should be taken into account. Based on a survey conducted by the authors among young students, it was concluded that the next generation prefers their own housing in a separate house rather than an apartment in a multi-storey building. We can expect an increase in demand for housing in low-rise residential complexes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Константин Лидин, Ольга Белобрыкина, Алексей Буйнов https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Rental buildings of the early twentieth century are a significant segment of the development of large Russian cities. The skills of the architects and the convenience of living allowed them to go through the trials of the twentieth century and preserve the residential function, adapting to socio-economic requirements. They form a stable historical image of Russian cities. Apartment buildings are genetically linked to modern rental housing, which is a significant help in solving the housing problem in Russia, especially for young families, single people and the development of labor migration.
Copyright (c) 2026 Александр Кудрявцев https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Residential complexes and the risk of the “city-as-compound” regime
The widespread replication of residential complexes increases the risk that everyday life becomes enclosed within private perimeters, weakening the city’s public framework. The study identifies the mechanism through which an “archipelago of residential complexes” forms and delineates the features of a “residential-complex regime.” The paper formulates design and regulatory principles – permeability and connectivity, genuine publicness, functional-temporal mixing, ecological resilience of the external urban edge, and fairness of access. Institutionalising these principles reduces urban fragmentation and the displacement of externalities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Николай Ковалев, Татьяна Майснер, Элеонора Баркова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Residential architectural development strategies in Kazakhstan
This article analyzes low-rise housing design solutions adapted to the conditions of foothill regions. The purpose of this study is to analyze the compliance of design solutions and completed residential projects with the new development regulations for the city of Almaty approved in 2025. The results demonstrate a transition to a human-centered and environmentally friendly residential environment based on interdisciplinary principles of integrating architectural, urban planning, and socio-ecological approaches.
Copyright (c) 2026 Турар Узакбаев, Токкожа Кожагулов, Курмангазы Жеделов, Сая Сакенова, Дина Амандыкова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Humanistic approaches as the basis of the student clausura concept
The article examines the control clausuras made by the 2nd-year students of the Moscow Architectural Institute, from the standpoint of the professional skills they have acquired. The formation of the proposed architectural concepts is analyzed, both basing on the developed spatial and artistic solutions, and relying on the moral and humanitarian attitudes of future architects
The results of the annual RAACS Conceptual Competition
The article highlights the results of the RAACS Competition 2026, the theme of which is “Residential Building of the 22nd Century”. The article gives an analysis of the works presented by architects from many Russian regions. Along with the advantages, the disadvantages of most projects are also noted, including the lack of memorable architectural ideas and manual graphics skills. It is concluded that it is important to promote this type of creativity, which is necessary to obtain results comparable to the masterpieces of the masters of “paper architecture”.
Copyright (c) 2026 Дмитрий Буш https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The historical time of our days is a turning point both in the destinies of the new way of life of global humanity and in architecture. Urbanization is gaining momentum. People inhabit multi-storey residential complexes. Having turned into a city apartment, home hardly returns to nature. The question arises as to how to avoid gaudy eclecticism and naive utopia when abandoning the standards of standard construction. Today, it has not been possible to theoretically substantiate the connection between architectural style and lifestyle, and without this connection, the concept of “style” loses its meaning. Today, the “housing issue” is no longer a question of a roof over your head, but of the meaning and new life of the modern concept of “home”.
Copyright (c) 2026 Александр Раппапорт https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Siberian housing in the context of the eastern turn
The interaction of the European and Asian parts of Russia is developing in complex and ambiguous ways. Periods of treating Siberia as a colony are replaced by periods of predominance of an equal and mutually beneficial dialogue. In the history of attempts to understand the role of Siberia, one can find deep and constructive models, in some cases undeservedly forgotten. Today, the slogans of the “eastern turn” and the “sibirization” of Russian domestic politics are being put forward. The article discusses the prospects for the implementation of these slogans using the example of housing construction, taking into account the specifics of the Siberian climate and cultural traditions. Traditional Siberian housing helps to maintain not only physical but also mental health, which creates additional incentives for using cultural heritage in modern housing construction.
Copyright (c) 2026 Константин Лидин, Елена Григорьева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The global urban agenda and its relevance in Russia
The article explores traditional local building materials and construction techniques as tools for adapting architecture and cities to climate change. The study is inspired by the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale curated by Carlo Ratti, where wood and bio-based materials are presented as carriers of “natural intelligence” and a foundation for regenerative architecture. Special attention is given to master plans as a key instrument of climateresponsive urban development. The article reviews selected Biennale projects and examines the potential of contemporary timber construction in Siberia, considering clim
Copyright (c) 2026 Алексей Козьмин https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Khabarovsk Krai Governor’s Prize 2025 for creative workers in the field of literature and art, category of “architecture and design, preservation of cultural heritage sites”, was awarded for the realized project of the innovative interactive center “Heuristics” (children’s technopark) in Komsomolsk-on-Amur designed by the team consisting of Irkutsk architect S. V. Gladkov and Khabarovsk architects and designers: A. V. Luchshev, Son Soner, and V. A. Gorbulev. The article provides information about the project and the award winners.
Copyright (c) 2026 Яна Лисицина https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The article includes the results of a survey conducted among several architects combining theoretical fundamentals with rich practical experience. The respondents were asked a number of open-ended questions related to the current state and development prospects of housing construction in Russia and around the world. The main topic of the conversation was the ratio between multi-storey and multi-apartment housing construction and the of low- and medium-rise housing, including individual one.
Copyright (c) 2026 Андрей Боков, Сергей Гнедовский, Сергей Орешкин, Валерий Филиппов https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The news section presents the laureate of the 2026 Pritzker Architecture Prize, theresults of the international student ideas competition Catalysts of Resilience andThe Architecture MasterPrize 2025. It also announces the new edition of the KairaLooro 2026 Competition.
Copyright (c) 2026 Анна Григорьева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Living houses, live and life contain the same root. Like many terms in construction and architecture, the expression “residential complex” can take on many meanings, often contradictory. It can be one apartment building or several buildings, it can include all the necessary elements of urban infrastructure or only a part of such elements, its territory can be closed or open, etc. The main idea of the residential complex is to collect everything necessary for people’s daily life in a compact and self-sufficient (integrated) urban planning unit, although this is not always possible. However, the dominance of standard and featureless, sometimes even harmful solutions makes many architects worry about the imperfection of the results of their work in the field of housing. Apartment buildings are grouped into super-dense “human ant-hills”, and here, in the pursuit of profit, developers take no care of safety and health. The developers’ focus on small oneroom apartments and studios, due to their relatively low cost, clearly contradicts the demographic objectives formulated by the state. At the same time, there is a strong trend towards low-rise buildings determined at the government level. The population prefers to live in their own or low-rise houses, and the gigantic territory of Russia disposes to this. Is there a possible balance between these ideological poles? The first issue of Project Baikal journal attempts to discuss these and other issues, which are united under the general theme “Residential Complexes”.
Copyright (c) 2026 Елена Григорьева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Typology of the residential structures of medieval Ani
Drawing on archaeological data and field research, this article proposes a typology for the residential structures of medieval Ani (10th–15th centuries). It investigates diverse dwelling types, from palaces and urban houses to mixed-use buildings and later adapted residences. The examination of their plans, materials and decoration reveals how architecture mirrored the city’s flourishing and eventual decline.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ольга Баева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Modernist architecture of Kazakhstan: Preservation strategies
This article examines the renovation practices applied to selected examples of modernist architecture in Almaty – outstanding specimens of Soviet modernism that have significantly contributed to shaping the city’s unique architectural identity. A substantial portion of these structures is currently undergoing reconstruction, which often distorts the original architectural intent and results in the loss of authentic design elements. The primary aim of this research is to develop a comprehensive preservation strategy for Kazakhstan’s modernist architectural heritage, using the city of Almaty as a case study. For this purpose, three sites were analyzed using a comparative study of visual documentation and field observations, resulting in a justification of heritage preservation approaches through digital modeling, which ensures accurate capture of the authentic appearance of buildings.
Copyright (c) 2025 Манар Кустаубаева, Ардак Нигметова, Александра Косцова, Жанерке Иманбаева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Leonidov in the Crimea, 1936–1938. Part 4
The fourth article of the cycle devoted to I. I. Leonidov’s projects for the southern coast of the Crimea continues to consider the architecture of the buildings of the central Yalta embankment, in particular, the resort hotels and park pavilions. An attempt is being made to reconstruct them on the basis of preserved materials.
Copyright (c) 2025 Петр Завадовский https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Museumification of Ani: historical experience and perspectives
The article analyzes the problems of museumification of the ruins of the medieval city of Ani. It considers key issues and threats and proposes an integrated approach that combines modern conservation methods, digital technologies, and the development of tourism infrastructure. The necessity of international cooperation for the preservation of Ani as a World Heritage site is substantiated.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ольга Баева, Армен Казарян, Арев Самуелян https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Under-dome transitions in the churches of the Bagratid era, 9th–11th centuries
The article traces the preferences of the architects of Ani and the regions of the Christian East closest to the Armenian Bagratid kingdom in relation to the choice of the type of under-dome transition, as well as the ability of the craftsmen to interpret their forms in a variety of ways, which were generally established in the Armenian architecture of the 7th century. Using examples of outstanding works of the epoch, the transitions of three types and intermediate variants are consistently analyzed.
Copyright (c) 2025 Армен Казарян https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Russian architectural heritage in China: Yimanpo Station
This article examines the historical development of the railway station area at Yimanpo Station, which emerged at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries during the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway. Previously unknown archival station plans are published, and the current state and use of the surviving buildings are analyzed in the context of urban development.
Copyright (c) 2025 Екатерина Глатоленкова, Михаил Базилевич https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Russian architectural heritage in Changchun
The article is devoted to the study of Russian architecture in the territory of the modern city of Changchun (People’s Republic of China). In total, two large centers were identified: the Kuanchenzi station and the “Trade Port” area, a complex of buildings of the Russian-Chinese bank and two sidings. Most of the work is devoted to the formation of the architectural and planning image of the Kuanchenzi station and the factors that influenced the development process. The phenomenon of this station itself is unique within the framework of both the South Manchurian Railway and the CER. Contemporaries have repeatedly noted the high economic and social significance of this place, but it did not receive development either during the construction of the South Manchurian Railway or after the Russo-Japanese War.
Copyright (c) 2025 Дмитрий Целуйко, Михаил Базилевич https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The article presents the materials and results of the study conducted by the authors with the support of the grant of the Russian Science Foundation “Methods for integrating historical building zones and preserving cultural heritage sites in the context of the development of modern cities in northeast China”. This article provides a brief historical overview of the development of the planning structure and architectural landscape of the village of Yimianpo founded along the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER). Zones of historically significant development are identified, and individual architectural heritage sites are examined.
Copyright (c) 2025 Михаил Базилевич, Дмитрий Целуйко https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Historical context in the preservation of Khabarovsk architecture
The article examines the history of the formation of the architecture of Khabarovsk, one of the key historical cities of the Far East. It presents the periodization of the development of the city’s architecture in the context of economic and political processes. The article notes the features of historical development and modern problems associated with its preservation and integration into the urban landscape. It also emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach that covers both architectural and historical aspects. This approach allows us to develop effective strategies for preserving and modernizing historical zones.
Copyright (c) 2025 Татьяна Смольянинова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The legacy of industrial Khabarovsk in the early 20th century
The article is devoted to industrial objects of the historical part of the city of Khabarovsk of the early 20th century. The work presents the interim results of a scientific study conducted within the framework of the project entitled “Methods of integration of historical development zones and preservation of cultural heritage sites in the context of development of a large city”. The locations of preserved historical industrial objects are analyzed. Three key objects are considered, these are the complex of buildings of Tifontai, the Khlebnikov distillery and the refrigerator building. It was proposed to include them in the museum and exhibition framework of the city.
Rural tourism in the Tyumen region: potential of the Yarkovsky district
The Tyumen region rivals historical regions of central Russia in its diversity of cultural heritage sites. Within Siberia, it can be considered one of the most interesting historical and cultural areas. In the Yarkovsky district of the Tyumen region, along with a wide variety of historical, cultural, and natural resources, there are unique sites associated with the lives of Saints Hermogenes, Bishop of Tobolsk and Siberia, Saint Andronicus, the New Martyr Father Feodor Raspopov, the family of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas Romanov, the birthplace of Grigory Rasputin, and others. These sites could serve as the basis for developing tourist routes on a variety of themes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Олег Порошин, Мария Гайдук, Елена Ситникова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
It is necessary to turn from the planar chain characteristics of the surface and the static a priori placement of people and objects in space to cybernotopic codes for constructing space as a cast of the hidden stress-strain state of the Earth. Landscape possibilities of space should be considered through the prism of the unity of spatial bodies, forms, functions and meanings based on the patterns of spatial self-organization. The cybernotopic vision of space implies understanding that it has grown naturally out of the past and reflects the perception of the Earth as a complex organism. Cybernotopic space can be studied using lineaments reflecting a single fractal system for the Earth
Copyright (c) 2025 Злата Гаевская https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Urban agglomeration: integrity or discreteness?
A critical examination of the concept of “agglomeration”, which was borrowed by urban planning from the field of metallurgy, calls for its rethinking and filling with more adequate professional content that meets the interests of forming a community of independent cities that preserve their borders, natural surroundings, architectural face, historical and cultural identity. The thesis is substantiated that, unlike individual cities, agglomerations should not strive to achieve organic integrity. They should remain discrete, based on the principle of “additive” summation of the elements of an open system.
Copyright (c) 2025 Игорь Бондаренко https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Monumental art: Visual and cultural analysis
Human societies naturally give rise to memorial art, which reflects regional geography and values. This study examines the role of memorials in enhancing environmental aesthetics and increasing public awareness, with a focus on sculptures that incorporate Arabic script. Its importance comes from highlighting the memorial's design, materials, and artistic impact on viewers' intellectual and emotional perception to create captivating outdoor spaces and go beyond traditional indoor murals.
Copyright (c) 2025 Иссам Али Салман Альдвайри, Осама Абдель Кадер Сулиман Бани Мильхем, Салим Мохаммад Али Айеш, Манал Хасан Джамиль Баркави https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Architectural lighting of modern palliative care facilities
The article considers an integrated approach to creating expressive images of the internal and external spaces of palliative institutions in two forms – with natural and artificial lighting. The priority of natural lighting that meets regional standards is indicated. The article proposes division into public and functional areas and gives special recommendations for their artificial lighting. The attention is focused on artificial night lighting of the palliative care facility building and the lighting design of its territory. The negative physiological, economic, and energy consequences of indiscriminate light pollution are revealed.
Copyright (c) 2025 Асмик Клочко https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Housing as an urban development object (1920s–1950s)
Approaches to housing design were determined by the contradictory requirements of Soviet urban planning. In the 1920s, there was a transition from the idea of the dominance of low-rise settlements to the construction of large multi-story residential complexes. In the 1930s, the need to demonstrate the successes of the Soviet government required the inclusion of housing in ensembles. At the same time, the realities of Soviet urban planning were determined by the industrial-departmental system, which viewed the city as something secondary in relation to industry. In the post-war period, housing was built into grandiose projects of ensembles – “Victory monuments”. But in practice, the city was a collection of low-rise settlements. In the first half of the 1950s, urban planning tasks were adjusted to the possibilities of standard construction.
Copyright (c) 2025 Анна Васильева, Юлия Косенкова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The possibilities of decarbonization in wooden housing construction
The article discusses the use of the “Green” standard for individual housing construction for the design of a wooden house-transformer using double-beam technology to improve the energy efficiency of the house and the assessment of savings in investment and operating costs, including through energy savings during operation, as well as the calculation of the potential for reducing CO2 emissions, including the use of alternative energy sources and tools for motivating their use in Siberia.
Copyright (c) 2025 Вера Печенкина, Людмила Фаткулина-Яськова, Сергей Медведев https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Innovative biomimetic parametric timber structures
This article examines the integration of biomimetic principles and parametric methods with engineered timber in architectural design. Analysing Metropol Parasol, Pompidou-Metz, Pulp Pavilion, ITECH, and Bowooss pavilions shows how biological analogues inspire innovative timber forms. Parametric tools mediate biomimetic logic into efficient, responsive designs. Digital fabrication enhances the versatility, sustainability, and complexity of timber. The study establishes a validated taxonomy that links theory and practice, promoting biomimetic-parametric synergy and interdisciplinary, bio-informed design approaches..
Copyright (c) 2025 Качана Касулу, Ольга Воличенко, Филипп Абрамян, Бейсен Кариев https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Intelligence as one of the ways of understanding the world can manifest itself in a wide range of diverse forms. Nevertheless, there is a steady tendency to reduce various forms of intelligence to a certain generalized, average value. Using the example of two periods of accelerated scientific and technological development (the sixties and eighties of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries), it is shown that the predominance of the trend towards uniformity gives progress an inhumane and pathogenic character. On the contrary, encouraging diversity in the manifestations of intelligence accelerates innovation and gives them more humane forms.
Copyright (c) 2025 Константин Лидин, Светлана Головня https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
On the peculiarities of architectural thinking
The article examines the specifics of architectural creativity. It shows the mechanisms of interaction between the architectural and spatial environment and the human factor, as well as the psychological features of the architect’s activity. The article highlights the importance of the figurative component in the system of factors influencing the architectural design process. The principles of national and regional understanding of form in architecture are studied at two levels: the ideological and value foundations of the cultural tradition of the people are determined, and the formal and aesthetic features of regional and national architectural thinking are analyzed. It is concluded that the ability of an architect to create not just buildings, but living harmonious spaces that influence the perception of the world is the peculiarity of architectural thinking.
Copyright (c) 2025 Байжан Балыкбаев, Камиля Султанова, Гульнара Мауленова, Нияз Саржанов https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Metaphors and creativity in architectural design
The article is devoted to the study of the relationship between metaphorical thinking and creativity in the field of architectural design. Based on the definition of metaphor as the transfer of an element to another context, the authors list the main types of contexts, the elements of which are most actively used in architecture. Several examples of metaphorical thinking in specific architectural projects are considered. It is concluded that a high degree of creativity is achieved through the informal, archetypal use of metaphors based on deep layers of collective cultural and historical heritage.
Copyright (c) 2025 Сайед Хуссейн Альхмуд, Хусам Хуссейн Альхмуд, Анас Мухаммед Батайнех https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The authors show that project and scientific activities have an antinomic relationship. The project requires going deeper into the singular, and the result of the project is unique. The scientific activity requires generalization of particular (single) results, and the result is universal. This paradigm allows us to formalize the concept of the “search space for design solutions”. The authors formalize the structure of the search space for conceptual solutions using the concept of constructs introduced by the Soviet philosopher and logician S. P. Nikanorov. Constructs are a universal language for design patterns.
Copyright (c) 2025 Александр Гущин, Марина Дивакова https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The second half of 2025 is marked by striking architectural events: Days of Architecture in Novosibirsk and Omsk and the XXV anniversary festival «ZVS» in Irkutsk (see a separate block of materials in this issue of PB).
Copyright (c) 2025 Елена Григорьева https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cultural heritage in the design of sustainable cities
Modeling cities is becoming an increasingly urgent task. The prevailing trend today is the construction of multifactor models using the capabilities of machine processing of big data. Modeling using heuristic algorithms that rely on a human-machine dialogue looks the most promising. The article presents the results of an experiment on the application of the “Great Wall Construction Algorithm” (GWCA) heuristic to simultaneously take into account extremely heterogeneous parameters – energy efficiency of buildings and their cultural and historical value. It is shown that the use of the GWCA heuristic significantly improves the quality of the model.
Copyright (c) 2025 Мвфек Аль-Хаддад https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The article presents history and description of the triadic system of vision organization. The author emphasizes the importance of the triad principle for Rappaport’s thinking. He characterizes the triads in his theory of architecture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Пётр Капустин https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Rappaport’s universalism is defined as a childishly open view of the world. The article describes in detail his understanding of thinking as mental freedom, of architecture in the context of civilization and culture, of time and space, and of education as a joint mental activity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Леонид Салмин https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0