Published on: 2026-09-15
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
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Sergey Yaroshenko, Alexey Belousov, Viktor Svistunov, Ekaterina Kozyreva, Igor Pasechnik, and Vladislav Shipunov
On September 9, as part of the business program of the 10th International Real Estate Forum, a themed discussion took place titled “TO DEMOLISH or RESTORE: strategy for working with historical heritage.” Representatives of cultural heritage protection authorities (CHPA), developers, design, and restoration organizations discussed changes in legislation, the challenges of adapting historical buildings, and the conditions necessary to attract investments for preserving CHPA sites.
The discussion was organized by the Consortium of the Construction Industry of the Northwestern Federal District, the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, the SRO A “Association of Builders of Saint Petersburg”, and the editorial staff of the NSP.RU website and newspaper – “Real Estate and Construction of Petersburg”. The moderator of the meeting was the head of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage at SPbGASU, Candidate of Architecture, architect-restorer, advisor to RAASN. Nadezhda Akulova.
Nadezhda Akulova
The discussion opened with a report by the General Director of the SRO Association “Union of Builders of Saint Petersburg” Alexei Belousov. Among the participants was the head of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation department for the NWFD Andrey Ermakov, the first deputy chairman of the Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (KGIOP) of St. Petersburg Ekaterina Kozyreva, Head of the Department for the Exercise of the Russian Federation’s Authority in the Field of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Committee for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage of the Leningrad Region Svetlana Volkova, deputy head of the State Construction Supervision and Examination Service of St. Petersburg Viktor Svistunov, General Director of the KVS Group of Companies Sergey Yaroshenko, head of the GK «NIiPI Spetsrestavratsiya» Igor Pasechnik, Head of the Special Projects Directorate at LLC “Setl Stroy” Vladislav Shipunov, head of restoration at the architectural bureau “Studio 44” Grigory Ivanov and project manager of AVANT (AAG Holding) Vladimir Rukavishnikov.
One of the main topics of discussion was changes to federal legislation. Over the past year, several regulatory acts have been adopted that change the procedure for working with cultural heritage sites. In particular, Federal Law No. 73-FZ or No. 142-FZ has simplified the conduct of certain maintenance works on monuments. A new system for carrying out work to preserve cultural heritage sites comes into force in March 2027.
At the same time, participants in the professional discussion noted that changes in legislation should take into account the specifics of historical buildings. Modern construction standards cannot always be directly applied to cultural heritage sites built decades or hundreds of years ago. Historical structures that are part of the building and may also be subject to protection were cited as an example. Their replacement or damage during necessary tests can lead to the loss of a historical element.
According to representatives of the restoration community, cultural heritage sites cannot be treated the same as ordinary construction projects. Historical value, authenticity, and unique structural and architectural elements require a special approach.
Discussion participants
Special attention at the meeting was given to how changes in the regulatory framework affect investment projects. Working with cultural heritage sites takes years, so clear rules and the ability to assess risks in advance are especially important for investors. As participants noted, the challenge is to find a mechanism that would make approvals more understandable and predictable without posing a threat to the monuments themselves.
“Cultural heritage sites are a matter of passion,” Vladimir Rukavishnikov phrased his approach to working with historical sites. According to him, a cultural heritage site and interaction with preservation authorities can be seen not only as a set of restrictions but also as a distinct class of development projects. One of the key conditions for their successful implementation, he named early communication among the investor, designers, and government authorities.
Following the discussion, it was decided to prepare proposals for improving regulatory framework.
In addition to a clear and stable regulatory framework, industry experts noted the importance of effective cooperation between the investor, designers, and government authorities.
This is especially relevant for St. Petersburg: the city has more than 9,000 culturally significant sites, and within the historical boundaries of four central districts there are over 14,000 historic buildings constructed before 1917.
First Deputy Chairman of KGIOP Ekaterina Kozyreva emphasized that the preservation of the historical environment must be combined with the development of the city. According to her, Petersburg already has significant experience in adapting cultural heritage sites for modern functions. Among such projects are New Holland, Planetarium No. 1, the creative space “Tkachi,” Sevkabel Port, the Petrovsky Arsenal, and others.
Presentation by Ekaterina Kozyreva
“It is very important when a cultural heritage site comes back to life,” noted Ekaterina Kozyreva. Prolonged lack of use and engineering support leads to the deterioration of the technical condition of buildings, so the appearance of investors willing to engage in restoration and adaptation of monuments for current functionality is an important part of their preservation.
Svetlana Volkova shared the experience of the Leningrad region. By 2030, the region intends to restore one thousand cultural heritage sites. The milestone year of 2027 for the region will be marked by the implementation of a project by the Committee of Urban Planning Policy of the Leningrad Region and SPbGASU on the digital revival of architectural heritage sites, an agreement for which was signed in April at IX International Scientific and Practical Conference BIMAC-2026.
Svetlana Volkova
A separate topic was the training of skilled personnel for the restoration sector. The attendees noted the role of SPbGASU as one of the leading specialized educational institutions. Thus, from 2024, based at the university, there is corporate department of KGIOP, overseeing the training of personnel for the field of cultural heritage protection and the development of new educational programs for this sector. Starting in 2026, enrollment for a new area of study will be conducted at the Faculty of Construction of SPbGASU “Restoration of buildings and structures”, aimed at training restoration engineers. In April 2026, within the framework of VI National (All-Russian) Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation “Reconstruction and Restoration of Architectural Heritage” an agreement was signed to create consortium ‘Preservation of Architectural Heritage’, which brought together representatives of the academic community, government authorities, and industry partners to consolidate efforts in the restoration and preservation of historical buildings, the development of scientific research, and the introduction of innovative technologies into the industry.
Concluding the meeting, Nadezhda Akulova she emphasized: the authenticity of the historical environment and historical sites is not an obstacle to development, but its resource. The preservation of architectural details, historical appearance, and integrity of sites is becoming increasingly in demand, including from the perspective of tourism and the economy.
Thus, the participants in the discussion agreed on the main point: the preservation of historical heritage and the development of the city should not be opposed to each other. With competent cooperation between the state, investors, designers, and restorers, historical sites can gain new life while maintaining their authenticity and cultural value.
Following the discussion, it is planned to prepare proposals for the resolution. The materials of the meeting will also be published in the newspaper “Real Estate and Construction of Petersburg” and on the publication’s informational resources.
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