Published on: 2026-04-17
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
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Andrey Surovenkov
On April 18, International Day for Monuments and Sites (World Heritage Day) is celebrated worldwide. This date is intended to draw public attention to issues related to the preservation of cultural heritage, its vulnerability, and significance for future generations.
I.O. Dekan, Dean of the Architecture Faculty, Head of the Department of Architectural Design, Candidate of Architecture, spoke about the significance of the historical environment, its current state, and the role of the professional community.Andrey Surovenkov.
“This day is needed not by specialists, but by townspeople.”
In the opinion of Andrey Surovenkov, the main task of International Memorial Day is to attract the attention of a wide audience to the problems of the preservation of architectural heritage.
“Specialists think about it all the time. But for people far from architecture, this is perhaps the first opportunity to think: what is the historical environment and why is it important,” he noted, drawing attention to a widespread problem: many perceive the loss of authentic buildings as something insignificant. — “Often you can hear: ‘Well, so what, the old was demolished — the new was built, it’s even better.’ But that’s not the case. A new construction is no longer a historical heritage,” emphasized Andrey Surovenkov.
He also believes that poor-quality restorations and simplified architectural solutions create lowered expectations among city residents for the surrounding environment. As a result, people become accustomed to low architectural quality and stop appreciating genuine monuments.
International recognition
According to Andrey Surovenkov, the inclusion of sites in the UNESCO World Heritage list serves as a unique “quality mark,” enhancing significance and contributing to the development of tourism. At the same time, this status imposes serious obligations for the preservation of the historical environment.
He is confident that the entire historical center of Saint Petersburg holds value, but the ensemble of the Strelka of Vasilievsky Island occupies a special place.
“This is a unique space, united by the Neva aquatory. The Winter Palace, the Exchange building, the Peter and Paul Fortress — all these elements form an integral composition that has no analogues in the world,” he noted and expressed concern that the historically formed environment is gradually undergoing changes that are not always justified from an architectural point of view.
View of Strelka of Vasilievsky Island
Main threats: unprofessionalism and loss of authenticity
One of the key problems an expert called unprofessionalism during the restoration work.
“There is very often a lack of understanding of how to properly work with historical buildings. Stained glass windows, doors, decorative elements are changed — and all this is replaced with modern materials. This is effectively the destruction of the authentic environment,” he emphasized.
The serious problem remains the overall condition of the buildings in the city center, which require major repairs. At the same time, the issue of funding remains unresolved.
Andrey Surovenkov also noted that attempts to mechanically “fit” a modern function into a historical building often lead to distortion of its appearance. Among typical mistakes are violations of facades, non-compliance with proportions, and ignoring architectural regularities. There are also controversial projects where only the facade is preserved, while the rest of the building is practically lost or executed with a violation of the historical context.
Balance between development and damage
The expert emphasized that the city cannot remain unchanged, but development must be meaningful.
“There is no need to create pseudo-historical buildings that imitate old architecture. But modern architecture should be of high quality and treat the environment with respect,” he noted.
In his opinion, today it is especially important to establish a dialogue between developers, city authorities, and urban defenders.“This is often confrontation now. But there should be a dialogue that allows making balanced decisions,” the expert believes.
Role of architects and engineers
A special role in preserving heritage is played by industry professionals. Engineers must understand historical construction technologies, features of structures and materials, while architects need to see the object in the context of the urban environment.
“An architect today is not only a designer but also a popularizer of a careful attitude towards the city,” emphasized the expert.
He also drew attention to the importance of a comprehensive approach: it is necessary to consider not only the condition of individual elements, but also the processes taking place within the structures — for example, the destruction of wooden floors due to moisture.
Education as the foundation of social heritage
Talking about the preparation of specialists, Andrey Surovenkov noted that students of architecture universities need to thoroughly study the history of architecture, construction technologies, and principles of restoration.
“It is important to understand the patterns of classical architecture, the arrangement of orders, details, proportions. Without this, it is impossible to work qualitatively with the historical environment,” he noted.
No less significant is the formation of professional ethics. According to the expert, future specialists must be aware of their responsibility for preserving cultural heritage and not compromise it for short-term gain.
Contribution of SPbGASU graduates
The expert specifically emphasized that graduates of SPBGASU actively participate in working with cultural heritage sites. He reminded that among the graduates of SPBGASU is the chairman of the KGIOP, an honorary restorer of St. Petersburg III degree, candidate of architecture.Aleksey Mirailov, deputies of the chairman: honored restorer of Saint Petersburg, candidate of architectureEkaterina Kozyreva(first deputy) andOlga Batalova, General Director of the State Museum of the History of Saint Petersburg, President of the Saint Petersburg Union of Architects, Honored Architect of the Russian FederationVladimir Grigoriev.
Especially Andrey Surovenkov noted the contribution of the People’s Architect of the Russian Federation, Honored Architect of the Russian Federation, an actual member of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences, laureate of the State Prize of the Russian FederationNikita Yaveina, who was engaged in the restoration of the General Staff building. According to Andrey Viktorovich, the reconstruction of the General Staff building is an example of successful work with a historical object; in his words, the project demonstrates a high level of integration of modern solutions into the historical environment.
University graduates also took part in a project related to such significant landmarks as the Admiralty and St. Nicholas Cathedral.
Representatives of the professional community associated with the university also work on modern objects in the historical environment, striving to integrate new buildings into the existing architectural context.
“Love Petersburg and learn”
At the conclusion, Andrey Surovenkov addressed students and young specialists with a call to actively study and learn from the experience of professionals.
“It is important to communicate with teachers who practice as architects, not to be afraid to ask questions and accumulate knowledge. And most importantly — to love Petersburg and regard it as a value that is inevitably being respected,” he emphasized.
The expert noted that the loss of the historical environment will lead to serious consequences not only for culture but also for the city’s economy.
“If we only focus on the immediate benefit, we risk losing much more in the future,” —he concluded it.
From September 1, 2026, SPBGASU begins the training of restoration engineers under the program “Restoration of Buildings and Structures” within the training direction 08.03.01 “Construction.”.
The educational program is developed in close cooperation with industrial partners and with the support of the Committee for State Control, Use, and Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments (KGIOP).
Special attention in the new educational model will be given to the engineering training of restorers, including the study of theoretical mechanics and the principles of structural operation. More about the program (hyperlink to the article)https://www.spbgasu.ru/news-and-events/news/spbgasu-begins-training-restoration-engineers/)
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