As part of their studies, students of the Institute of Architecture and Design have the opportunity to create projects for real objects. Professor Viktor Proskuriakov, Head of the Department of Architectural Environment Design, spoke in detail about the participation of future architects in competitions and the recognition of their works.
– What challenges did the study process face during the quarantine?
– An important component of education for undergraduates at the Department of Architectural Environment Design is international, national and local competitive design. Any ideas need to be improved and developed over time. Therefore, for several years the Department has been implementing educational design in architectural education with the commissions from real customers.
Our purpose is to prepare students for the requirements of real professional life and at the same time teach them to work freely and creatively. The works of the first half of 2021 were special as the competitive projects, commissioned by real customers, were performed in the conditions of quarantine measures. During that period, in particular, we managed to develop a draft proposal for a new architectural solution and expansion of the functions of the shopping center «Panorama» in Odesa.
– What was the Odesa competition about?
– Natalka-City LLC (customer of the competition), Charitable Foundation «Ivan Levynskyi Museum» and Architectural Investment Company «Kreatyv» initiated a student architecture competition of the best sketch design proposal for a new architectural solution and expansion of Panorama shopping center functions. The participants were students and academic staff of the Department of Architectural Environment Design, Lviv Polytechnic.
The shopping center, located in the south-western part of Odesa near Independence Square, resembles a giant cinema and the only element of architectural expression is the entrance, framed by a huge red cantilever and the inscription «Panorama» – the aesthetics of the building corresponds to 80–90x of the XIX century. The problem with this object is that the internal environment is formed by small trading shops. There were no recreational spaces, winter gardens, places for children’s entertainment and so on.
The crucial problem was that due to quarantine measures, attendance decreased and many stores got closed. This is what prompted the search for changes in space. On the advice of the management of the Charitable Foundation «Ivan Levynsky Museum», the owners of the shopping center agreed that the projects should be implemented by students and academic staff of the Lviv Architecture School, in particular the AED Department.
