Architecture of the North: how students from Yakutia are shaping the future at "The Birth of Scale" exposition
There are
only two days left until the large-scale architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA comes to a close. The
official closing ceremony will take place on the evening of July 30. Among the
unique installations still available for viewing is a project by the
North-Eastern Federal University named after M. K. Ammosov. This
24-square-metre installation presents an impressive synthesis of academic
education and practical work carried out in the harsh conditions of Yakutia.
Located in
Yakutsk, the North-Eastern Federal University is one of the country’s ten
strategic universities tasked with addressing key geopolitical challenges and
training professionals for the development of Russia’s North-East. The university
complex comprises five research institutes, 12 institutes, five faculties and
three branches in the cities of Mirny, Neryungri and Anadyr.
Architecture
as Service to Society
At the
heart of the university’s installation are student-designed ecological trail
projects for specially protected natural areas of Yakutia. These socially
significant works were created as part of a unique educational module,
"Learning by Serving," which integrates academic training with
addressing real-life regional issues.
"Ecological
trails in Yakutia are not just tourist routes — they are true paths of
knowledge," explains one of the project creators, Nikolai Alekseyev.
"We teach people not just to look, but to feel and understand nature. When
a visitor sees an icy bull sculpture, they must grasp both the eternity of
permafrost and its fragility in the face of climate change. True beauty lies in
this fragility and in our responsibility for it."
State
Support for Innovation
The
"Learning by Serving" programme has received support at the highest
level — its development was commissioned by the President of Russia, Vladimir
Putin, following the State Council meeting in December 2022. This educational experiment
has already proved effective, combining students’ professional training with
solving pressing social challenges in the northern regions.
As Russia’s
strategic outpost in the North-East, Yakutia pays particular attention to the
upbringing of its youth. Through projects like this one, students develop a
sense of patriotism, responsibility and genuine love for their homeland.
Don’t Miss
It
You can
visit "The Birth of Scale" exposition until 15:00 on July 30 by
registering in advance on the website of the National Centre RUSSIA. Full
details about the final day’s programme can be found in the "Events"
section.
As part of the educational programme of "The Birth of Scale" exposition, a series of architecture workshops for children and adults was held at the National Centre RUSSIA.
Ahead of the official closing of the major exposition "The Birth of Scale," scheduled for July 30, the National Centre RUSSIA welcomed leading international architects.
Since its opening on March 1, the large-scale architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors.
