From July 11th to 22nd, a BNTU delegation comprised of 10 students from the Faculty of Architecture participated in the "Technical Innovations for a Green Future" training program at Inner Mongolia University of Technology (People's Republic of China). The program included not only intensive training but also a rich cultural program and practical workshops.
As part of the training program, the students also developed their own projects during the workshop "Hohhot as a Field of Research, Analysis, and Design." The goal of the workshop was to focus on the topic of "Regionalism in Traditional Village Reconstruction and Architecture," exploring the formation mechanism, current status, and future development trends of Sivusutu village dwellers. Students chose any topic, including cultural context, housing forms, spatial prototypes, natural landscape, customs and activities, construction methods, local materials, or other regional characteristics, and conducted cross-cultural group research on design abstraction and evolution. Afterward, they created interpretations and solutions with local characteristics and innovations.
BNTU representatives who completed the training received certificates. Students Margarita Tkachuk and Yulia Smolskaya received special recognition, receiving first-place awards. Second-place awards went to Anastasia Budnik, Maria Yushka, and Vladislav Kashkovsky. Third-place diplomas were awarded to Elizaveta Deineka, Anna Tumashchik, Yegor Bobrenok, Yana Gorbatenko, and Polina Redkach. The participants' best academic projects were presented at a poster exhibition.
Furthermore, fifth-year student Margarita Tkachuk, who presented a paper entitled "Circular City: The Practice of Ad Hocism and Urban Development Using the Example of Lida," received a personalized certificate as a lecturer.
Elizaveta Daineko shared her impressions of the educational program:
"Those 10 days at Inner Mongolia University of Technology changed my world. We worked in international teams with students from seven countries on a real architectural project. Our project was the village of Siusutu, a historical settlement near Hohhot. We conducted an architectural analysis, studied the local building typology, and developed a sustainable development concept: how to preserve the authentic heritage while implementing energy-efficient solutions and passive energy-saving systems. We worked until dark, divided responsibilities, constantly discussed each step, and ultimately presented our concept to an international audience. We were lucky to study in the renovated, atmospheric space of a former industrial building, listen to lectures from professors, and even have time to immerse ourselves in the country's culture. It was challenging, especially on the last day of the workshop, when we were finishing our projects, but the excitement of presenting our thesis was worth it. For me, it was an unforgettable experience working with such diverse and talented students." Architecture truly knows no boundaries, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to represent the BNTU Faculty of Architecture at such a high level!
The organizers and participants of the educational program noted that the workshop not only contributed to the growth of professional competencies but also to the development of intercultural skills and the strengthening of partnerships between universities. The experience gained was an important step in the professional development of each participant.
