"Teamwork, competition, and real-world clients": St Petersburg University design students win prizes at the Young Design competition

For the first time, St Petersburg University participated as a co-organiser of the competition. Faculty members of the University curated the LenNIIproekt category, which focused on developing a corporate identity and communication strategy for the anniversary celebrations of LenNIIproekt, the country’s largest research and design institute for housing and civil engineering.

The institute will celebrate its 100^th anniversary in 2025. "This is our second joint project," said Associate Professor Kseniia Pozdniakova, Head of the Department of Design at St Petersburg University and curator of the category. "As part of the Youth Day at the Cultural Forum, we previously organised a design hackathon for our students focused on the information and graphic support of the Map of Soviet Research Institutes project. I consider the decision to implement the winning projects as part of LenNIIproekt’s centenary celebrations in 2025 to be a significant outcome of the students’ participation in the competition."

The Young Design competition is supported by the Presidential Grants Fund. It is organised by the Innovations and Youth Initiatives Support Fund of St Petersburg with the support of the government of St Petersburg.

The winners of the LenNIIproekt category were fourth-year graphic design students from St Petersburg University. First place was awarded to a team of emerging designers comprising Eleonora Semshchikova, Anastasiia-Vladimira Vitiv, Angelina Ashkanova, and Kseniia Endovitskaia. Second place went to a project by Kseniia Akulina, while third place was secured by Gan Shiyin.

"We are not just colleagues; we are also friends outside of studies and work," said Anastasiia-Vladimira Vitiv, who managed task delegation within the winning team. "That is why we decided to start this project together, and it is amazing how each of us brought our own vision and solution to the table. University years are the perfect time to work in a team and to recognise what you might miss when working alone."

One of the curators, Svetlana Vitkovskaia, Member of the Union of Designers of Russia and Assistant Professor in the Department of Design at St Petersburg University, is sure that participation in such competitions is part of the University’s strategy to establish direct links between design students and potential employers.

"Students are usually good at fantasising," explained Svetlana Vitkovskaia. "Working with a real client requires a very attentive attitude to their requirements. But once all the details are clarified, the design process for the students becomes more precise and substantial, which eliminates difficulties."

The students’ works were also recognised in the City on the Neva River category, with the Balticum Publishing House as the partner. Our students’ interpretations of the St Petersburg style were to be featured in a series of four posters dedicated to the city’s architecture. Senior students Anna Butenko, who won first prize, and Irina Pen, who won second prize, performed exceptionally well.

The main goal of the Young Design competition is to engage young artists and designers in major projects for partner companies and to develop and implement promising ideas for enterprises in St Petersburg’s real economy sector.

Our students were also acknowledged in the Meeting Place — Pulkovo category, supervised by the Pulkovo Airport’s operator, Northern Capital Gateway LLC. Kseniia Akulina took first place, Iuliia Balakina became second, and Alina Basankina took third place. A special mention was given to their fellow students Irina Pen and Irmiliia Pushkareva.

"Participating in such competitions gives students the opportunity to work in a team, in a competitive environment, under time pressure, and with a real client," pointed out Svetlana Vitkovskaia. "In general, this is what young professionals need for a successful career."

The first place in the Audience Award category, supervised by VK Corporation’s open creative platform "Prostor" and the "Prostor Studio" service, went to Anastasiia-Vladimira Vitiv, a design student at St Petersburg University, while her course mate Eleonora Semshchikova won third place.