From Ancient Canons to Modern Forms: A Review of Future Architects’ Works at KBSU
The Institute of Architecture, Construction, and Design at Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov held its traditional open review of the work of first-year students majoring in Architecture. This is an important creative milestone, where future architects present their academic projects to a wider audience—curators, fellow students, and guests—for the first time.
Over the course of the semester, 30 first-year students delved into the origins of world architecture. They studied the historical background of the emergence of the architectural order, explored its Greek development, and mastered the professional application of ancient canons. The result of this painstaking work was the presentation of drawings and sketches of orders in various styles, executed according to precise rules that have come down to us from time immemorial, to the jury and the audience.
«Open reviews are not just a reporting stage, but an important part of the educational process.» As the department’s tradition emphasizes, starting from their first year, students learn to present their ideas, accept criticism, and recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their own solutions—all of which will become the foundation of an architect’s professional culture in the future,» noted Khazret Guketlov, Head of the Architecture and Design Department.
For many students, these were their first serious projects at the university, and each one strove not only to demonstrate their acquired skills but also to establish themselves as creative individuals. After a thorough discussion, the jury unanimously selected the best project. Suriya Malkarova won with her comprehensive work, which included drawings and a model of a rotunda-gazebo inspired by the shape of an unopened flower bud.
«I conceived the gazebo as a symbol of unfolding beauty and potential,» says Suriya. «Initially, I wanted to give it the shape of a flower, but I eventually decided to make it a bud. The dome was the most challenging; it required precise geometric calculations. The entire project took me about three weeks.» The works were evaluated according to five key criteria: deadline, page layout, precision of execution, typography, and, crucially, correct construction according to canons. As Fatimat Atabieva, senior lecturer in the Department of Architecture and Design, noted, architectural education at KBSU is built on a synthesis of creative thinking and strict technical discipline:
«Architecture is not only inspiration but also strict rules. In the case of the order system, we work with a canon that has come down to us virtually unchanged since the Renaissance. At the same time, we welcome creative solutions in presentation: the use of unconventional materials, the search for compositional innovations—all these are signs of mature professional thinking.»
The most outstanding works, as per tradition, will be added to the department’s methodological collection, and the best will be submitted for participation in regional and national professional competitions.