Russian and Chinese architecture students find common ground in Shenzhen

On a warm June day, inside a middle school classroom in Shenzhen's Nanshan District, a unique lesson unfolded. Chinese and Russian architecture students from Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) came together to co-design a lecture for local middle school students, introducing them to the architectural worlds of their two countries.

Iutta Kaleshina, a Russian student from Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)

What emerged from their collaboration was a surprising revelation: despite vastly different climates, materials, and cultural histories, Russian and Chinese architecture share a fundamental commonality. As Iutta Kaleshina, a Russian student, put it: "Both in Russia and China, we have similar ways of building architecture. They both come from nature."

For the Russian students, the driving force behind their country's architecture is necessity. "We have really cold winter — up to minus 40 degrees Celsius. So we build strong buildings," Kaleshina explained. Alesia Kuznetsova, another Russian student, elaborated: "Russian buildings have to have really thick walls to keep the cold out."

By contrast, Chinese architecture — particularly in the subtropical heat of Guangdong Province — responds to a different challenge. "Here in Guangdong, it's more about dealing with the heat," Kaleshina noted. 

Wang Tiansu, a Chinese from Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)

Wang Tiansu, a Chinese student from Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), saw the lesson as going far beyond bricks and mortar. "We can know more about architecture, and also know why a building is designed in a certain way and how architecture can influence people's lives," he said. "And what the relationship is between architecture, people, and daily use."

When asked to name the most iconic examples of their respective architectural traditions, both sides pointed to the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Alesia Kuznetsova, a Russian student from Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)

"For China, I think the Forbidden City is the most iconic one," said Kuznetsova. "It combines Chinese principles of architecture like balance, harmony, and axial symmetry. I also like Feng Shui principles, for example, mountains at the back and water in front. We actually had some classes about Feng Shui, and I've tried to apply some in my architectural work."

Wang echoed her appreciation, noting that traditional Chinese architecture is more than form. "The most famous are the Forbidden City and traditional courtyards," he said. "I think they are not just about form, but more about how they relate to people, nature, culture, and spatial order."

The students also found much to admire in Shenzhen's contemporary skyline. "I really like how modern this city is," Kuznetsova said, citing the Ping An Finance Center and the city's MixC malls as standout examples.

Wang offered a local favorite: the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. "Its form could represent digital design and a kind of sustainability and also the structural technology," he explained.

For both Chinese and Russian students, architecture is not merely about aesthetics or engineering — it is about people. "Sustainability in architecture is the most important part," Wang said, "because everyone should make the relationship between buildings and nature better. That is our goal."

Kuznetsova offered a broader vision: "Architecture is a very broad subject that brings together many things, from engineering and problem-solving to design, a love for art, and skills in math and physics. Above all, it serves the public and people."

As Shenzhen prepares to host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting this November, such exchanges offer a hopeful glimpse into the future: a generation of young students who see collaboration as natural, differences as opportunities, and architecture as a bridge between cultures.