Architecture - my studies and my dream job

"Architecture has inspired me since my childhood. With my grandfather, an engineer, I walked around Moscow a lot when I was young. There were construction sites everywhere in the city, the cityscape was changing."

She applied to BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg for a master's degree in architecture after attending a summer school at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Dessau in 2015, which gave her insight into studying in Germany. "Our studies in Cottbus were very project-based from the beginning. We learned to look beyond the boundaries of our own tasks, to include the views of the planning partners at an early stage and to address them openly. I still benefit from this way of working today."

She learned the German language during her school years at a school with extended German lessons in her home country as well as a stay of several months at a high school in Eisenach. Here she also became familiar with German culture and architecture. After successfully graduating from high school in Moscow, she went to the State University of Land Management and successfully completed her studies after six years with a grade point average of 1.3 as a graduate specialist in architecture. Today, the young architect works in the Krüger architectural office in Frankfurt (Oder). She feels comfortable in the team of four. The job challenges her creativity and she enjoys it.

She also showed how creative the field of urban planning and architecture can be in October 2021 at the UrbanSlam in the House of Architects in Düsseldorf. Together with four other young architects, she offered the professional audience her planning perspective on the Corona pandemic and its effects in a ten-minute slam. With a splash of irony and a twinkle in her eye, Liudmila described what "DIN Pandemic" could possibly look like.

"During the pandemic, we saw schools and daycare centers close," Liudmila recounted. "How could a 'DIN Pandemic' help against emergency closures? - The idea came to the office from an interesting assignment last winter. We were asked to plan the expansion of a special school. That's where you take care of kids who have physical or mental disabilities. The school should operate the without closure, because these students need special attention, which often can not be provided at home full time."

To solve the task, the team of architects has provided in the design the distances that comply with the regulations "barrier-free construction" and at the same time are pandemic compliant. In addition, the supervision takes place in the small groups, which was felt very well by the teachers*, so individuals receive more attention and intensive care.

This is just one example that shows the impact and consequences of the pandemic on social life and especially on construction projects and their planning. Liudmilla Ivannikova emphasizes: "We, the young planners, take the responsibility for future-oriented planning. "DIN Pandemic" could be an approach for more clarity and planning help, not only for Germany but also as DIN EN."

The ambitious young architect's view of the topic was well received. The audience's applause earned her second place in the small competition. The Brandenburg Chamber of Architects thought the format was great and inspiring for the exchange of ideas. If everything works out, there should also be an UrbanSlam in Brandenburg soon.

While her fellow competitors came from Düsseldorf and Cologne, Liudmila traveled from Brandenburg to the Rhineland. From her point of view, the journey was worthwhile. She says: "The exchange, the discourse, the learning from each other are extremely important in my profession. Creativity, in my opinion, thrives on different views of a topic or a task."