In 2016, the first large-scale admission to the magistracy was carried out in comparison with previous years - 166 people (for comparison, 2014 - 56 people, 2015 - 59 people). Two years later, in 2018, the graduation of students of the 2016 enrollment took place. Of the 166 enrolled in 2016, 156 students entered the first year of study and successfully defended themselves. Of these, 45 masters received honors.
Master's degree studies at the Moscow Architectural Institute take two years; for admission, a bachelor's diploma is required.
Maria Rogozhnikova, head of the Moscow Architectural Institute:
“We managed to balance the educational process in two years. In 2016, the MArchI graduate program switched to a modular training system. The main cross-cutting discipline is "Design and Research", and related subjects - modules - are given in intensive courses of 8 weeks, which ensures the effectiveness of the assimilation of the material and prevents the unjustified "spreading" of disciplines over time. Two years of study become an opportunity for the undergraduate to concentrate on the topic of interest, learn the problems and understand them."
The distribution of modules by semester corresponds to the course of design and research work - at the beginning of training, the necessary general theoretical base-toolkit is formed, in the future, the proposed modules are focused on concretizing the problem under study.
1 year / 1 semester
In the first semester, with the help of lecture courses, an idea is formed about the main trends in modern architecture, problems and methods of scientific research.
Modules: "Modern architecture" and "Mastering the initial skills of writing a dissertation."
1 year / 2 semester
In the second semester, the student gets acquainted with the practical side of the work of an architectural bureau in various dimensions - from legal aspects to economic ones.
Here "Architectural Practice" becomes the main module. It consists of a theoretical section and weekly meetings with representatives of leading modern bureaus, where topical issues of conducting project activities are considered. Immediately after completing the module, students are sent to practice in architectural bureaus. Also in this semester, disciplines are studied that are designed to help the student form his design solution in accordance with the accepted construction standards.
1 year / 3 semester
In the third semester, the student independently chooses the modules (optional disciplines) necessary for his specific research, namely: ecology, sociology, landscape architecture, problems of reconstruction of historical buildings, theoretical foundations of conservation and restoration of architectural monuments, architectural physics. This is an incomplete list of disciplines, formed on the basis of research topics of undergraduates, which can be expanded based on each topic.
1 year / 4 semester
The fourth semester is the final stage and therefore 80% of this is the independent work of a master's student, which primarily involves individual consultations with specialists from related disciplines - engineering, structures, ecology, sociology - to clarify the necessary aspects of research and design development.
Maria Rogozhnikova:
“The qualitative difference of the new system is the coordinating role of the graduating departments and the direct head of the master's thesis. This made it possible to form the entire educational program in accordance with the selected research topic of the master's student, created a favorable atmosphere for scientific and creative research."
In general, the MArcHI program can be divided into two main areas: theoretical master and project master.
Andrey Nekrasov comments on the project master's concept
Head of the Department of Architecture of Residential Buildings:
“The department drew up a scheme for the training of master-designers, which consisted in the independent choice of topics (when approved by the head and the department commission), conducting scientific research and testing various theoretical provisions of the concept in the form of experimental projects. Calculated so that the rhythm and intensity of learning would be no less intense than in course design. At the same time, the scientific and textual part of the work (the text of the dissertation) was noticeably reduced in comparison with the theoretical master's degree. Twice a semester, all masters gathered at the department and made short reports on the work done against the background of their projects. The result of the training was a number of experimental projects, as well as the text of the master's thesis, arguing the design decisions made by the author”.
An example of a project master's work
author Anastasia Shulga, supervisors: Professor Alexey Ginzburg, Associate Professor Anna Loshchilova.
The study is devoted to the study of residential formations with a block-modular structure. The principles and methods of organizing the space of various residential units have been determined. A search has been made for a single volumetric structure as a means suitable for creating integral structures of public and residential development. Experimental projects of residential formations of various sizes have been developed.
Polina Zueva, Associate Professor of Moscow Architectural Institute:
“The research work of the theoretical master of architecture is an extended theoretical author's research in the field of architecture and (or) urban planning, which includes the author's position on the problem under consideration and its detailed scientific substantiation. The master's student needs to make an independent scientific analysis of the collected material: monuments and modern objects of architecture and urban planning, projects, graphic images and scientific texts of archival documents and evidence, other sources of information. Particular attention is paid to the latest architecture, up to the design of new generation orbital stations; this topic is being developed under the guidance of Doctor of Architecture, Professor N. L. Pavlov. together with MVTU im. Bauman.
The result is a thesis text and a graphic exposition illustrating the theoretical propositions proposed by the author. Pilot projects in this direction are not an obligatory part of the work."
An example of a theoretical master's work
author Yegor Belash, supervisors professor Oleg Yavein, associate professor Polina Zueva.
The work is devoted to the study of a new trend in architecture of the last few decades, which replaced the non-linear style. The building is increasingly seen as a kind of mechanism that combines many different systems. The focus is on a technical approach with a scientific calculation of architectural parameters. ***
Theoretical undergraduates in 2018 accounted for 10% of the total number of graduates. This ratio demonstrates the orientation of the institute towards project master's degree.
The Moscow Architectural Institute's master's program closely cooperates with the Union of Moscow Architects. The Department of Moscow Architectural Institute "Comprehensive Professional Training" was opened on the basis of the Agrarian Medical Academy. This made it possible to create a course of lectures by modern Russian architects and specialists in related specialties. MArchI students have the opportunity to undergo practical training in the leading architectural bureaus of Moscow: Project Meganom, TPO Reserve, Architectural workshop Atrium, Meralstudio, Architectural bureau ASADOV, Tsimailo Lyashenko and Partners, Ginzburg Architects and others.
It is known that the masters have complaints about the redundancy of theoretical texts against the Moscow Architectural Institute. “This situation is understandable,” says Maria Rogozhnikova. - For those who entered the master's program, the amount of theoretical material seems to be large. As part of the undergraduate educational program, the student is aimed at acquiring applied design skills, given tools. This is dictated by the professional standard of the Architect, who separates the responsibilities of the bachelor and master. A master's degree gives an architect much greater opportunities for professional growth, and therefore assigns more responsibility for his creative decisions. We try to teach the future leader to approach the solution of architectural issues from different points of view, analyze the current situation, consider the prospects for the development of the site and related design solutions, and be socially responsible. Therefore, we insist on the need to write an extended text of the dissertation. The text is written within the framework of the discipline "Scientific activity" and primarily represents a theoretical basis for design experiments, formed on the basis of the study of advanced world design experience and related research. Thus, the text is, on the one hand, the structural argumentation of design solutions, a detailed list of tasks for each experimental project and the final analysis of the proposed design solutions. " ***
Feedback from undergraduates about studying in the MArchI master's program
Maxim Matveev Leaders: prof. Vladimir Yudintsev, Assoc. Elena Ganushkina
Department of Architecture of Residential Buildings, Diploma with honors:
“Studying at the MArchI graduate program became for me a continuation of the bachelor's program. In five years, I got an excellent foundation, and in the master's degree I was able to study many theoretical aspects of the chosen topic. One of the main skills acquired during the training was an integrated multifaceted approach that allows you to structurally develop and implement the main idea of the project.
I was very lucky with my scientific advisor V. P. Yudintsev and the department of residential buildings. At the consultations, which took place twice a week, I received a lot of information. Teachers communicate with students sometimes for more than an hour. At the same time, you can listen to consultations and monthly interim defense of other classmates and further deepen your knowledge in different areas. I liked the vector of those projects that our group had. All of them were aimed at humanizing the urban environment of Moscow. For two years, our department was tasked with dividing the main research topic into 3-5 theoretical projects. I think this was a very good method, as it allowed me to get involved in the work from the very beginning and look at the topic from completely different angles in each project. In the future, the skills of an integrated approach to design helped me grow into several positions in an architectural bureau.
In the remaining additional classes, I really liked the study of parametric and GIS programs, it was also interesting to study the management and construction of buildings and structures.
From what I would like to change in the process of studying for a master's degree is to make more protection with a projector, and not with printed tablets. Although the material compiled on the tablet was very structured thinking and helped not to miss the main idea."
M. Matveev's research "Vector factor in high-rise construction as an element of orientation in the city on the example of Moscow" is devoted to the problem of building a chain communication system from vector high-rise buildings at key areas of the city plan to improve orientation in the city and restore communication between districts. Vector architecture - buildings that express spatial directions and landmarks with their form. As part of the work, pilot projects were carried out at three sites for a detailed explanation of the identified theoretical positions.
Sergey Chekmarev
Leaders: prof. Dmitry Velichkin, prof. Nikolay Golovanov
Department of Architecture of Residential Buildings, Diploma with honors:
“Training under the MArchI Master's program combines both theoretical research and practical testing on architectural projects. It is this format that allows you to maximize the research topic and visually present its findings in the form of extensive graphic material.
In the course of work on the dissertation, specialists from related departments helped to look for additional information, which made it possible to consider the problems under study from different angles. Perhaps there were not enough sightseeing tours and study of real city objects to collect information, but lectures by invited practitioners were held regularly.
The training was very fast and intense! Thank!"
In the study by S. Chekmarev "Polycentrism as a method of city development on the example of the liberated territory of the Leningrad Railway" in the development of the Leningrad Railway, the principles of the formation of polycenters in new microdistricts are proposed as elements of the differentiated development of territories, while maintaining historically valuable buildings. Within the framework of the study, five pilot projects were carried out.
Maria Finagina
Leaders: prof. Dmitry Velichkin, prof. Nikolay Golovanov
Department of Architecture of Residential Buildings, Red Diploma, Gold Medal of the Moscow Architectural Institute:
“Working on a master's degree is more of a research process using different approaches, the main one of which is, of course, design at the Department of Residential Buildings.
For me, the program of the master's work itself turned out to be very flexible. The learning process within the framework of architectural design can be tailored to your topic. The independence of the approach to mastering the topic and a certain freedom in choosing the specifics of each stage makes you a responsible and, to what extent, an independent researcher. This flexibility allows you to bring out the individuality of each job.
A master's degree involves more than just a task and a project that matches the topic. You build tasks yourself, grope for a topic, ask questions. Gathering information, you cover a large theoretical aspect, which in the future, after graduating from the institute, will become your navigator in the theory of architecture.
At the Department of Residential Buildings, projects are integrated into the master's work, so each project proposal is a practical exercise on the topic of scientific work. An unsuccessful project, or a project that gets out of the way of the topic, becomes obvious and a determining factor in the boundary of the study, which is also valuable in the work on a master's thesis.
The two-year program allows you to deeply and qualitatively research the topic, both in different aspects and on different scales. For example, I managed to work out the topic of "hybrids" both from the point of view of urban planning, and from the point of view of identifying the typology of the building, and from the point of view of structural saturation. All searches and stages are defended in front of the teachers on their own, the skill of discussion, self-presentation and building the logic of the story develops. During the training period, these skills are really honed, as many question your ideas and reasoning, building constructive criticism.
In our group of eight students, the first stage was a general exploration of Moscow - as a basis for a topic for each of us. Therefore, in design classes, we listened to everyone and discussed controversial issues together. Thanks to this approach, it was possible to obtain a wide range of knowledge and, at the same time, the integrity of the vision and, on the other hand, a deeper understanding and significance of their topic in the framework of the general development of architecture and modern socio-economic trends."
In the study by M. Finagina "Hybrid systems as a method of renovating industrial zones on the liberated territory along the Yaroslavl railway within the Moscow Ring Road" on the territory of the Yaroslavl railway, construction methods are proposed, which are based on hybrid principles of functional development.
Julianna Reshetnikova
Head: Ksenia Sulim
Department of Architecture of Residential Buildings, Diploma with honors:
“MARCHI … Why go there? Any student of architectural universities of St. Petersburg gets goosebumps from this abbreviation …:)
Before entering the magistracy, the same student from St. Petersburg usually has a choice: either the Moscow Architectural Institute or the State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Having decided to change the environment and get acquainted with the world famous architecture school, I chose the first one, and it turned out to be a very exciting two-year journey.
What is MARCHI? Firstly, there is high competition among the students themselves, at least because (not to mention talents, naturally) that by the time of the master's degree, more are already working, and they are doing this in the strongest architectural bureaus in Russia - this is very cool.
Secondly, the scale. In everything! The scale of the institute (a huge number of departments), the scale of the subjects covered, the scale of the master's thesis itself! In my case, the graphic-design part took up 20 square meters. Thirdly, the teaching staff and their work with students, both of the entire institute and the department (I got to the department of residential buildings, which is insanely happy and grateful, probably, until now), and in groups (I studied in the group of Professor Dyakonova T. A., Sulim K. L., Motovoy A. S.). The most valuable thing is the daily and constant communication of the teachers with the student by any kind of communication, to the word about constant - even at night:) Probably I would also like to mention the new modular system that was introduced into the work with our course (stream). Modularity was present in everything, and in the so-called "general" subjects (each semester was divided into three parts, in each of which new subjects began) and directly in the dissertation itself. It's an interesting experience. Sometimes difficult, very difficult, but interesting. Your thesis is a kind of lego - each chapter and each experimental project is formed into a certain "grid", then reflected on the tablets. You yourself choose what it should be, what the scale is and what the detailing is. For example, in my work there were 3 experimental projects of local objects and 1 project at the urban planning level of the district, combining the models developed at local objects. At the same time, all this is united by a thin thread of theoretical background, developed and proven by these concepts. It was, at least at times, a damn difficult, but interesting path. Thanks to MARCHI for the experience. And by the way, I graduated with honors."
The research by Y. Reshetnikova is devoted to the organization of development of the embankments of St. Petersburg. The experimental projects were carried out on the basis of the principles of the functional-environmental approach to the design of embankments in residential and public buildings in the reorganized urban coastal areas, taking into account the specifics of the development of St. Petersburg. ***
