News in Press-centre

Young design architects of Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) won the annual IX International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in Harbin (China). A three-meter Firebird, created by FEFU students, was recognized as the best among the sculptures by 55 teams from around the world.

The Far Eastern Federal University team competed in creating snow sculptures with the artists from the United States, Canada, China, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, and Europe. Russia and FEFU will be represented on the competition by Alexander Rybak, Pavel Kolobov, Egor Shestatsky, Ivan Sukhanov, Antonina Galinskaya, Alexander Chernykh, and Daria Klyuchnikova—all of them are majoring in Design of Architectural Space at the School of Engineering. They were preparing for the Festival for several months—developed design and layouts of the snow Firebird—and the very sculpture was created within a few days.

“This year's competition was particularly difficult. More than 50 teams participated and all of them were very strong rivals. Besides, real Harbin frost let know about itself, due to which not all participants were able to reach the finals,” added Alexander Rybak.

FEFU students have participated in the competition of sculptures from 2012 and repeatedly won prizes. They traditionally adhere to the themes of Russian folklore in snow sculptures: previously they portrayed Lukomorye (fictional land in Russian folklore), Zmey Gorynych (three-headed dragon), and Russian bears. According to the authors, the Firebird has become the most difficult sculpture in their practice, because it required scrupulous treatment of small parts.

Harbin is famous for its International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, which is held by the Ministry of Education of China and Harbin Institute of Technology. Every year thousands of tourists from all over the world visit the place to admire these works of art.