Here is the English translation of the interview questions and answers with Andrey Petrov, Director of Business Development for Russia and CIS at Semrén & Månsson

Interview Questions for Semrén & Månsson Representative

Answered by Andrey Petrov, Director of Business Development for Russia and CIS.

1. Semrén & Månsson positions itself as a company creating projects for "comfortable and safe living for decades to come." Can you provide specific examples of your projects that combine Swedish design, lifecycle management of facilities, and a social focus?

Already in our very first project in St. Petersburg – the Skandi Klubb residential quarter – we managed to combine eco-friendly solutions, economic efficiency, and create an atmosphere of neighborliness. Although this project was completed almost 10 years ago, in 2025, in the new guidebook to the Petrograd Side, architectural critic Maria Elkina and historian Lev Lurie characterized Skandi Klubb as a "practically exemplary residential complex."

2. Your philosophy mentions a balance between economics, ecology, and social benefit. How do you measure a project's success in these three aspects? Share a case study where this approach delivered significant results.

We measure it using sustainability assessment metrics. We are confident that a harmonious combination of economic, environmental, and social sustainability benefits both society and the developer. Examples include a school in the village of Krutoy Log in the Belgorod region and the new building of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Clinical Hospital. These facilities share a Scandinavian design approach focused on long service life and user convenience.

3. You work with diverse audiences: from schoolchildren to doctors and developers. How do you account for the needs of such different groups when designing facilities? For instance, are there specific features when creating medical or educational spaces?

In every project, we have an unbreakable rule: close collaboration with future users during the concept development stage. Our method is based on combining the knowledge held by doctors, technical specialists, the construction community, and relevant Russian and international experts. We ensure harmonious architecture in technically complex conditions with high requirements for the working environment, infection control, and accessibility for people with reduced mobility. This allows us to create truly convenient and safe environments.

In medical facilities, special attention is paid to flow organization, ergonomics, and the everyday comfort of patients, doctors, and all support services. Educational spaces, in turn, require flexibility and a comfortable environment for learning and development. Psychological support plays an important role, so in all our educational projects, we incorporate recreation zones and psychologists' offices for both students and teachers.

4. The theme of the REBUS 2025 forum is infrastructure digitalization. How does Semrén & Månsson integrate digital technologies into its projects? Do you use BIM modeling, IoT, or "smart" building management systems?

From the very beginning of our work in Russia, we have actively developed digital design technologies. We are members of the BIM/TIM Leaders Club and participate in developing the cross-industry BIM standard. Today, digitalization is becoming not just a tool, but the environment for making architectural decisions. The Information Modeling Department, also known as the BIM department, is evolving into a full-fledged IT department over time.

BIM is implemented at all design stages: from concept design to detailed design documentation. We integrate BIM with project management systems (Ya360, Timetta), enabling end-to-end process control and transparency. A key element is data visualization in BI platforms, including model completeness metrics and timelines.

We are developing a "data-driven design" approach: project decisions consider traffic analysis, insolation studies, behavioral scenarios, and end-user needs.

Unfortunately, not every client is yet ready for IoT and "smart" systems, but in several projects we have implemented climate control, energy metering, and adaptive lighting.

Digitalization allows us to speak to the client and user in the language of facts, models, and predictive analytics.

5. Rustam Minnikhanov, Rais of Tatarstan, noted that digitalization should be felt by residents in practice. How do your projects make people's everyday lives more convenient through technology? For example, are there solutions for energy efficiency or inclusive environments?

In our view, architecture should be not only beautiful but also understandable, welcoming, and adaptive. Therefore, digital technologies have become a tool for us to make the environment more human-centered and sustainable.

In several projects, we implement technological solutions to enhance comfort and energy efficiency, including:

* Energy-efficient facades and engineering systems: ventilation with heat recovery, solar panels, "smart climate" systems, and energy metering.

* Barrier-free environment designed considering behavioral scenarios of various user groups – from people with reduced mobility to parents with strollers.

* Smart navigation: routes and lighting adapting to the time of day, season, and activity levels.

We design the digital infrastructure of everyday life with the capability for IoT integration, data collection on environment usage, and adapting architecture to people's lives, not the other way around.

6. One of the key challenges in construction is implementing cutting-edge technologies within limited budgets. How do you find a compromise between innovation and economic feasibility?

For example, in the school project in Krutoy Log village, we managed to stay within the regional budget while implementing modern solutions, proving that innovation can be combined with financial responsibility.

7. Semrén & Månsson relies on a Swedish approach to design. How do you adapt these principles to Russian realities, especially in the context of infrastructure digitalization?

We design in accordance with Russian regulatory documents while simultaneously developing IT analytics and internal services for processing information data. Today, Russia is one of the leaders in using digital products for managing urban infrastructure, and we actively integrate these achievements into our work.

8. The REBUS forum brings together experts from BRICS, SCO, and CIS countries. Do you have experience implementing projects abroad or joint initiatives with foreign partners? How do global trends influence your work?

We engage in information analytics to understand what will be necessary and in demand in the future and to incorporate these solutions today. Among our projects in the CIS, the "Green Harbor" residential complex in Minsk stands out as large-scale in terms of development area and innovative solutions. For a territory of 220 hectares, we developed a master plan based on sustainable development principles. And right now, we are working on a new ambitious project in Uzbekistan – a high-rise building.

9. The forum will host the ArchiTECH 2025 youth campus. Does your company participate in preparing young specialists? For example, through internships or educational programs?

We actively participate in training the new generation of architects, engineers, and BIM specialists. We are a permanent partner of the SPbGASU TIM Championship, participate in the judging panel, consult, and invite participants for internships. Our colleagues serve on diploma committees at MARKHI, MGAHI named after V.I. Surikov, and SPbGASU. We regularly speak at forums and educational projects as mentors, conduct workshops.

Recent examples include the "Open City" festival in Moscow, ArchCongress, and the "Koltushi Heights – Territory of New Ideas" summer architecture school.

10. A separate track at REBUS is dedicated to "heritage." How do your projects preserve the historical identity of territories while combining it with modern technologies?

When developing a concept, we always turn to local identity. For instance, in the FoRest project for FSK company in Zelenodolsk, we drew on Tatar culture and incorporated elements of its artistic language into the landscaping and facade solutions. We treat historical heritage sites within project territories with great reverence, striving to make them the centerpiece of the new development.

11. In your opinion, how will digitalization change the appearance of cities in 10–20 years? What solutions is Semrén & Månsson incorporating into projects today to ensure they remain relevant in the future?

Today, cities worldwide strive to have a maximum set of digital products for managing urban infrastructure. We hope that city services will become more thoughtful. We wish for this digitalization to be aimed at improving building lifecycle management systems, enhancing the housing and utilities system, improving the operation of existing buildings and communications, refining the urban environment, and efficiently utilizing the resources of city services. This will transform the urban environment by improving existing buildings and infrastructure. For our part, we design with future needs in mind: we use digital twins, operational data, and service platforms. Smart cities should be not only technological but also convenient for living.

12. Why did Semrén & Månsson decide to become a partner of the forum? What results do you expect from participating?

The Republic of Tatarstan is one of the leaders in digitalization in Russia, and we are interested in being part of this process. We want to exchange experiences and see the direction the industry is moving. The session we are preparing will bring together visionaries and practitioners of architectural and technological solutions.

13. "Smart" materials and digital tools will be presented at the REBUS exhibition. Do you plan to present your technological developments or case studies at the forum?

We invite you to attend our discussion on August 18th!