"Lost 10 kilograms". Co-owner of ZROBIM architects studio spoke about four months in pre-trial detention

Andrei Makouski noted that already on the third day of his imprisonment, he made a list for himself of how one could "develop in this situation". One of the skills the architect decided to improve was drawing portraits.

— During this time, I drew many portraits and gave them all away. Some of the sketches remained with me. Then I always wanted to draw architectural sketches. <…> I started practicing drawing architectural sketches, inventing architecture: a new house for myself, a new house for cellmates. I designed architecture for everyone there, even for those who didn't need it," Andrei Makouski shared.

In addition, he learned to play chess, read eight books, and wrote one. Now Andrei is looking for a publisher for it.

In the pre-trial detention center, the architect also practiced yoga, did push-ups, walked around his cell, and monitored his diet.

— This way, I lost 10 kg, — said the co-owner of Zrobim architects.

He added that he learned English words during his detention. He copied them from a book and the only English-language newspaper, and then translated them with the help of his cellmates. Andrei memorized new vocabulary during his two-hour daily walks around the cell.

He also said that during his detention, 30 percent of the company's employees left: "there were 100 people, now there are 70."

— I thought: "Cool, 70% remained". That's a lot. Really great. It's like shaking an apple tree: what fell would have fallen anyway. They were already ripe for leaving, since they left," the speaker shared.

The podcast host stated that "in the first days of this story," "about 50 employees of Zrobim architects" were detained. Andrei Makouski said that he felt personal responsibility for these people.

— I said that all responsibility rests with me. I acknowledge it, I repent. I am ready to compensate for the damage. <…> I am guilty, we underpaid taxes. All of this happened because of me," the architect noted.

Andrei Makouski had been in detention since April 2026. He was accused of receiving undeclared income totaling six million dollars between 2021 and 2025. Security forces came to the studio after Makouski's post on Threads about having to hire an ideologist. It became known in August that he had been released.

Zrobim architects is one of the most well-known and successful architectural studios in Belarus, founded in 2011. The company operates both domestically and internationally.

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