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housing & habitat

Students working on this theme explored interactions between social and spatial conditions, while engaging with understanding the impact of urban policies on habitat conditions. Characterised by a relatively high level of residential satisfaction, large housing estates remains popular in Ukraine, and continue to be developed and even expanded. The impacts of war include both direct destruction of individual buildings and estates, as well as changes in the composition of residents due to outmigration to cities in Western Ukraine and abroad, alongside the emergence of IDPs from affected and occupied cities who decide to settle here. Aging neighbourhoods require numerous reconstructions to make them usable and liveable for both elder and younger people. The students explored the following questions: 

  

  • What measures can be proposed to address the impacts of war?  

  • How are the interests of different stakeholders balanced and included in the development of the neighbourhood?   

  • How can different groups work collaboratively in the neighbourhood reconstruction process?  

  • How promising is the transformation of “sleeping areas” into multifunctional neighbourhoods?  

  • What alternative housing structures and approaches could be proposed?  

​HOUSING & HABITAT OUTCOMES 

  

  • Strengthen social inclusion and equity, by understand new population compositions in rebuilt or relocated communities where people of different cultural and social backgrounds mix together, ensuring that all groups -including the marginalized and vulnerable- have access to opportunities and services, thus building inclusive and resilient communities. 

  • Increase the variety of housing options through a mix of single-family homes, townhouses, apartment buildings, including affordable housing options and protecting the renting market to ensure suitable accommodation for a wide range of income levels and lifestyles 

  • Actively involve residents, local businesses and all community groups in transparent decision-making reconstruction processes 

  • Preserve cultural heritage and historical landmarks able to contributes to identity preservation and community pride within mass housing neighbourhoods 

  • Improve transportation infrastructure and green infrastructure within a pedestrian-friendly design to enhance connectivity within the neighbourhood and with the surrounding areas.  

  • Invest in technology transfer and innovation to increase competitiveness of new businesses, in turn generating quality employment opportunities for local people 

public space, green infrastructure & wellbeing

Students working on this theme explored strategies for the provision, conception and management of public space, as well as perceptions at social and institutional levels, in order to understand pathways to placemaking through integrating socio-economic and environmental conditions in mass housing areas, considering perspectives and experiences from a wide range of stakeholders. Understanding the capacity of public space and green infrastructure to enable well-being brought about questions around the physical, social, and political impact of the design and implementation of public spaces and urban infrastructures. As Kyiv grows, the problem of socio-spatial injustice in the distribution of green (and not only green) public spaces becomes more acute. Some former public spaces are being "colonised" by religious objects, leading to new urban conflicts. Meanwhile, in mass housing areas, some public spaces remain neglected, especially along transport arteries or around transport (transit) hubs.  The students explored the following questions: 

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  • What is the role of the civil society in addressing the redevelopment of public open spaces?  

  • How can urban policy ensure public space accessibility for all and regulate sacralisation issues?  

  • How should neglected spaces be approached?  

  • How might war impact the development of green infrastructure, energy efficiency and climate adaptation in the city? 

PUBLIC SPACES, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE & WELLBEING OUTCOMES 

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  • Ensure local policies able to protect public spaces, as well as control and regulate potential privatisation issues 

  • Ensure local policies able to preserve the natural diversity and ecological value of open spaces 

  • Promote active community involvement in decision making and knowledge sharing about the importance of protecting open spaces 

  • Ensure community involvement and partnerships with local organisations to revitalise abandoned spaces, using culture and the arts to increase their attractiveness for both locals and visitors 

Post-war/conflict Urban Regeneration    

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Online workshop event
02-04 april 2024​
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WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 
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The workshop took place online and included lectures on post-war and post-crisis urban development, preservation and participatory planning research, drawing on experiences from academic staff based at both universities. Students were presented the case of Socialist-time mass housing neighbourhood in Kyiv. Students were organised in groups according to the thematic approach and interest of their ongoing academic work (Housing & habitat; Mobility & socio-spatial integration; Public Space, green infrastructure & wellbeing; and Heritage & cultural context). Working collaboratively within these groups, and building on the range of experiences, the students were expected to analyse the specific physical as well as socio-economic and political conditions of the case study through the lens of the specific chosen theme, and reflect on the potential priorities and strategies needed to drive reconstruction and regeneration. They explored processes for urban change, identifying formal and informal actors that might get involved in the decision making, and possible pathways for implementation of the proposed strategic solutions. They discussed drivers for post-conflict/war urban development and mass housing regeneration, considering broader current global challenges.   

  

The outcomes of their collaborative work were presented during the final day of the workshop, which was an opportunity to exchange ideas and define a shared framework for intervention. Finally, a roundtable discussion took place to discuss and summarise the findings of the students’ work and how that could contribute to their academic work within their respective programmes of study.  

  

WORKSHOP QUESTIONS 

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Overarching question to consider during the workshop:  

  

  • What are the main issues surrounding reconstruction and regeneration in Ukrainian cities in the context of growing global challenges and impacts of war?  

 

Secondary questions to reflect on:    

  

  • What are the key planning challenges that will need to be confronted during and after the war in the reconstruction of mass housing estates in Ukrainian cities?    

  • How to combat urbicide, displacement and precariousness consequences?  

  • What are the key socio-demographic and migration challenges that are shaping mass housing transformation now and how these will influence future decision making?  

  • How the interweaving of inherited from socialist times and new approaches in urban planning can impact a mass housing reconstruction and to what extent it could be affected by widening participation in decision making around cities

 

 

THEMATIC OUTCOMES 

  

mobility & socio-spatial integration

Students working on this theme explored the connections between innovative mobility strategies and improved quality of life in urban areas, including the potential for mobility interventions to foster social equity and wellbeing in mass housing areas. The "metro to Troieshchyna" has been claimed and discussed since the construction of this neighbourhood. The students explored which solutions could be proposed from the perspective of "more than just public transport," such as using the metro as shelter during missile attacks or expanding the network of shelters at public transport stops. They explored the following questions: 

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  • How can the challenges of increasing population pressure and demands for urban mobility be collaboratively addressed?  

  • What approaches could be proposed for closer integration of remote residential areas into urban space?  

  • Which projects should be prioritised in times of war and post-war reconstruction with pressing social issues? 

  • Which approaches should be taken to expand the network of electric transport in the conditions of the breakdown of the city's energy system?  

MOBILITY & SOCIO-SPATIAL INTEGRATION OUTCOMES 

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  • Develop mechanisms for satisfying the increasing transport demands whilst regulating private transportation 

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive mobility plan including a public transport development plan, ensuring community participation in planning and policy making processes 

  • Adopt a people-centred approach to ensure service in remote areas and increase public transport affordability for low income groups 

  • Implement some principles of the 15 minute city concept, to ensure more local job opportunities nearby where people live 

  • Promote multimodal transport including active travel options, by encouraging a combination of walking and cycling with public transport, and sharing transport options such as bikes-sharing or car-sharing schemes 

  • Explore approaches to expand the electric transport network using renewable energy sources such as solar car charging stations 

  • Improve accessibility including safety measures for women, children, the elderly and the disable 

heritage and cultural context

Students working on this theme engaged with the range of emerging creative practices in urban areas resulting from public participation and collaboration, and the ways in which these contribute to generating cultural values and shared spaces in the city. They explored the following questions: 

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  • To what extent can mass housing areas from the socialist era be considered as part of the city's cultural heritage?  

  • What approach should be taken to damaged or decay mass housing areas and how should the cultural identity of mass housing areas be rebuilt? 

  • How should the image of mass housing neighbourhoods be created or transformed? Which conflicts might arise from expressing local patriotism within mass housing areas?  

  • How should memory policy be implemented and what kind of monuments should remain or be erected in mass housing neighbourhoods during and after the war?  

  • What role can street art play in the regeneration of mass housing areas? 

HERITAGE AND CULTURAL CONTEXT OUTCOMES 

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  • Ensure that the identity of the area can be maintained by integrating historical narratives into the urban fabric and ensuring opportunities for young residents 

  • Host temporal cultural events in public spaces to encourage visitors to come, improving the accessibility and connectivity of the area 

  • Create a common strategic vision for the future of the area, ensuring public participation and including local organisations

WORKSHOP RECORDINGS 

  

The video recordings of days 1 and 2 of the workshop are available to watch on YouTube, below: 

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