Initiatives

Building Back Better: Dnipro

In January 2024, over 100 students of architecture and urban design, alongside educators, researchers, professionals, civil society organisations, and policymakers from Ukraine, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Ireland, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany, gathered for a collaborative workshop, held concurrently in Warsaw and Lviv, to create a vision for the sustainable recovery of Ukrainian society.

English subtitles

Ukrainian subtitles

For two weeks, their unified goal was to help develop the Ukrainian student-led visions for their future, with a specific focus on the city of Dnipro and the Dnipro River Basin. This initiative was informed by over 33 lectures and talks, and sought to address the country’s urgent need for innovative, forward-thinking and resilient reconstruction solutions.

At the core of this endeavour was international and multisectoral collaboration that supported Ukrainian driven projects. By working alongside local stakeholders from Dnipro, the participants aimed to co-create ideas for the rebuilding that are deeply rooted in the needs, identity and aspirations of the Ukrainian people. For the Kharkiv School of Architecture, the workshop was pivotal in establishing relationships that aim to enable the launch of Ukraine’s first independent master’s course in Architecture and Urban Design for post-war reconstruction. This ambition represents a bold step forward, with a young and resilient voice positioned at the forefront of the rebuilding efforts.

The rebuilding challenge was approached holistically, across multiple scales, emphasising the vital need for Ukrainian voices, values, and visions to be deeply integrated into future strategies - spanning from national and regional levels to those that are local and community - focused.

The explored scales range from individual housing units and districts to the city of Dnipro and the Dnipro River - Ukraine’s main water artery. The approach integrates nature and sustainable development into the everyday fabric of Ukrainian cities and towns, challenging conventional urban planning and management practices.

At the River Scale, students explored the potential of the Dnipro River not just as infrastructure but as a vital ecosystem supporting life, culture, and the economy. The exhibition invites visitors to explore the river’s past, present, and future, recognising it as a living entity.

The City Scale themes focused on transforming Dnipro’s industrial zones into multifunctional districts that integrate cultural, recreational, and transport functions. Participants proposed enhancing urban connectivity, and cultural programs that preserve local identities and spaces.

At the District Scale, the focus was on enhancing social interaction, collaborating with residents, and integrating displaced persons. The exhibition highlights transforming underutilised spaces into community hubs for dialogue and exchange.

The exhibition at the Home Scale addresses the rebuilding of residential areas and individual homes damaged by the war. It raises key questions about how to live amidst conflict and displacement, and how to restore a sense of home and community. Through artistic and scientific approaches, students explored energy efficiency, sustainability, and social cohesion.

This project has been founded by the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Organisers:

Partnering and Supporting Institutions and Organisations:

Norwegian Refugee Council
Umeå University, Umeå School of Architecture
University of Limerick, School of Architecture
Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture
National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, Poland
WOK: Warsaw Observatory of Culture
Ro3kvit
ARUP Poland
Egala

Photos by Tomek Sikora and Zlatoslava Kryshtafovych