Resilient Futures
Initiatives
Building Back Better: Odesa


We have concluded a two-week international workshop dedicated to developing Ukraine-led ideas for the sustainable recovery of Odesa. The workshop culminated in an exhibition opening in both Warsaw and Lviv on January 31st, the very day Odesa and its UNESCO-listed heritage sites suffered devastating damage from air raids.



For two weeks, participants from various countries came together with their Ukrainian friends, engaging in deep dialogue and collaboration. Through a shared commitment to understanding each other’s realities, we shaped ideas that we felt were vital to the rebuilding efforts. Many of these interventions were subtle yet powerful, weaving identity, culture, and poetry into the process ensuring that the essence of Ukraine is preserved in ways that decision-makers might otherwise overlook or deliberately ignore.

We have been working in an inclusive, interdisciplinary way, where architecture becomes a bridge to empower communities in need. Our goal is to go beyond immediate challenges, laying the foundation for a resilient and sustainable future. Those who take part in the workshops keep returning, recognising the real need and the direct impact they can have. The learning has been profound, and the sense of solidarity, invaluable. The quality of work - expressed through beautiful drawings, models, and sketches - reflects a deep dedication to the subject of the Architecture of Recovery.

In Warsaw and Lviv last Friday, amid the attacks on Odesa, certain words stood out: beauty, poetry, compassion, understanding, emotion, and love 🖤 Let’s continue in that spirit.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved, your voices played a crucial role in this project. More soon ...




The Odesa workshop highlighted the importance of integrating soft elements drawn from the cultural and historical context of the Odesa region. These elements, including local myths, stories, histories, typologies, and materials, nurture a unique cultural identity, strengthen collective memory, and enhance understanding of the place—critical for psychological wellbeing and truly local recovery.  


This project has been founded by UN-Habitat Ukraine.

Organisers:

Partnering and Supporting Institutions and Organisations:
  • Un-Habitat 
  • University of Limerick, School of Architecture
  • Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture
  • VUT Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture
  • Mayor of the City of Warsaw 
  • WOK: Warsaw Observatory of Culture
  • ARUP Poland
         
         Photos by Marcin Oliva Soto and Zlatoslava Kryshtafovych



Resilient Futures