Kharkiv City Revival

'From the Concrete Grew a Sunflower' is an architectural tale of resilience inspired by the indomitable spirit of Ukrainians in the face of ongoing Russian aggression. This resilient spirit is particularly evident in Kharkiv, a city whose proximity to the Russian border has led to large-scale destruction of lives and property, with the latter leading to the displacement of many residents. Despite the impact of Russian aggression on the socio-cultural, economic, and urban landscapes in Kharkiv, the people remain relentless in their pursuit of freedom. This resilience is evident in the continuity of life and activities in Kharkiv.

Some of the recent imagery coming out of the city shows people planting gardens in shell craters and young students taking classes in underground bunkers while many displaced residents gradually return to their homes, albeit destroyed. Life is slowly returning to Kharkiv. Hence, this competition to improve the residential neighborhoods as part of the broader master plan for rebuilding Kharkiv is timely and crucial.

Our design proposal seeks to preserve the cherished heritage of Kharkiv's past while developing sustainable and desirable housing solutions and infrastructural development.The overall strategy is to build back better by providing beautiful and comfortable shelter and improved urban living conditions through adopting modular deep retrofitting, urban regeneration, sustainable circular systems, and underground urbanism, implemented in phases to allow for economic recovery.

Ultimately, this creates a safe, vibrant, and sustainable neighborhood, facilitating the vision of a future-ready Kharkiv city and inspiring hope for the people of Kharkiv.