Could Ukraine become the first post-Soviet country to holistically and sustainably renew its vast stock of Soviet-era mass housing?
In mid-June, Lviv hosted the urban hackathon “Holistic renovation on modernism housing”, a platform for bold, creative, provocative ideas on how to reimagine large-scale housing renovation. Over two days, architects, urban planners from Ukraine and the EU, students, municipal representatives, and local residents worked collaboratively to envision a future for part of the Sykhiv district—home to around 176,000 people.
UREHERIT promotes a comprehensive approach to modernist housing renewal that integrates spatial quality, social impact, economic and technical strategies, and environmental considerations. Even when renovation is urgent, it must not compromise the livability or integrity of residential environments. Our working group, led by the Lithuanian Union of Architects, is developing a methodology for Ukraine’s housing that meets modern standards while preserving architectural coherence.
During the hackathon, five interdisciplinary teams—led by architects from Estonia, Lithuania, and Ukraine—proposed new approaches to collective renewal. From clarifying the roles of stakeholders to enhancing social cohesion and rethinking public space, the teams explored how to empower residents, improve quality of life, and create a vision for change. Proposals ranged from activating shared courtyards and creating “neighbor days” to moving parking outside the district and building new rooftop housing to support renovation efforts.
The concepts were presented at a public event in the local library and delivered to Lviv’s City Administration and Chief Architect’s Office as recommendations. All visions and proposals were presented at a public event in the local library and shared with the Lviv City Administration and the Chief Architect’s Office as recommendations.
Team 1 (led by Paco Ulman, Estonia) presented the project “Borscht Space”, which aimed to “separate the ingredients of borscht” – that is, to clearly define the character and use of each space. The proposal outlined private areas adjacent to buildings (e.g., for flowers or bicycle storage), semi-private courtyards (for DIY initiatives), semi-public spaces (for playgrounds and sports), and fully public gathering places such as around drinking fountains. The team also proposed scenarios for the formation of (in)formal communities, supported by municipalities (financially) and experts (through consultation).
Team 2 (led by Oleksandr Anisimov, Ukraine) proposed a new decision-making framework. Focusing on three major issues – parking, public spaces, and the condition of buildings – the group identified all relevant stakeholders (municipalities, companies, residents, associations, NGOs, experts, businesses) and defined specific actions needed from each to support holistic improvement.
Team 3 (led by Martynas Marozas, Lithuania) highlighted the importance of creative leadership. Their project “Neighbour Day” outlined a five-year plan to implement 25 small-scale, low-budget initiatives (such as an outdoor kitchen, barbecue area, flea market, communal dinner table, meditation zone, sports tournaments, micro-gardens, film screenings, etc.) to support social transformation within the community and build readiness for renovation.
Team 4 (led by Ruslan Antonenko, Ukraine) emphasized the value of social diversity in both programming and inter-building spaces. The proposal included relocating parking to a new facility outside the neighborhood, transforming courtyards into semi-private areas with features like barbecues and treehouses, and creating a central meeting space. New rooftop housing could help finance renovations, while the ground floor of a community center could host additional activities.
Team 5 (led by Elina Liiva, Estonia) developed the concept “One Beautiful Path”, envisioning a new pedestrian route as the main axis of transformation for the neighborhood. This new walkway would connect both sides of the area and link various public functions. The team also suggested repurposing a nearby abandoned technical building for relocated parking.
All projects from the Urban Hackathon will soon be available in Ukrainian and English on urbanhack.eu. We invite you to explore them and be inspired.
The hackathon in Lviv was co-organized by the Estonian Association of Architects and NGO Ro3kvit: Urban Coalition for Ukraine as part of the UREHERIT project, in collaboration with the Lithuanian Union of Architects and supported by the Lithuanian Culture Institute. UREHERIT is co-funded by the EU’s Creative Europe programme.
Text: Rūta Leitenaitė (UREHERIT Coordinator)
Foto: Zlata Kryshtafovych
