URBAN ISSUES OF UKRAINE

Analytic research on urban planning and urban policy

contents

Mono function

Urban landscape

Neglect of historical heritage

Breakaway of urban landscape

Public spaces

Unique public places

Jammed public places

Prominent public places

Green areas and deforestation

Abandoned historical heritage

Architectural landmarks

Pseudo historical architecture

Urban voids – wastelands, transport nodes, underground structures

Post-Soviet residential legacy

Mass produced buildings

Urban challenges of living blocks

Urban transformations

Art of superblocks

Public transport

Public transport

Traffic jams

Remoted neighborhoods

Cycle network

Post- industrial legacy

Legacy map

Brownfields

Redevelopment projects

Tragedy of commons

Parking

Fails of the Masterplan

Energy monopolies

Worse building maintaining

Frozen development projects

Littering

Balconies

Borderization

Ecological problems

Water

Air

Ground

Nature conservation

Expansion on greenfileds

Kiev 2014

Urban Sustain Architecture

ISSUES INITIATIVES PROJECTS

Prologue Intro Urban planning Code

Lviv Institute of the City

Vinnytsya transfornations

Ivano Frankivsk ID

Kiev initiatives

Transport models

Dnieper pearls contest

Sustain town

Magic city

Manifesto of comfortable Kiev

Suburban redevelopment strategies

Startegy for the Expocenter of Ukraine

CONTENTS

ISSUES INITIATIVES PROJECTS

prologue

The term of urban studies had a little qualitative application in Ukraine during last 25 years. Despite of existence of an urbanism specialization in Kharkiv Architectural High School and activity of several NGOs claimed urban orientation, urban studies in Ukraine were practically absent, that significantly affected the quality of city design, urban planning and urban regulatory policy. Town planners often twisted the sense of the term of urbanism. Town planning in its post-Soviet manifestation in Ukraine took a solely technical part in designing of cities’ mechanisms, ignoring researches and participation of local communities in decision-making on urban equipment.

The Institute of the city of Lviv, established in 2009, is the flagship of the field of urban studies in Ukraine. Vinnytsia and Ivano-Frankivsk followed him. The beginning of 2014 born the tide of initiatives in the fields of urban studies and urban planning still weakly interconnected. Political changesforced social activity of different NGOs, funds, design bureau, municipal departments and associations into realm of urban studies, analytics and forecasting.

This research considers on understanding of urban transformations and urban challenges in Ukrainian cities. Describing the main changes of the urban environment over the past 25 years, the author aims not so quantitative how qualitative assessments of the processes. This work has a quite wide frame and covers almost all urban topics from public spaces to transport. This is an illustrated collection of analytics and particular examples of urban transformations and conflicts in urban policy. In the future all the topics will be thorough elaborated in individual studies.

Architect-urban planner Roman Pomazan

Kiev is the most vibrant city among Ukrainian cities. 80 – 95% of development projects were concentrated here in 1990 - 2010-s. Odessa, Lviv and Dnipropetrovsk were the most developing cities next after Kiev. The last built town is Yuzhne in Odessa region.As for today there are 459 towns in Ukraine. In XII century State of Rus had 238 towns according to the medieval chronicles. In XVII century Ukraine’s area covers 756 towns.

LEGACY of Soviet town planning forcefully influences Ukraine’s urban planning policy and city governance twenty years later.

Despite of formal change of urban planning code, METHODS OF DECISION MAKING in urban policy practically has not been changed since Soviet time.

Attempts to adapt policy instruments made for the CENTRAL PLANNED ECONOMY, had not fit for the capitalism model. Masterplanning after 1990-s did not took into account decay of economy,

deindustrialization, changes of business behavior, human activities and communities’ participation.

Current urban planning code does NOT INCLUDE a strategy level before designing a masterplan.

Through twenty years since 1990 URBAN PLANNING TRENDS were monocentrism and monodistricts’ development, fossil fuel centralized energy supply, limited international integration of

professional communiity, pointed developement interventions in urban fabric.

EXPANSION dominates over compact city and quality of environment.

Local communities have no real instruments for PARTICIPATION in urban planning process.

STRICT functional division of urban zones is common in all masterplans of Ukraine’s cities.

Masterplanning relies on obsolete norms and avoids fundamental RESEARCHES and case studies.

Nowadays, the KEY FACTORS of urban planning policy are development of greenfields, cheap construction and state monopolies’ interests.

Urban planning policy DIFFERS in regions and settlements of Ukraine. Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnitsa already started involving new methods and implementing up-to-date approaches in their urban

policy. Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Donetsk, Crimean cities still ignore needs of urban transformations for the best.

KIEV 839 km2 2.84 mln

KHARKIV 350 km2 1.43 mln

DONETSK358 km20.96 mln

DNIPROPETROVSK405 km21.03 mln

ODESSA237 km21.00 mln

Until 2011 urban planning in Ukraine was the exclusive right of descendants of Soviet planning institutes. None of foreign urban planners has not been eligible to design a masterplan in Ukraine for twenty years. During last 20 years no real competition was in urban designing. Masterplans were the classified information until 2014.

Importance of ecological issues and local sustainable economy are often ignored in urban policy .

More than 20 years of independence, Ukraine continues the traditions of the Soviet master planning, relied on a central planned economy and strict urban zoning differentiation. The reform of the Ukraine’s urban planning code of 2011-2013 intended to modernize urban planning legislation. However, the reform was done formally and had not changed planning approach and urban policy trends. Some parts of the reform has not been implemented till now. Urban monitoring has not been began in the majority of communities.

Urban development is the prerogative of limited circles of authorities. Public participation is not wide spread. Lack of young professionals in urban planning suppress vital approach and urban transformations. Nowadays, development of greenfields, economy and state monopolies’ interests are the key factors of urban planning policy in the major of Ukrainian settlements. Official urban planning policy of Ukraine avoids redevelopment of brownfields, revitalization of residential districts, sustainable city development, water and waste management, nature conservation.

The planning code relies on punitive measures by the Ukraine State construction agency instead of professional insurance.

INTRO

Formal framework of urban planning largely depends on the degree of urban policy transformation from command-planned to decentralized-participational patterns and collaboration of government, business and communities in each community. Activity of communities in urban management and a form of urban planning differs a lot from Donetsk to Lviv. West Ukrainian cities already has been started involvement of new methods of up-to-date approaches in their urban policy. On the other side, Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Donetsk, Crimean cities still ignored urban transformations, rather using point inclusions in urban fabric and pleasing definite developers.

Participation of Lviv citizens in urban policy is quite developed and already beard fruit. In Donetsk, all decisions are made solely within the framework interests of big money and oligarchy.

Kiev needs 8 years to achieve the quality level of urban transformation policy like Lviv - says current Lviv’smayor Andriy Sadovyi.

However, despite the processes stated above, urban transformation processes has began. Initiatives of city authorities and activists as well as projects of Urban Sustain group evidence it.

Lviv’s mayor Andriy Sadovyi opens Lviv cycle marathon

LVIV 182 km2 0.73 mln

MYKOLAIV 260 km2 0.50 mln

ZAPORIZHIA334 km20.77 mln

MARIUPOL244 km20.49 mln

KRYVYI RIH410 km20.66 mln

The Urban planning Code changed urban policy and regulations of Ukraine in 2011. Several amendments were passed in 2013-2014.

The Urban Code declare:

5 levels of planning: (1) state – (2) region – (3) district – (4) city/rural area – (5) city’s or rural district + zoning plan.

Specific level of legislative body is in charge of approval of the same level of document.

Private bodies can finance urban design of the 5th levels. Municipality-financed urban designs go via tender.

Mandatory expertise only for documents of 1-4 levels. Expertise can done by a state or a private body.

Any urban planning design should be conducted by certified town planner.

All designs in Ukraine divided into the 3 classes of responsibility and 5 categories of complexity.

Townplanners and experts must get certificate from the State Union of Architects.

Formal public hearings are mandatory for all levels before a design will be approved.

Any level of urban design has to pass regional level of Urban Planning Council.

Urban designs of 4th and 5th levels serve as the source of urban limitations for construction.

Zoning plan and detailed plan of territory are the two parallel design methods used by law till now.

Since 2014 all masterplans were unclassified and should be presented on an official web site of local authorities.

URBAN PLANNING CODE

ISSUES

URBAN ISSUES OF KIEV

Current city masterplan has been started designed in 1980-s but only 30% of target achieved till now.

Lack of competition in city design and poor collaboration of city departments lead to low quality of the Masterplan.

Private automobile infrastructure prevails on public transport. Municipal public transport is decaying.

Plenty of developers ignore The Masterplan.

In 2013 only 20 % of detailed plans of territories has been designed. Zoning plan has not been developed yet. All this take an opportunity for avoiding laws and masterplans.

POST-SOVIET RESIDENTIAL

LEGACY

URBAN LANDSCAPE

MONO FUNCTION

TRAGEDY OF COMMONS

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

POST-INDUSTRIAL

LEGACY

ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

MONOCENTRISM AND MONOFUNCTIONSoviet city design paradigm is still alive for local urban planners – live at outskirts, work in the center.

Government and city authorities concentrated in the centre.

60 % population works in downtown

Transportation nodes concentrated in downtown

Weak local community governance and budgeting. All finances and decisions go through the City administration.

35% population traverse 5 bridges every day to and fro

NEGLECT OF

HISTORICAL HERITAGE

PUBLIC SPACES

ABANDONED HISTORICAL HERITAGE

PSEUDO HISTORICAL DEVELOP-

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DEMOLITION OF ARCHITECTURAL

LANDMARKS

DEFORESTATION OF GREENERY

URBAN LANDSCAPE

NEGLECT OF HISTORICAL HERITAGEAbsence of elaborated urban planning limits in historical areas as well as neglect of laws by developers led to appearance of numerous huge concrete-glass boxes in historical architectural landscape. Developers try to build in downtown the large square meters the better avoiding Masterplan.

Hyatt Regency hotel was opened in 2007 in the immediate vicinity to St. Sophia cathedral – UNESCO heritage object. This building located within the buffer zone of St. Sophia cathedral.

NEGLECT OF HISTORICAL HERITAGERecently a Person of the City chief architect had huge influence on permits in construction in Kiev. He could decide whether to be built or not. Often buildings were designed and approved de facto after construction. Thus a lot of overscale commercial and housing buildings appeared.

Leonardo business centre built in 1998-2005 under conduction of the city chief architect who forced approvals of the object. Second stage built as glazing tower dominates and presses historic architectural landscape. First version of the building looked like a huge glazed ball.

NEGLECT OF HISTORICAL HERITAGEPrivileged position of Church caused several construction scandals. Very often Church used own prestige for approval of commercial projects in protected areas bypassing laws. Main church real estate anticipations related to historical and archeological sites. Such there were incidents of new construction in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Kitaev Pusryn’ monastery, Desyatinny lane and remains of churches of the Tithes and St. Theodor in Kiev.

Desyatinny lane is the part of Ancient Kiev reserve that archeological layer dated IX century. New office building of Ukraine Orthodox Church intended to be erected over foundations of the Prince VolodymirGreat’s palace, built in X century. Construction of this business centerwas initiated by Church that owned the parcel. Construction began without a permit by nights. Anti-construction protests last for two years after that construction is finished.

NEGLECT OF HISTORICAL HERITAGEConstruction in green belts of Kiev became ubiquitous in 2004 - 2013. Downtown greenfileds became a cherished target for real estate developers. Greenery removal for new construction in Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa became usual news in mass media. Several projects were commissioned due to decrease of natural reserved lands. This developers’ logic was caused by pursuit of fast return of investments. No regards were given to ecology and nature landmarks in that case.

This business centre was built on Kiev Hills park system on the high Right bank of the Dnieper that longs from Podol to Vydubichi. Hundreds trees were cut to clear the construction site. 20 000 sqmParkovy business centre with rooftop helipad was built on Parkova alley in vicinity to Mariinsky palace.

NEGLECT OF HISTORICAL HERITAGEIn 2000-s land tenure prices got high in Kiev’s downtown. Sometimes developers acquired tenure of tiny plots in the center in courts orbetween buildings and red lines. Facades of historical quartiers were covered by lines of new ultramodern or pseudohistorical buildings. Ineffectiveness of urban planning policy showed up alongside with tendency towards neglect and abandonment of old buildings in historical centers of cities. In fact this type new developments were provided through large amounts of exceptions from build laws. For example, distance between new and old building was often 15 - 30 m. Overscale, limited parking, etc.

This building was built on the small square in front of residential house of XIX century aside of Russian drama theater. Construction threatened metro station Teatralna. Finished in 2012 the building intended to be a boutique. After sequence of protests and public pressing city authorities promised to dismantle the building. Finally developer gifted this building to the Museum of Kiev.

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

This is the Right Bank of Kiev. This historical urban landscape has not been changed for centuries. But only 23 years was enough to break the blue line. Several highrise housings were erected avoiding the Masterplan of Kiev and making exceptions from build norms. Several times city’s authorities declared ban on highrise construction in the downtown waterfront and each time after it was evaded by developer.

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Highrises in downtown were built bypassing the scheme of highrise construction in Kiev that allows to built over 72m out of the transport circle around downtown.http://www.klovskiy-7a.kiev.ua/.Highrise on Klovsky descent 7A was built on a tiny plot. The building overscales Pechersk neighborhood, breaks Right bank skyline as well as Pecherska lavra historic landscape. People called it the “Mordor tower”.

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

Highrise on Klovsky descent 7A

The first scandal project has been started building in 2000 on Hrushevskogo street 9A. Firstly this complex supposed to be 15 levels, that will not break the Right bank skyline. But further a developer increased levels upto 22 pursuing super profits. Actually this housing break away not only historical landscape but the Kiev Edge bike-pedestrian trail also. Kiev Edge lies on the tops of steep slopes of the Right bank connecting parks. This 3-meter wide trail was created in 1950-s. Kiev city authorities include this trail into the city’s development program considering it as an important pedestrian connection.

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

Famous architects and non-govermental organizations have repeatedly appealed to the leadership of the country to deal with violations of the law during the redevelopment of the historical center of Kiev. Several times Ukraine’s President Yuschenko and Kiev’s mayor Chernovetsky declared on a total removal of the complex because of damage to historical landscape of the city. All their declares was found false. Hrushevskogo 9A residence housing even got the second construction stage that completely break out all pedestrian trails on the hills. Apartment cost ranged here from 5000 to 20000 $/sqm.

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPEResidence housing on Hrushevskogo 9A

Because of excellent panorama views, vicinity to sacred Pecherska lavra and comfortable road connection Hrushevskogo street and prolonging Ivana Mazepy and Lavrska streets became the promised land for developers. Several scandal projects followed the luxury Hrushevskogo building 9A without regard to the Kiev’s masterplan, claims of social activists, historians and architects, build norms and lawsuits.

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

6 level attic reconstruction on Ivana Mazepy street 16

two stages of residential housing on Hrushevskogo 9A

Diamond Hills on Ivana Mazepy street 11B

One of the most outrageous examples of the breakaways is the highrise residential complex around the Kiev’s oldest cycletrack on BohdanaKhmelnitskogo street 58. At the same time this construction is the bright example of neglect of historical and architectural landscape and decay of public spaces. The developer of the highrises Console Ltd decided to wreck the cycletrack that was repaired in 1991. This cycletrack was a livable public space since 1913 and was listed for architectural heritage. During construction developer increased floors from 12 to 21 bypassing the approved design. Increased loads and break of underground water table ruined a next old 5-floor housing. And furthermore Console Ltd cheated investors mortgaging this building in a bank. Moreover the head of the developer company Vladimir Konstantinov played active role in the annexion of the Crimea by Russia in 2014. Investigation of Console ltd activities revealed this corporation was a great business bubble cheated with investors, authorities and banks.

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

Visualuzation of the complex by Console LtdWrecked cycltrack at the foot of the highrises

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

House on Grushevskogo street. © Alex Bykov

BREAKAWAY OF URBAN LANDSCAPE

Podil Prestige. Design vizualization Podil Prestige. Under construction

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Housing on Dehtyarivska street. © Roman Pomazan

PUBLIC SPACES

Quality of public spaces in Kiev is quite lower then European analogues still now. Since the beginning of total privatization in 1990 public spaces has been started to be privatized, captured, bordered, cluttered up, littered. Tragedy of commons led to extinction of several squares and parks replacing them with plenty of chaotic kiosks and trade centers.

Small undertakers occupied underpasses, subway passes, important ground transportation nodes and markets. Chaotic clusters of kiosks and movable stalls transformed into bazars in some places. Babushkas (in majority cases there are elderly ladies from Kiev’s agglomeration or even adjacent regions) created numerous wandering spots of retail. In 2008-2014 quantity of kiosks and unauthorized retail spots doubled. Besides affecting public spaces and jamming pedestrian routes near bus stops, unauthorized retail and kiosks create huge damage for Kiev’s economy.

Pedestrian routes have a lot barriers on the way. Steps, road curbs, steep ramps, absence of lifts and tactile tile considerably worsen usability of public spaces.

Lack of responsibility of Kiev’s citizens and absence of a strict city’s design code resulted in decay of public spaces and their capturing by individuals, those marginalized public spaces on their own opinion.

But not only streets and squares became victims of total commercialization and privatization. Ad hoc balconies, terraces, additional floors and outhouses witnessed changes of social consciousness.

In some cases public spaces became overcrowded by parking lots and private transport stops. Still now reconstruction of Kiev’s transport nodes encourage increasing of private auto against of development of pedestrian zones.

Navigation design and visual communications in public places are quite weak and often understandable. Street marks and transport diagrams do not have doubled transcription in braille.

National Expocenter. Main square Arena Plaza. Besarabska square

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UNIQUE PUBLIC SPACES

Peremohy (ex Jewish) square Slavy square

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UNIQUE PUBLIC SPACES

Open air gym ground on Dolobetsky island Sport extreme park on Trukhaniv island

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UNIQUE PUBLIC SPACES

Dovbychka nude beach on Trukhaniv island Kyiv Fortress

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UNIQUE PUBLIC SPACES

Kievo-Pecherska Lavra monastery Spivoche pole (Singing Field)

Kyiv

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UNIQUE PUBLIC SPACES

Sahaydachnogo street Leningradska square

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JAMMED PUBLIC SPACES

Akademmistechko metro square Darnytsia metro square

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JAMMED PUBLIC SPACES

Livoberezhna metro square Darnytsia metro square

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JAMMED PUBLIC SPACES

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACESGostynny Dvir is the extraordinary public space inside the wide public space of Kontraktova square. The building was designed by architect Luigi Rusca in 1808 as two two-floor representative building with inner court surrounded with perimetral arcades. But the Ruska’s design was fated to be fully incarnated only in 1982. Perimetral arcades of Gostynny Dvir became a venue for live music performances and theatre plays, open air markets, simultaneously hosting numerous art and architectural workshops, shop-saloons, cafes and a library.In 2011 the Cabinet of ministers of Ukraine struck the building off the list of architectural heritage. Kiev’s authorities allowed reconstruction of this architectural landmark. A developer decided to transform this unique art public space into a luxury trade center. Reconstruction begun in 2012 violating build norms and approval procedures. Kiev’s community replied by protests and seized the inner court. Kievans on the head with NGOs Save old Kyiv (Zberezhy Staryi Kyiv) and Right on the city (Pravo na misto) created here an art squat. It was named Gostynna Respublika and got arms of coat shaped like the Kiev’s cake. At the end of 2012, after the fire in the architectural library on the second floor, Gostynna Respublika was broken up by titushkys and militia, builders were gone the reconstruction on. In 2014 construction permit was cancelled. The building was given back to state property. It’s wonder that after the stop activists do not hasten to use the building.

Gostynny Dvir in 1950-s Gostynny Dvir in 2012

Original drawings by architect Luigi Rusca

Action against reconstruction

Performance in the inner court

The fire in the library

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACES

Visualization of the reconstruction project Militia breaking up a protest

Gostynny Dvir after reconstruction stop in 2014Visualization of arcades

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACES

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACESPoshtova ploscha (square) is the most ancient public space in Kiev descended from IV century. There was the one of the eight fairs of ancient Kyiv in IX-

XIII centuries. From ancient times this public space was the connection with water, transport hub and trade spot. In 1905 this place got the funicular connection, in 1958 – the river station. In 1892 Poshtova became the first station for tram system of Kiev, that was replaced in 1977 by metro station.

Poshtova is an important pedestrian and cyclist hub. There is a crossroads of routes from hills to water and parallel of Podil waterfront. Here you can change your moving transport to metro, funicular, water bus or bus. On weekends Poshtova becomes a start point of pedestrian zone of Sahaydachnogo street. There is no permanent habitat around this place, just hotels and offices, so all their users are temporary.

In 2012 Poshtova ploscha experienced the next reconstruction. City authorities aimed to increase transport flow via the place and remove traffic jams.Before long a project budget turned out too small so they decided to involve an investor into this project. An investor wished to build a trade center on the place. Despite of unsatisfactory results of a closed design contest for reconstruction of Poshtova ploscha, Kiev’s governors allowed to build without approval and final checkup of design. Actually, design had weak sides in pedestrian transit, parking lots and barrier free space. Fast start of works also led to a flooding of the metro station and destruction of one architectural landmark. In 2014 budgeting fallen again and works suspended. Urban analysis of pedestrian usability see here http://harmyk.livejournal.com/12329.html

1. River station.2. Poshtovaploscha.3. Museum of a post office.4. Temple of Cristmas.5. Low funicular station.6. Riviera hotel.7. Chief control and auditing service of Ukraine.8. Podil branch of the Parliament library.9. Fairmont hotelView of Poshtova in 1910 View of Poshtova until 2012

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACES

Approved design for reconstruction Exit from transit via over pass

Contest design

As we can see no greenery proposed for shading on the square. Place is overheated and unshaded. Disables and cyclists do not have usable ramps or elevators. Reconstruction destined for highly cost automobile infrastructure. Especially the next one design. Construction cost estimated 542 mlnhrivnas that was equal to 51.61 mln €.

Narrow sidewalks along the overpass

Poshtova waterfront at night Visualization of pedestrian zone

View towards Poshtova square View along Poshtova waterfront

View from funicular

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACES

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACESMaidan Nezalezhnosti is the main square of Kiev. Word of Maidan became a common noun after events of 2013-2014. Till the end of X century there was a swamp Perevisysche. Lyadski Gates of Ancient Kyiv stood on the edge of this area. In XIX century this area called

Kozine boloto and was enclosed by ramparts. Since 1730-s the place has been developed. The square changed a lot of names during past two centuries: Khreschatitska, Dumskaya, Radyanska, Kalinina, Maidan of 19th September, of October revolution. In XIX century this place was surrounded by city’s dominants like Ginzburg’s highrise housing, the House of Nobility Assembly, City Hall. The square was used as a transport node, market fair and event venue, promenade and parade site. And always it was a center for political activity. Student Revolution on granite in 1990, political move of Ukraine without Kuchma in 2001, Orange revolution in 2004, Podatkovyi (Tax) Maidan in 2010, Euromaidan in 2013, Revolution of dignity in 2014 occurred here.

In 2000 – 2003 Maidan was reconstructed by design of architect Komarovsky. Reconstruction included massive deforestation, two stages of underground trade center Globus connected to the metro station of Maidan Nezalezhnosti, erecting of the Independence monument. This reconstruction many times got the spot for critics from different cultural activists and architects. After substantial damage and change of social paradigm in 2014 this public space intends to be transformed into a full-fledged center of citizen’s social life. Public discussions on senses and inquiries for Maidan urban contest last all 2014.

The winter of 2013/2014 presented to the world a drastically new phenomenon of public space. Maidan in the winter showed to the World trans-aged projections of a city’s egregor, ancient veche (popular assembly), seized fortress battling with a medieval senior, city’s Sich and free university.

The square in 1880-s Ginzburg’s highrise

In 1985 After reconstruction

Under reconstructionIn 1985

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACES

After reconstruction

Lyadski Gates

Kreschatik street

Priests praying in front of Berkut

Night assault on Maidan 11/12/2013

Transformations winter 2014/ summer 2013

Monument for Kiev’s founders

© Nigina Beroyeva, kp.ru

© Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

© ukraine-revolution.tumblr.com

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACES

Battle 23/01/2014

Protesters use road signs as shields

500 000 Ukrainians singing the Hymn on the 2014 New Year’s Night

Fire in the House of Prof. Unions 19/02/2014

© Aleksey Stepura, TSN © Ilya Varlamov, zyalt.livejournal.com

© ukraine-revolution.tumblr.com

© Reuters, Getty images / Fotobank

PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACES

GREEN AREAS

Current Masterplan of Kiev includes 17 natural reserved territories of state level and 3 of city’s level, 15 wildlife reserves, 10 parks, 25 parks with potential for a natural reserve and 17 buffer parks. The rest of green areas do not have a special status. Green areas along streets or in inner courts do not have any special status too.

Kiev surrounded with a wide Green belt that in fact is partly a wildlife forest and partly a woodland park. Channels of the River of Dnieper, islands and waterfronts compose the Dnieper ecological corridor. Birds, fish and animals migrate via this corridor yearly. The Dnieper ecological corridor should to be a national park, but decision on it is still considered.Right bank of Kiev is situated on several hills. Several natural ecological corridors along past river valleys penetrate city fabric from the Green belt to the Dnieper ecological corridor. Those are Lybid valley with Sovkilakes, Kiev Edge parks with Syretswoodland, Obolon lakes belt, Nivkilakes belt. In fact these corridors are separate parks and green areas, divided by streets and blocks.Holosiiv national park and Holosiivpark combine large green area southward. Undeveloped wetlands on the south Left bank are a wildlife sanctuary without any special status.

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DEFORESTATION

In Soviet times care on greenery was sufficient. Kiev was the greenest city in Ukraine. Green areas in 1959 covered 58% of the total area of the city – 44 410 hectares [1]. In 2006 green area included 56 320 hectares that covered 67% of the Kiev’s area [2]. Kiev has unique green belt 1.5 km wide around the city connected with the ecological corridor of Dnieper river. 349 older-100-years trees registered in 86 natural reserve areas. The oldest is the Oak of Grunwald.

But after changing of economic paradigm to liberal economy greenfields became the object of tragedy of commons. Businesslike people begun buying greenfields up for construction development. In 2010-2012 deforestation trend reached city parks. A lot of greenfield parcels were transferred by local authorities to developers in big cities. And even more, cleverest developers used fires and premeditated injection for cleaning greenfields when it was not possible in another way. A sense there are two procedures – greenery cleaning and removal of diseased greenery. No doubt that the second way is more cheaper and faster.

Deforestation for construction became a wide-spread effect in all big cities. And Kiev became the most famous because for it. Illegal cleared strips in the forests of the Nord-West and East part of Kiev, unauthorized build up on Trukhaniv and Venetziansky islands, felling in park of Partizan Glory, park of Malyshko, Goloseyevsky park, Kiev Edge park chain, Darnitsky park, Bykovnya forest.

1] From the reference of the Head of Green zone management of Kiev ‘About existing and developing green zones of the city’ http://www.kby.kiev.ua/book1/documents/doc130.html2] Russian Wikipedia on Ecology of Kiev https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%AD%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%9A%D0%B8%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B0

DEFORESTATION

Deforestation in the Green belt of Kiev. Quite big plots cleared inside the forest and sold for construction avoiding the Forest code.

DEFORESTATION

Detailed plan of territory of Trukhanov Island designed by Kievgenplan SU

Practically all islands in Dnieper suffer from illegal construction, but Trukhaniv Island is the most promised area among them because of good transport connection and several nodes nearby on the banks. This Island was already inhabited in the past. There was situated a village of fishermen those lived in harmony with nature for centuries. Since 1950s Trukhaniv together with Venetsiansky island becomes a centerpoint of recreation and sports activities. New wave of capitalism brought an idea of commercial development and creation of recreation complex,gambling center, yacht hubs, housings. Construction of the Podilsky bridge with metro line and highway encourage these plans of developers. Kiev’s administration conducted a competition for a strategy of Kiev Islands in 2011. This island was reserved for creation of national park Kievsky. But the process of establishment of the natural reserve has not been finished yet because of numerous ambitions of investors for development.

Visualization of a design of an International Youth center on Trukhanov Island

DEFORESTATIONPrinciple of Poznyaki. This is a construction development logic when all greenery on site should cleared and all marshes and callows should be filled up with a thick layer of sand upto a project reference. This principle intended for construction of 16-24-35 floor multifamily blocks on wetland areas. Thus, huge areas on the Left bank of Kiev were transformed into appropriate construction lots. In some areas sand layer reaches seven meters high. All greenery was cleared and new one planted in sand cushion after finishing construction. Principle of Poznyaki devastates all ecosystems and overuse budget and technical resources for sandwashing. This principle was used widespread in recent times because of it’s simplicity and needlessness of ecological researches. This approach was wide spread during industrialization in Soviet Union. It has followers till now. The majority of new multistory construction performs in this way till now.

Start of sandwashing in 1989 in Poznyakivillage

Sandwash in 2008 in Poznyaki

DEFORESTATION

Kiev’s Sakhara is a name for the man-made desert created by sandwashing in the result of the Principle of Poznyaki. Wetlands and trees were filled with tons of sand and construction waste. Kiev’s Sakhara located in Osokorki wetlands between lakes. Nevertheless here is an area of great biodiversity. According to the current Masterplan Kiev’s Sakhara will be build up by superblocks of multistory housings.

Photo © Akim Boyko http://akimboyko.in.ua

DEFORESTATIONConstruction on in the park zone of Kiev Edge on Right bank of Kiev begun yet in 2000. It caused massive deforestation of parks on the hills. Deforestation entailed destruction of hills and landslides. Construction on the hills continued till 2014 despite of the cultural heritage status since 2010. Experts geologists from a commission of Kiev Council say that the specific character of Dnieper hills’ structure does not allow to build massive structures at a distance of 50 meters from the edge of the slope, and none technical tricks will not stop sliding process. Institute of geology and the Center of aerospace researches did research on deep structure of Kiev’s territory and found out that the main deep break in the base of the Ukrainian fundamental crystalline formations and the Dnieper-Donetsk cavity goes straight along the Dnieper river. This is the main area of landslides in the city. Any interference in Kiev Edge and especially cutting ground slides during construction will have unpredictable consequences for the buildings themselves, and for structures located on the Pechersk plateau, as well as will lead to changes in the hydro-geological situation in Pechersk neighborhood.

Photo © http://censor.net.ua

housing on Grushevskogo 9A

Parkovy business center

construction plot

DEFORESTATIONBilychi’s forest became an object of wishes for authorities of Kotsubinske settlement – small inclusion inside Kiev’s area. Kotsubinske’s authorities try to expand their settlement and allot lands in Bilychi’sforest that juridically is Kiev’s area. While region, Kiev and Kotsubinske authorities are sorting out in their legal competences, builders periodically cut trees to clean a another plot for construction. In 2012 Bilychi’s forest got a nature conservation status. During 2012-2014 several mass protests against deforestation occurred here. There are some videos about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybNZ1xqKmNI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z-XOGkdmdU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF1WbW-eHhE

Map of Bilychi;s forest

DEFORESTATIONAnother one scandal forest is located in Bykovnia area on the East of Kiev. Here a developer cut out 4 hectares of 100-years old trees in order to clean a plot for construction. Further Kiev’s Procuracy and State Construction Control Agency canceled the constriction permit.

Photo © http://vk.com/clubnebayduzhiMap of deforestation in Bykovnia forest

ABANDONED HISTORICAL HERITAGEAbandoned historical buildings is the quite wide spread effect in Kiev city. Weak regulatory policy for care on historical heritage and low tax rates for unused buildings forced multiplication of this effect in all old districts of Kiev. Oftentimes an investor buys an architectural gem in downtown considering on a quick facelift and long-term high price for rent. However, just a facelift is not enough for a listed historical heritage object. Restauration of such object requires long-term approval procedures and use of original materials, those are not cheap. Moreover approvals of restauration design are complex and ornate. So, in many cases, an investor try to resell a building speculating on it while the heritage stays decaying. Passing of the additional tax on real estate was postponed several times in finally came into a force in 1st January of 2014. Squatting in Ukraine is not allowed, so such urban transformations as art-squats are not appeared in Kiev yet. 2.7% tax rate fixed for a owners of extra-740 m2 real estate.Velyka Zhytomirska street, Yaroslavov Yar street and Zhylyanska street obviously have the more abandoned heritage. At least one building in each downtown block has an building that is abandoned or partly - abandoned.

Map of abandoned historical heritage in downtown of Kiev

House of baron Steinghel built in 1898 on YaroslavovVal street in Kiev was tenantless during 20 years. Restauration works has been started since Mr Loifenfeldbought it in 2013 and settled there.

House of Sikorsky family. The inventor of helicopter Igor Sikorsky lived and experimented here

Science Institute building with plate-like video hall on Lybidska square

ABANDONED HISTORICAL HERITAGE

Tenement house on Bohdana Khmelnitskogo street

Interior of an art-nouveau tenement house on Great Zhytomirska street

ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKSPost-Soviet capitalism and massive ignorance of laws allowed demolition of many architectural landmarks in Kiev during 2000-2014. Developers argue that replacing of an old obsolete building with a tall one is many times profitable than a laborious restauration of historical heritage. Law about cultural heritage conservation obliges owners to make a treaty on conservation but only a minority of them wishes to make it. Listing in architectural heritage had not saved buildings from demolition in many cases. In every case it was done illegally and once destroyed a building will never be restored. Several tens of architectural landmarks became victims of unscrupulous developers in this way. Some of them suffered from fire, another were demolished once at night. Another heritage buildings were changed enormously. But not all historical buildings suffered from pretensions of developers. Chocolate house, House with chimeras, Red building of the University, Opera house, Leipzig hotel and many others buildings were restored and continue to live a new life. Best conserved historical streets of Kiev are Shovkovychna street, Tereschenkovskastreet, Mykilsko-Botanichna street, Andriyvsky descent, Sahaydachnogo street, Lypska street, Luteranska street. To save and conserve architectural heritage in future is a big challenge for developing countries with unstable economy.

Prayer house Ashkenazim at the cross of BorychivTik and Borisogelbska streets. Design of 1902 Prayer house Ashkenazim. Restauration of 2010

Neorenessaince Chocolate House was built in 1899 by design of architect V.N.Nikolaev. Restored in 2009. Shovkovychna street

Art-nouveau House with Chimeras was built in 1903 by design of architect VladislavHorodetsky and innovative engineer Anton Straus. Restored in 2004. Bankova street

Karaite Kenesa was built in 1902 by design of architect VladislavHorodetsky and innovative engineer Anton Straus. Yaroslaviv Val street

Besarabsky market was build in 1912 by design of architect Henryk Julian Gaj. Besarabska square

ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS

The first Kiev’s Water supply building was built in 1880-s. Demolished in 2010. Poshtova square

Sennoy market was built in 1958 by design of courtesy architects Fridlin and Kucher. Demolished in 2005. Vorovskogo street

Mill of Brodky was built in 1857. Was damaged in several fires and demolished in 2010.

Naderezhno-Kreschatitska street

Tenement house of Trachtenberg was built in 1910. Demolished in 2012. Antonovicha street 44

DEMOLISHED ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS

PSEUDOHISTORICAL ARCHITECTUREDemand on historical heritage exists in Kiev as well as in the whole World. But demand on history and demolition of obsolete architectural heritage are two different things in Kiev. Pseudohistorical architecture became wide spread last twenty years on Kiev’s terrains. Often, destroying a real historical building, a developer wished to build a new historical one but taller and bigger. And lots of architects were favourably disposed towards developer’s demands. Even in places where historical buildings never existed before. Podil and Vozdvizhenka are the most famous areas of pseudohistorical construction.In general an issue of historical conservation is actual not only in Ukraine. But there, conservation funding is too small so authorities are forced to solve this issue in harsh conditions. Social researches say also that ordinary people like more historic-like buildings than modern ones. But pseudohistorical architecture made from cheap materials marginalizes urban space. Especially when fake history appears near true heritage. Pseudohistorical architecture often is overscale and contrast.

Diamond hill residence on Mazepy street represents pseudohistorical approach. Gonchary – Kozhemyaki neigborhood is a last built cluster of pseudohistorism

PSEUDOHISTORICAL ARCHITECTURE

Podol Prestige on the cross of Konstiantynivska and Nizhny Val streets should be commissioned in 2015

Vozdizhenskka street is the biggest example of pseudohistorical architecture. All the buildings were erected in 2000 – 2006. This area is located between Zamkova gora, Detinets and Klinets hills bordering to Paysage alley and Podil. Thera are situated two historical neighborhoodsof Gonchary and Kozhemyaki. It was a cradle of Kiev and Slavic civilization. But in 1990-s almost all old buildings were destroyed and new pseudohistorical were built in the valleys despite of plans of establishing a City historical Museum here.

PSEUDOHISTORICAL ARCHITECTURE

Some developers twist appearance of historical buildings under recognition. This overscale pseudohistorical building near the park of Shevchenko is a dramatic example of this trend in architecture.

PSEUDOHISTORICAL ARCHITECTURE

Pseudohistorical architecture of Kiev predominantly concentrated in the downtown, Podil and Pechersk. Volodymirsky business center on Volodymirsky descent near Poshtova square in Podol.

PSEUDOHISTORICAL ARCHITECTURE

URBAN VOIDSAs many big cities Kiev has his urban voids – unused areas and spaces. Urban voids are abandoned areas between buildings, wastelands, spaces under highway overpasses, old railway depots. But urban voids are both material and intangible. Absence of vital energy and social life in abandoned buildings, garages, underground channels, frozen construction sites and military structures make them urban voids also. Post-Soviet industrial heritage also should be considered as urban voids. Abandoned buildings as well as demolished buildings with empty parcels are urban voids too. The three last categories are explained deeper in separate topics within this research.Urban voids often appeared in places of breakaways of urban fabric. They absorb city’s energy like collapstars. Urban voids can be regarded as a kind of anti-city, areas out of ordinary urban life and rules. Construction of huge superblocks produces more new urban voids. It’s a real urban issue that need sophisticated analysis and cannot be solved at once.

Remains of military tunnel of KDD in Obolon. Photo © Akim Boyko Garage cooperative Pobeda. Partly used garage became an urban void

Garage voids in green area of Trukhaniv Island. Large amount of garage areas located in Kiev everywhere. Predominantly they were built in USSR-time by garage cooperatives for local communities to hold their vehicles. For now garage areas become more and more abandoned. Usually one of members privatizes all garage boxes and makes there shops, warehouses and even bordellos. In majority cases garage areas look as empty grey boxes without any vitality.photo © Roman Pomazan

URBAN VOIDS

Undergrounds of an old factory. Kiev was a frontier town for centuries. From XIV in Galicia-Volhynia, further in Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Rzes Pospolita, and finally in Russian Empire and USSR Kiev was a strategic defence node. That’s why every new city administrator tried to build well defenced secret manufactories. A lot of old premises of manufactures remained from XIX-XX centuries in city center and adjacent districts.More photos here - http://general-kosmosa.livejournal.com/42071.html

URBAN VOIDS

A lot of spaces between new built housing estates remaining empty. this effect is most spread in Poznyaki neighbourhood because of sandfills that are not fertile for parks or gardens.photo © http://vadorg.livejournal.com

URBAN VOIDS

Space underneath the Vydubichi highway overpass. Motorway overpasses take quite a big construction footprint. Space underneath is wasted. Just ta few cars may use this space as a temporary parking.photo © Grigory Melnitchuk

URBAN VOIDS

Urban void appeared after deconstruction of a house in ribbon building in Podol area. Now most of such places are occupied by temporary marginalized cafes.photo © Roman Pomazan

URBAN VOIDS

URBAN VOIDS

Frozen metro station Lvivska Brama. Several transit metro stations were conserved during construction of Syretsko-Pecherska line because of lack of costs. There are the stations Lvivska Brama, Telychka. Station Gertzena Street was skipped at the beginning of it construction. Metrobuilders leaved there only two ventilation shafts and evacuation exits. All three locations stated above are real underground urban voids with extensions on the ground so as metro exists were frozen too. Lvivska Brama has exist via frozen Institute of theatre on Lvivska square, Telychka exists on the ground in abandoned industrial area Upper Telychka, Gertzena Street has an unfinished urban void of TV centerbuilding. More photos here - http://general-kosmosa.livejournal.com/62267.html

URBAN VOIDS

URBAN VOIDS

Urban voids of garages near Zhukov Island. Often garages were built too far from housings in Soviet time. That’s why they became the subject of urban transformations primarily for warehouses and micro manufactures. With time from crisis to crisis garages become more and more abandoned areas.photo © Yury Glushko

Underground urban void. Large abandoned unused water reseivor under the city. more photos here - http://general-kosmosa.livejournal.com/49577.html

URBAN VOIDS

URBAN VOIDS

Rail-car depot in former Lybid valley.Fast growth of rail transport leaved huge areas of rail-car depots cutting Kiev on parts. On the whole rail-car depots are polluted areas hosting passenger and goods vans. Some of them are obsolete and waiting for recycling. Rail-car depot areas cover large areas between living blocks primarily along channelized rivers. This a big challenge to rethink these areas for more effective use and unlimited transit.photo © Nadiya Onoda

Lybid river was channelized partly.Kiev has about 30 channelized rivers. In fact they are storm water collectors now. But just 50-100 years ago these rivers were source of potable water for citizens, energy source for watermills and water source for agricultural lands. Lybid river was navigable. In the end of XIX century Lybid was started to be encapsulated in concrete and used for other purposes. Lybid became the axis for rail road expansion. Now Lybid is partly under ground.An issue of channelized rivers is reopening rivers for the city, preventing pollution and making them a spectacular public space gems on the city map with free access to natural water source. More photos here - http://general-kosmosa.livejournal.com/42772.html

URBAN VOIDS

Wide 160-m gap along Grigorenko avenue is locatedbetween two parts of Poznyaki neighbourhood – West and East. This area intended for light rail line of the Left bank. Nowadays this area hosts tram line and squat parking with cars from adjacent superblocks. More photos here - http://vadorg.livejournal.com/30449.html

URBAN VOIDS

Channelized Glubochytsia River. This river started be a ‘problem’ for the city already in 1810-s. Her riverbed was straightened and bordered by Verkhnyand Nizhny Vals (Lower and Upper mounds) via Podil. In 1840-s Glubochytsiawas chanellized. Tram line went over the collector.More photos here - http://general-kosmosa.livejournal.com/58010.html

URBAN VOIDS

Channelized Kreschatik stream.more photos here - http://general-kosmosa.livejournal.com/35296.html

URBAN VOIDS

POST_SOVIET RESIDENTIAL LEGACYBuilding design in Soviet time was not energy efficient. Construction paradigm of USSR declared: build cheap, fast and qualitative.

Often the last element of this triad was performed really weak. Fast and cheap construction was rather political then economical goal in order to provide habitat for extremely fast growing population of urbanized cities. This trend led to series of mass produced multifamily prefabricated houses that were too inefficient. 10-sm width exterior walls, leaking roofs, cheap materials, overinsulated facades, construction by imprizonerswere the main issues of Soviet mass produced buildings. In that time resources had not mattered for the goal. Of course, future exploitation costs never had not been estimated. Inneficiency in construction was common for all types of building in USSR including administrative and educationalsector. Soviet mass produced building designs were grabbed from German Plattenbau’s ones with several reductions. Soviet variances of massproduced prefabs included tiny kitchens and combination bathrooms, absence of cloackrooms, narrow hallways and staircases, small lift cabins, low-ceilinged rooms. A huge amount of defects and unfinished works often were being set by owners.

Since 1991 in Ukraine build norms increased efficiency and comfort standards twice. But still now there plenty of old buildings thatneed sanitation and termal modernization. Combustion of fossil gas and coil for heating also does a big problem for economy, energy efficiencyand environment impact.

EU states solved an issue of renovation using different patterns of development but mostly through sanitation of old buildings. Moscow and S-Petersberg applied urban policy of total replacing of old by new highrise housings without sufficient changes in transport networks and social infrastructure. Ukraine did first steps in sanitation already in 1990-s. Some blocks in Kiev followed Moscow’s example. But a definite strategy for renovation or removal has not been developed in Ukraine.

In general post-soviet residential legacy may be separated into two groups. The first represents housings series up to 9 floors height that were built in 1950-1985. These blocks has quite comfortable environment with well developed social infrastructure, that includes sports, educational and energetic facilities. Especially good environment preserved in blocks built up with Stalinki and Khruschevki series. They differ by overall green zones, tall trees, 4-5-6 floor housings, harmonious friendly communities, spots of flower gardens and kitchen gardens.

Kiev has 3055 residential buildings that need sanitation. Until 2014 about 150 mass produced housings were reconstructed or sanitized.

MASS PRODUCED LIVING BLOCKS

Poznyaki neighbourhood. Superblocks built in 1980-1990-s.

MASS PRODUCED LIVING BLOCKS

Poznyaki neighbourhood. Superblocks of 2000-s behind of remains of private steadings of Poznyaki village. Several private farmsteads stay alive inside concrete jungles of Poznyaki neighbourhood.

MASS PRODUCED LIVING BLOCKS

Mass produced superblocks of 12-18 floor buildings are predominantly grey and have very small green zones. Almost all areas paved and used for parking lots.

MASS PRODUCED LIVING BLOCKS

DVRZ is the remote neighbourhood in Darnitsky district. Buildings were built in 1960 and got a facelift recently.Photo © ked-pled.livejournal.com

MASS PRODUCED LIVING BLOCKS

Nivki neighborhood is one of the biggest Khruschovki spot on the map. Practically all Nivki blocks covered with green areas.Photo © Roman Pomazan

MASS PRODUCED LIVING BLOCKS

Podil neighborhood that holds name of Ploske is built up with Stalinki. These buildings has a lot of variations. Stalinki have thicker walls then earlier housing series but it is not enough for relevant energy efficiency for now. Photo © Yandex.ua

MASS PRODUCED LIVING BLOCKS

Golosievo neighborhood Photo © Yandex.ua

URBAN CHALLENGES OF LIVING BLOCKS

Urban challenges of mass produced living blocks of Kiev include:lack of high quality business and retail infrastructureno organized parking lots and somewhere lack of lotsno cycle tracks and cycle infrastructuremarginalization of environment by illegal retail spots and chaotic installed kiosksobsolete or absent storm drainage systemseldering populationmigration of ambitious people to new housingslack of cultural activitiesvisual image of grey and arid placepoor visual navigation in uniform blocks and buildingsinefficient buildings, obsolete utilities and frequent breakdowns of engineer systems

URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS

25-floor multifamily building was enveiled in 2013 in Nivkireplacing a part of a 5-floor Khrutschevki block. This energy efficient building contains one floor built by Passive house standard, electro-car charging points in the garage and rooftop solar thermal collectors. Developer is going to rebuild the entire block between Scherbakova, VilhelmPieck and Teshebayeva streets.Photo © Roman Pomazan

ART OF SUPERBLOCKSPost-Soviet social environment of superblocks imprinted in visual art via Zhlob-art style. Zhlob-art was invented by Antin Mukharsky

and Ivan Semesyuk in 2000-s. This contemporary trend of visual art performs a humoristic point of view on image of Ukraine’s populace. Zhlob-art follows style features of Soviet caricatures, demotivators, primitivism, pop art, lubok and kitch. Comprehension of Zhlob art is impossible without understanding internal life processes in superblocks and specific understanding of context.

All rights reserved to Ivan Semesyuk http://semesyuk.com

CREDITS

Research by Dipl. Architect and Urban planner Roman Pomazan

Text and layout by Roman Pomazan

Drawings of Kiev’s masterplans by © KievGenplan statutory undertaker

Transport strategies and schemes by © Victor Petruk

Schemes by Roman Pomazan

Aerial photos by © Oleg Stelmakh http://elektraua.livejournal.com/,

© Sergey Grishkevitch http://grishasergei.livejournal.com/,

© Oleg Totsky http://tov-tob.livejournal.com , © Alex Zakletsky,

© http://ked_pled.livejournal.com/, © http://masha-byk.livejournal.com

© http://artemco.livejournal.com, © Oleg Babenchuk,

© http://zorge-richard.livejournal.com, © http://general-kosmosa.livejournal.com/

© http://abandonedplaces.livejournal.com

Photos by newspapers © Novy Region 2, Levyi Bereg

Live street photo © http://maps.yandex.ua

Publications © Unian http://www.unian.ua/, Censor.net http://censor.net.ua, Union of investors of Ukraine http://neo.investhelp.com.ua,

Gordon’s boulevard http://www.bulvar.com.ua

Kiev 2014

2014 © Roman Pomazan

published online by:Urban Sustain Architecture

Kiev, Ukraine

Originally presented on http://slideshare.net/ for the 50th ISOCARP Congress in Gdynia