DAGOpen OÜ has just won the architectural competition for a standard design of Ukrainian Family houses, with their design “Hata.” The competition invited 17 designs from Estonian and Ukrainian architects to design “a standard project for modern family-type small group homes to be built in Ukraine”. The architecture of Ukraine directly inspired the winning design and addressed the spatial decisions made to attend to the crisis.
The winner of the competition, DAGOpen OÜ resembles a traditional Ukrainian dwelling in form and layout but is crafted in a contemporary manner. The design creates a powerful sense of space and gives the safe feeling of a home. The structure bears a resemblance to a conventional Ukrainian residence in its shape and arrangement, but it is executed with contemporary techniques. Although it can be assembled as a prefabricated dwelling, it doesn't entirely exhibit the typical appearance of such houses. The architectural design incorporates various elements from the Davos' Baukultur Quality System, ensuring that children can grow up in a diverse spatial setting.
Open architectural competitions are very important for Ukraine's reconstruction efforts, as they present the best opportunity to both create a high-quality living environment and offer an effective way to prevent corruption. - Andro Mänd, President of the Union of Estonian Architects.
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One Year of War in Ukraine: Humanitarian and Cultural Initiatives to Help a Country in CrisisIn second place, “Ruut” by Molumba Architects created a prefabricated model that fits the context of a crisis. The design avoids the typical corridor-based compartmentalization and uses the common area as the spine of the home. The common area creates spatial diversity, allowing different aged dwellers to spend their personal time uninterrupted.
In third place, KUU Architects designed “Krestiki Noliki.” The design offers a clear and compact layout with feasibility. It includes a library area, allowing children of different ages the possibility of privacy, even within a crisis context. The design is both minimal in application and possesses well-chosen components that differentiate it.
The crisis in Ukraine is still ongoing, with both soldiers and civilians falling victim, and many others becoming refugees. As the implications of the crisis reach the rest of the world, many humanitarian and cultural initiatives have taken place to minimize the tragedy's impacts. For the 18th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, the Pavilion of Ukraine presented “Before the Future”. The exhibition explores the possibilities of building a future from a collapsing present. Finally, Shigeru Ban has just recently announced the intention to collaborate with the municipality of Lviv, to design an expansion to the hospital. The proposal features cross-laminated wood and joints inspired by traditional woodworking techniques in order to create a safe and welcoming environment for those who have fallen ill during the war.
