Mission
Дослідження
RE:Ukraine Villages прагне зробити відновлення сільського будинку з повагою до локального контексту привабливою альтернативою, яка не вимагає від власника додаткових досліджень. Для цього нам треба було дослідити особливості української сільської архітектури та напрацювати алгоритм для перетворення цієї інформації на онлайн-конструктор для майбутніх користувачів.
- The Beginning
- Collecting information
- Expeditions
- Analysis and work on the design code
- Creating the constructor
- Conclusions
The first thoughts about the RE:Ukraine Villages project hit us in March 2022, when fighting was still active in the Kyiv region, and information about the destruction of the surrounding villages and towns was coming in from various sources.
War can radically change the appearance of our villages – not only due to shelling but also with post-war reconstruction. We knew that recovery would begin immediately after de-occupation and, for obvious reasons, would happen quickly and according to a standardized script. Our team understood that the restoration of an original and characteristic Ukrainian village house is not the obvious path that would be taken and that the majority would want to use a standardized cottage project.
We decided to simplify the reconstruction process and offer the homeowners a ready-made solution. After all, any repair or construction from scratch is a big deal, especially when the need arises suddenly and in wartime conditions. Often this process will affect generations – children will have to rebuild their parents' houses, and this will, of course, influence their decisions.
Similar projects
When developing the online constructor, we sought the universal options and used the most common decorative elements. However, we believe that homeowners along with volunteer initiatives that restore old homes will preserve the unique forms of traditional construction. Projects that analyze destruction and damage via public data are also incredibly valuable for reconstruction efforts.
UADAMAGE
A project that analyzes the destruction of Ukrainian cities and villages based on satellite data.
old khata project
A photo project that explores the architecture of Ukrainian villages and documents the stories of homeowners who survived Russian occupation.
Garne Selo
A photo project by Made in Ukraine, which documents Ukrainian villages in order to preserve their identity and history.
Chernihiv’s Wooden Lace
An online museum and project by a team of volunteers engaged in restoration of wooden decor on buildings in the Chernihiv region.
Repair together
A volunteer initiative dedicated to rebuilding and helping communities affected by the occupation.
Strikha
A project by Craft Story and Ukraїner that combines a documentary series and a series of longreads about Ukrainian folk architecture, its regional peculiarities, and ways to preserve it.
CF Heritage.UA
A charitable initiative that since 2022 has been working to restore rural areas with heritage through the revival of small village houses.
RAYON NOMER 1
A charity project dedicated to the reconstruction of cities and villages affected by the Russian occupation.
RE:UKRAINE SYSTEM
The idea of creating RE:Ukraine arose in the team of the balbek bureau architecture studio during the first days after the full-scale Russian invasion. We sought to join the resistance with our expertise and started work on March 10th, with the first task being the development of temporary housing for internally displaced persons.
Over time, in response to the challenges of war, RE:Ukraine evolved into a network of projects that unites different areas – Housing, Monuments, Villages and Memories. We are looking into the future of Ukraine after its victory, but we are planning and building here and now as the war rages on.
Dignity is our main principle – in respect for fellow citizens and their homes, cities, history and collective memory.
Villages
Villages
An online constructor that simplifies the reconstruction of rural houses with respect for their surroundings
