Oneworks presents first analysis phase of Mykolaiv masterplan

Oneworks, alongside the Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Syenkevch, Paola Deda – Director Forests, Land and Housing Division – UNECE, recently presented the results of the first important analysis phase for the implementation of the #UN4Mykolaiv project. The analysis sets the foundation for the next year, allowing our international team and local experts to work together on the development of the master plan which, in various phases over the next decades, will guide the reconstruction of the city – one of the most important in Ukraine and one of the most affected by the war.

Over the past 6 months, the Oneworks team and its academic partners Politecnico di Milano and LIUC University, as well as digitization partner GISDevio, have been working pro-bono with Mykolaiv city authorities and institutions on developing a strategic framework preliminary for the city. This will provide necessary background information on the physical, social, and economic context, as well as common objectives defined with a participatory approach between institutions and population, to all those who are and will be involved in the future development of Mykolaiv.

Oleksandr Syenkevch, Mayor of Mykolaiv, opening the conference said: “I take this opportunity to thank all those who are contributing to this project. We are sure that thanks to the fruitful collaboration with Oneworks, which has provided the city of Mykolaiv with a team of professionals determined to implement an excellent reconstruction plan, we will be able to continue the project. What we are working on is not only a unique opportunity for rebirth for Mykolaiv, but for all of Ukraine, a model of reconstruction and modernization of reference for the whole country at the end of the conflict”.

Giulio De Carli, Founder and Managing Partner of Oneworks, said “In these 6 very intense months of work alongside the extraordinary people who represent the city of Mykolaiv, our entire team has measured itself against extraordinary dynamics of professional and human growth. The complexity of the challenge was only managed thanks to the very high level of collaboration between all partners, which I thank. With the completion of the first phase, an essential basis for the effective development of the master plan, a new chapter opens. There is an opportunity for both institutional actors and various market chains to contribute to reconstruction by financing the first pilot projects, and I hope we can start raising funds soon because we have seen very clearly how fundamental it is for the population, in deed, and in spirit.”

Paola Deda, Director Forests, Land and Housing Division, UNECE, adds: “What we witnessed at this presentation is the demonstration that the matchmaking role assumed by UNECE to encourage the meeting between the best professionals in the world of architecture, planning and engineering and cities, is the last but decisive element for an effective UN4 project. We continue to actively look at operators who could play this role, and we will be happy to evaluate spontaneous applications from companies that feel able and willing to replicate the experience in other cities, joining the Foster Foundation and Oneworks with which we have validated a model on Kharkiv and Mykolaiv respectively.”

The report presented is a summary of the impressive work resulting from the collaboration undertaken between the parties mentioned. An articulated photograph of the state of affairs, whereby – given the extreme complexity of the situation – the team has developed a dynamic methodology for analyzing a constantly changing situation; an analysis aimed at understanding the territory to identify the problems generated by the conflict (starting from the constantly updated “damage assessment”), but also the previous ones, equally necessary in order to define a new development direction that allows Mykolaiv to reborn with new identity traits.

The report continues by illustrating the vision of the future city conceived on six pillars of development in the name of sustainability. The first four are tangibles: Green networks, Accessible housing, Sustainable mobility, Industry, and Innovation, and the last two are intangible but equally fundamental to enable accurate and efficient implementation: Governance and Community Involvement.

The report concludes with the presentation of five initial pilot projects, in line with the methodology proposed by the Norman Foster Foundation which aims to immediately involve architects, engineers, and international consultants in the grounding, in specific areas, of key projects to generate a virtuous process of learning that allows the lessons to be applied to the whole city, accelerating its development.

1. Residential micro-district. With the reconstruction of Mykolaiv, one of the most critical hurdles to overcome will be providing affordable and permanent housing for both the existing population and for generations to come. Project 1 will explore the redevelopment of a residential site within the city perimeter. The project will include the renovation and modernization of existing residential buildings and the introduction of new housing elements.
2. Culture and heritage. Focused on the reconstruction of the center of Mykolaiv, project 2 aims to give back to the city a particularly significant area or building from a historical and cultural point of view and which can become a symbol of hope and rebirth for the city. Given the cultural relevance for the population, the community will decide whether to focus on an iconic building, a work of public art or the regeneration of a public square.
3. Industry and Commerce. Situated in a strategic area midway between the cities of Chersonesus and Odessa, Mykolaiv is a nerve center for industry and commerce nationally and internationally. To strengthen this position and support economic recovery and growth policies in the medium to long term, project 3 will explore the regeneration of two industrial sites in the waterfront area. The selected sites will host different functions and uses, as well as host new public spaces, services, parks, or other mixed uses.
4. Innovation and enterprise. Project 4 will explore the creation of a new mixed-use neighborhood focused on science and innovation. It will house a number of offices, research centers and light industries, as well as a new science park designed to foster international cooperation and partnerships by hosting new companies wishing to locate in Mykolaiv. The strategic location of the site will ensure sustainable accessibility for a large number of workers and residents, but also new public spaces.
5. Green and public spaces. By enhancing high-quality public spaces, Project 5 will involve the redevelopment of four areas along the river. Each selected site will be redesigned with the introduction of new public parks to help support a network of green spaces on both banks of the Bug River, providing residents and visitors with increased accessibility to the Ingul River and a range of new public areas. These green public spaces will offer a range of health benefits, both physical and mental, and will encourage people to be more active.
   More information about the #UN4Mykolaiv project can be found here.