FRUNZE 35 – Rethinking the Industrial Zone

If you are young, energetic, have interest in architecture and urban development, and you do care about quality of urban public space, you are invited to participate in a 5 - day international workshop “FRUNZE 3 5 – Rethinking the Industrial Zone” that will take place in Kyiv on May 27 - 31, 2013 . DESCRIPTION This workshop is about an abandoned and deserted industrial area covering almost 15000 square meters and encompassing the site of a former brewery and malt extract manufacturer, located on Frunze Street 35 in one of Kiev's oldest districts, the Podil. The foundation of this area goes back to the late 19th century and was inextricably linked with the burgeoning industrialization of Ukraine's capital at this ti me. For more than a century, the area was closely linked to the city‘s food industry until its decline and final shut down in the late 1990-s . Today this area doesn't fulfill any economic purpose; it is merely used as a parking lot or a warehouse from ti me to time, resembling a blank spot on the city map. If left as it is, the area will only see its further deterritorialization and will get more and more marginalized. Despite its remarkable silhouette and rather untypical historic appearance, neither the factory building nor the surrounding area is recognized as a part of the urban environment by the local inhabitants. As many other industrial zones which were gradually moved out of the inner city, the former factory in Frunze Street 35 shares this destiny of decay, and it is very unlikely that it will ever get back its industrial function. Moreover, up to the present, not even a clearly defined social or cultural role for the future of this area is discernible. The workshop's main goal therefore consist s in initiating new co-operations between representatives of various social and professional communities, ranging from urban planners, architects, geographers, cultural scientists, sociologists, economists, municipal officials, private entrepreneurs and me mbers of the civil society working in the field of urban development and urban redesign. All participants are expected to cooperate closely working towards the goal – a concept of revitalization of the factory building and the surrounding area. The partic ipants are free to experiment since they are not confined to any ‘final product’ determined in advance. The final outcome can be a residential complex, a playground, a park, a center for cultural encounters, a museum, a sports hall or even a parking lot if its necessity will be reasonab l y proved. Their choice is expected to be a result of internal discussions as well as consultations with external experts, however well grounded and reasoned We also expect that the final outcome will meet the interests of different groups: professional, gender, social, cultural, age - related etc., be based on the principles of sustainability, be economically reasonable and realistic enough. All potential participants will have to pass a selection process. They are asked to fill in an application form and send us a letter of motivation. Architects are asked to send us a short overview of two of their former projects. Application deadline is March 22, 2013. All candidates must have good or (preferably) very good knowledge of English. Eligible are people aged from 18 to 35 from Kyiv , Ukraine and from abroad. The duration of workshop is five days, starting on May 27, and ending on May 31st. A supervisor will be assigned to the group in order to oversee the creative process. This tutor will be an architect from abroad. The overall process will be supervised by a curator who will also be invited by the organizers. Workshop description and requirements Application form for architects Application form for non-architects