The Norman Foster Foundation announces Kharkiv Housing Challenge winners

The results of the recent Kharkiv Housing Challenge have been shared by Buildner as part of the Kharkiv Masterplan project from the Kharkiv City Council, UNECE, the Norman Foster Foundation, Arup, and the Kharkiv Architects Group.

Norman Foster, Farshid Moussavi, and seven other jurors representing both Ukraine and an international community of architects, NGOs, and academics met to choose three Prize Winners and six Honorable Mention designs that were built around civilians’ safety, energy efficiency, and social sustainability.

The Challenge tasked architects to design and develop modular systems used for retrofitting existing concrete housing blocks and revitalize other public spaces in the country’s second-largest city. Other secondary considerations included the rebuilding of damaged structures. The winners will each be granted the opportunity to further develop their ideas in more detail in collaboration with local community members. This means that each has the potential to contribute to the recovery and long-term resilience of the almost 370-year-old city.

Buildner says: "Proposals were evaluated based on their modularity and innovation, adaptability and scalability, sustainability and environmental considerations, design for community engagement and empowerment, as well as their economic viability and potential to be realized."

You can read about Foster's involvement in the Kharkiv Masterplan, which was first announced in April of 2022, here.

1st Prize Winner: 'Healing Kharkiv: From Rubble to Renewal' by Andrew James Jackson, United Kingdom

Jury feedback summary: "This project focuses on reinforcing buildings with locally manufactured recycled materials, enhancing security, accessibility, and thermal insulation while expanding living spaces with winter gardens and terraces. It integrates sustainability by considering material reuse, water collection, and energy efficiency, with modular solutions that allow for flexibility based on the terrain. Public spaces are integrated with canopy structures for rainwater harvesting and green space preservation. The proposal emphasizes social cohesion and healing, reflecting a community-centered approach to reconstruction that involves local suppliers while addressing emotional and cultural recovery."

2nd Prize Winner: 'Blooming Towards The Sun' by Zigeng Wang, China

Jury feedback summary: "The project offers a comprehensive approach to addressing the architectural, economic, social, and cultural challenges of reconstruction. By integrating architecture with agriculture, the project focuses on creating spaces for sunflower cultivation, a symbol of Ukrainian identity, to promote self-sufficiency and food security. It proposes various interventions based on the extent of building damage, incorporating fragments of destroyed structures into public spaces as a reminder of resilience. The design extends housing with new facades, adds planting balconies, and includes community facilities like a library and planting areas. It also addresses water management, modular systems, and construction sequence, with a focus on rebuilding Kharkiv’s community and resilience."

3rd Prize Winner: 'Modus Vita' by Melek Serra Saral, Oleksandr Kinash, Didem Arman and Elif Ilgin, Yıldız Technical University, Turkey

Jury feedback summary: "This project proposes a modular system for underground shelters using high-strength concrete panels, allowing flexible use for public events in peacetime and shelter during conflict. In public areas, partially preserved existing structures and modular additions will support social and commercial interaction, particularly near roadways or public transport. A multilayer insulation system will enhance the energy efficiency of residential facades, and damaged building sections will be replaced with standardized factory-made blocks for continued habitation or conversion into public spaces. The approach balances restoration with adaptability while addressing both residential and community needs."

The Honorable Mention proposals can be viewed in the gallery below.