Kharkiv Housing Challenge

‘Healing Kharkiv: From Rubble to Renewal,’ a collaborative proposal by Gensler and Cundall, is the first prize winner of the Norman Foster Foundation’s Kharkiv Housing Challenge, which seeks solutions for rebuilding housing and public spaces in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv. Realised through a collaboration with Ukrainian design and construction consultants, the proposal aims to provide hope and enrich the lives of those residing close to the frontline in Kharkiv, a city that has been severely damaged by ongoing conflict. 

Repairing Soviet-era housing blocks and replacing severely damaged structures with modular exoskeletons, the proposal envisions a concrete system tailored to Kharkiv’s needs. Drawing from local expertise and guided by the principles to Reconnect, Repair, and Rebuild, the vision harmonises with the existing urban fabric while addressing the emotional and social recovery of residents.

This scalable solution for urban regeneration reclaims materials from stricken buildings and transforms them into flatpack-prefabricated elements that reduce material needs and ensure rapid delivery. Through innovative design, the project aims to provide improved stability and thermal insulation. The new building envelopes will deliver 30% energy savings, better daylight use, and reduced overheating risk, ensuring year-round comfort. To future-proof the housing solution, there are provisions for rain harvesting, solar panels, indoor farming, and water storage.

Through a union of innovative design and local collaboration, ‘Healing Kharkiv: From Rubble to Renewal’ exemplifies the transformative power of architecture combined with community-driven solutions, and provides hope for a resilient future. The masterplan is a template for urban revitalisation across Kharkiv and beyond, with support from A. PASHENKO Architectural Studio, Neo-Eco Ukraine, Never Such Innocence, Andrii Hirniak, and Renderek.