Project Description: In partnership with Neo-Eco, Healthy Materials Lab is working on the sustainable renovation of buildings in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, to create restorative dwellings for displaced residents and refugees. The project focuses on using locally sourced eco-materials to transform existing structures into safe, healthy social housing. A key component includes the design of a community and health/healing center to support families in their transition from war and foster the regeneration of resilient communities. The studio explores both large-scale and in-depth approaches to reimagining these spaces as homes of respite and renewal.
Studio lead by: Alison Mears & Bless Yee
Studio 6: The Khata
In our studio, we were asked to choose one of eight buildings across Kryvyi Rih, each ranked by its current condition—1 being "well-preserved" and 8 being the most damaged. I chose Site #8, known as Kakhovska, to explore its adaptive reuse potential.
Originally used as a dormitory, the building now stands heavily destroyed. These photographs, taken by Ukrainian students we collaborated with throughout the semester, document the interior's devastation and served as a crucial starting point for our design process.
My project “The Khata” (private house) reimagines tall buildings as townhouses, by demolishing the existing structure and instead creating a warm, inviting community that fosters connections with the Ukrainian people. By incorporating traditional building techniques and repurposing materials like glass blocks and ceramic tiles, it celebrates and honors Ukrainian identity. One special aspect of the design is the opportunity for residents to personalize their homes by painting over murals, giving them a chance to express their individuality and create a vibrant contrast with the surrounding tall buildings and Soviet-era structures, helping the neighborhood feel more like home.
Site Context
Site Plan
Bunker Plan
Unit Plans
West Elevation
Material Diagram
Site Section
Rendering
Physical Site Model
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IDP Personas
