TRANSFORMING EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS

The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a dark hour for humanity, but it is necessary to think about how Ukraine will be rebuild after the war is over and what needs to be done even if the agression continues.

Ukraine will have to choose the principles on which its society will be built after the war. These future principles must also be reflected in everyday architectural life by de-sovietizing the planning and humanizing the spaces.

The observations of daily life forced us to think about the environment we are living in. Historically, we have inherited a lot of soviet modernistic and anti-human approaches, which made a great impact on our today’s rules and understandings what is “normal”.

We got used to living with these “normal” – for the last 30 years we kept renovating instead of rethinking the spaces, which were programmed to cause segregation, loneliness and dehumanization.

But what if our homes and neighborhoods are not supposed to be soulless? What if our streets are supposed to be full of life? What if our kindergartens would teach us sociability and kindness? What if our shopping malls return to being shopping streets connected with the whole city?

Our spaces need transformation. Transformation instead of renovation.

The vision for Mariupol Kindergartens and Schools

Our aim is to hightlight key steps in dehumanizing soviet typical building standards and offer crutial principles of creating welcoming and unifying educational spaces.

Rebuilding is not about bringing Ukraine to its pre-war state; it is about a deep modernisation of the country, while using existing resources.

Therefore we have analyzed the existing educational architecture situation in Mariupol and offer tools to fulfill these goals of modernisation.

Principles of educational buildings transformation

Prioritize shared community spaces

Multifunctional and transformable spaces should be created and acessible during and after the primary use of educational buildings. For example the dance hall can be used as community space during evenings, library should be open to late hours and canteen can work as cafe on weekends. Transitional spaces (ex. dark corridors) are transformed to community areas for children, teachers and parents to stimulate natural human engagement and collaboration.

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Build visual connections

See-through spaces instead of dead-end corridors and backdoor rooms should be created to encourage children curiosity and build trustful and strong community relationships.

Create one main entrance

Instead of many separate entrances for each group one main uniting entrance should be created for children to meet, greet and interact with each other.

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Bring home feeling to educational buildings

To create relaxed, warm and safe atmosphere natural finishes (natural wood, textiles) should be used in combination with cozy lighting and subtle color scheme. Floor, ceiling and wall finishes are background for colourful life of children.

The courtyard becomes the main entrance area where parents, children, teachers and the community meet. The courtyard is surrounded only by common spaces – from inside the children can always see what is going on outside, and from outside they can see what is going on in the canteen, the lounge and the event area. This is how natural socialisation, curiosity and a sense of community are developed.

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Focus on quality of green space, not quantity. Start from saving the existing trees and find the place for the new ones. All the small architecture around (pavements, electricity, lighting and etc.) should be designed to respect the trees.

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Smaller courtyards for smaller groups Make

The kindergarten thus has two types of outdoor space: a patio for independent access (unexpected outdoor use) and yard for planned outdoor use. In this case children should be able to go outside independently, so the preparation process for teachers becomes much easier.

Children learn to take care of themselves by doing daily routines on their own. That means that all interior elements should be adjusted to children height and ergonomics.

Soviet-build schools and kindergartens in Mariupol

From our visual study can be seen that from approx. 171 schools and kindergartens in Mariupol, many of them fit into the 5 types of buildings. This means that in order to create a successful transformation of educational spaces only 10 buildings need to be analysed and rebuild.

It is absolutely essential to makes these tranformations into succesfull stories, so we could inspire all Ukrainian people, cities and policymakers to continue these changes throughout the country.

It is also very important to emphasize the values encoded in this architecture, so that each further decision is made based on values, not on easiest/mostcost-effective/faster-to-build solutions.

Kindergarten buildings

73 buildings = 5 building types

73% of all kindergartens in Mariupol

Secondary school buildings

51 buildings = 5 building types

72% of all schools in Mariupol

Educational building is the centre of neighborhood !

Children gathering in the morning and during daytime as well as the community residents gathering in the evening will create the critical mass necessary for a vibrant district center.

Case study Centre of neighborhood 12 Mariupol, Ukraine

The neighbourhood 12 in Mariupol was selected as a key study area as it already has a great urbanistical potential, that once was neglected; two educational buildings - a kindergarted and a school; and some potential areas for the public spaces.

The area could be transformed into a bright, welcoming, and central educational and communal area in a neighborhood with a few potential approaches.

Physical improvements: One way to make the area more welcoming and attractive is to make physical improvements to the area, such as installing new streetlights, planting trees and flowers, painting buildings and murals, and repairing sidewalks and other infrastructure.

Public amenities and gathering spaces: Adding public amenities and gathering spaces, such as parks, playgrounds, and community centers, can help to create a sense of community and make the area more inviting.

Educational initiatives: Making the area a central neighbourhood hub could involve transforming typical soviet buildings into open and welcoming educational centers, which could also be used by the community after the primary use of the building.

Public park

Strilkovoi Dyvizii boulevard

Renovated pedestrian path

Typical kindergarten building “W”

Detailed proposal plans:

Typical school building “H”

Possible building extention

Typical school “H”

Detailed proposal plans:

Wonderful example of transformation Kindergarden “Pelėdžiukas”

Lithuania, Vilnius District, Pagiriai

Vilnius District Municipality together with DO ARCHITECTS shows an example of what a public kindergarten should be like – the renovated kindergarten “Pelėdžiukas” was opened in Pagiriiai and presented to the public. The needs of the children were the first consideration in its construction, and the design and construction process were modified to save the huge spruce tree in the kindergarten yard. In Pagiriai, the kindergarten “Pelėdžiukas”, which was surrounded by Soviet apartment blocks, has been extended by building modern architectural extensions. The new part of the kindergarten consists of 4 nursery and 2 kindergarten groups, attached to the existing kindergarten building. The old and new buildings are connected by common spaces and a covered courtyard. The main change after the renovation is the enclosed courtyard.

Natural materials, such as wood, bring home feeling atmosphere to educational buildings

A visual connection has

created between common

and kitchen. It encourages curiosity and builds new social interactions

been

area

Smaller courtyards for each group has been designed. Children are able to go outside independently

One main entrance has been formed instead of many sepatare entrances for each group

Wonderful example of transformation Vizafogó Kindergarten, Budapest

Hungary, Budapest

The kindergarten is located close to the river Danube, surrounded by a ten-story block of flats from the socialist prefabricated housing program. While preserving the existing prefabricated two-story kindergarten building from the 1980s, this modernization and expansion have given the kindergarten a new and integral identity. The rooms were expanded towards the original courtyard, and a covered, wooden outdoor playground was added in the front. The building opens up under the new roof’s outline to compensate for the shut and rigid environment of the prefabricated panel blocks

One main entrance has been designed

Visual connections between classrooms and surroundings have been created

Natural materials and cozy lighting creates a warm atmosphere of interior spaces

an enclosed inner yard has been formed in the centre of a building, where parents, children, teachers and the community meet

Wonderful example of transformation Stem centre “GROW” at “José de san Martín” school

Bulgaria, Sofia

Schools in Bulgaria keep the imprint of the past socialist period. A long corridor with rooms attached to it, identical desks and chairs facing the podium, where the teacher, the source of knowledge, stands. An educational model, fit for the 21st century, is hard to thrive in this environment. Because of that, 90. SU “José de san Martín” school in Sofia approached Lusio architects to redesign part of their existing building into a new STEM space called “Grow”. The process was long and involved extensive research – on-site observation of school life, interviews and focus groups with the teachers and students. In a series of workshops, the architects discovered several challenges for the space – such as the need for teachers to write on “never ending” whiteboards and that students desire privacy and concentration, as well as different places to socialize

Various furniture settings allows students to work not only individual, but also in teams

Different layouts and types of classrooms have been implemented to accomodate alternative activities

Multifunctional community spaces have been formed instead of dead-end corridor

About the initiative Rebuild the Wonderful Ukraine

The observations of daily life forced us to think about the environment we are living in. Our old cities like Kiev (Ukraine), Vilnius (Lithuania) or Iasi (Romania), have wonderful urban roots. They have grown from handy and practical human architecture which formed everyday habits we admire. However, in the historical process we have inherited either the soviet modernistic formal and anti-human approach which made an impact on our today’s rules, standards, our normal. But it is not normal. It is not natural.

What if our homes and neighborhoods are not supposed to be soulless? What if our streets are supposed to be full of life? What if our kindergartens would teach us the comfort and coziness the space can provide? What if our shopping malls return to being shopping streets connected to the whole city?

About us / the initiative:

The initiative born in Lithuania is open to everyone. It already unites various architects, urbanists, politicians and other activists. We are collecting knowledge & insights to change the existing status-quo. We want to create positive improvements in our daily lives not only in Lithuania & the Baltic States, but in Ukraine and all the Eastern Europe region.

We aim to gather the best examples of how post-Soviet spaces are being transformed and reloaded, to help build consensus among architects, central and local government, developers and financial donors.

Focus

Obviously, most of the time is spent at home, averagely 8 hours a day depending on the age are spent at work, school or kindergarten and the time in between we are commuting or enjoying leisure time in the public spaces. Undoubtedly, these environments form the way we live, act and feel in a space.

For more information:

https://rebuildwonderful.com/

Initiative led by:

DO ARCHITECTS - Gilma Teodora Gylytė

Supported by:

REBUILD THE WONDERFUL UKRAINE initiative seeks to mobilise all possible resources for Ukraine’s rapid and effective reconstruction.

It is an initiative that promotes best international cases of architectural and urban development and redevelopment. First of all from Ukraine itself, Lithuania, as well as other Central and Eastern European countries.

Slava Ukraini!