Video lectures
A starting point for understanding recovery, in the form of short lectures from Ukrainian and international experts.
This is an easy way to dive into key concepts and learn about approaches to spatial planning, architecture, community engagement, safety, and resilience. The lectures can be watched at your own pace, individually or as part of a full learning journey.
Suitable for both beginners and those seeking a fresh perspective on familiar topics.
Integrated Planning — The Key to Recovery
About the video: This video explains why integrated planning is a vital necessity for post-war Ukraine. You will find out how to combine transportation, housing, economy, nature, and security into a single urban system, even with limited resources.
The large-scale destruction in Ukraine has presented cities with unprecedented challenges. Recovery must go beyond mere reconstruction - it requires integrated urban planning that combines physical, social, economic and environmental factors.
In the video, architect and urbanist Fulco Treffers emphasizes that urban planning must simultaneously address issues of mobility, housing, security, and economic opportunities while responding to contemporary challenges such as war and climate change. The examples of the Kyiv region and the vision of Mariupol's recovery demonstrate how a strategic approach can balance heritage preservation, development, and sustainability.
Oleg Drozdov draws attention to the need to coordinate planning at different levels, from regional strategies to local decisions. He places a special emphasis on the problem of outdated Soviet mass housing, which requires deep renovation to meet modern energy efficiency and safety standards.
Both experts emphasize that Ukraine's successful recovery requires flexible legislation, public engagement, and international cooperation.Speakers: Fulco Treffers and Oleg Drozdov
Fulco Treffers (NL, UA) – is a Dutch architect, urbanist and researcher specializing in sustainable regeneration, integrated planning and community engagement. He is a co-founder and director of Ro3kvit: Urban Coalition for Ukraine. He is actively working in Ukraine to develop approaches to the comprehensive recovery of cities and communities.
Oleg Drozdov (UA) – is an architect, co-founder of drozdov&partners and Kharkiv School of Architecture. He is known for his projects that combine modern architecture with a deep contextual analysis of space. He actively works on the development of architectural education in Ukraine and promotes integrated approaches to planning and urban renewal in the postwar period.Recommendations for deepening the topic
The recovery of cities and communities requires a holistic vision, taking into account spatial, social, economic, and environmental interconnections. We offer a selection of resources that will help you better understand the integrated approach and find your place in these processes:
● Urban Recovery Framework від UN-Habitat — is a practical guide that offers a structured approach to integrated urban and community recovery. It shows how to integrate housing, economy, environment and security into a coherent system and will be a reference for those working at the strategic level. Learn more
● Key European frameworks for integrated planning — are strategic documents that shape a modern vision of cities as holistic, sustainable, and equitable spaces. They set guidelines for the integrated reconstruction of Ukrainian communities in the process of European integration. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the following: New Leipzig Charter, NEB Compass, Urban Agenda for the EU
● Cities after the war: international experience of post-war reconstruction — is a resource with examples of urban reconstruction after destruction, analysis of successful solutions and mistakes that should be taken into account in Ukraine. City After War
● Spatial planning in Ukraine: Profile 2023. An up-to-date analysis of the state of spatial planning in Ukraine, which shows what exactly needs to be changed to create a comprehensive system of management of the development of territories. See th profile
● Open course “Introduction to the Capacity Building for Ukraine's Recovery Program” on the EU Academy platform. A free online course for those who want to develop professional skills in planning, project management, and community engagement in reconstruction. Start learning
The project is led by UN-Habitat and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of the Federal Republic of Germany.