Neighborhood Development Concepts in Lviv Oblast

The “Neighborhood Development Concepts in Lviv Oblast” project is implemented by the NGO Ro3kvit with the support of UN-Habitat. Its goal is to provide professional technical assistance to the municipal authorities of Stryi, Drohobych, and Truskavets in developing long-term development concepts for selected neighborhoods.
The project combines analytical and participatory approaches, including a review of existing integrated urban development strategies, spatial analysis, field research, and a series of co-creation workshops with local communities and stakeholders. This approach ensures that both strategic planning frameworks and the real needs of residents are reflected in the outcomes.
As a result, three neighborhood development concepts tailored to the specific context of each city will be developed. In parallel, a universal methodology based on UN-Habitat’s global principles of sustainable and inclusive urban development will be created. This methodology will serve as a practical tool for other Ukrainian communities working on recovery and long-term spatial transformation.

Truskavets Neighbourhood Development Concept

In Truskavets, the emphasis was placed on improving the quality of the everyday environment and creating comfortable, safe, and inclusive public spaces. The concept prioritised preserving the area’s recreational potential, improving accessibility within the neighbourhood, and transforming the territory of the former boiler room, currently a neglected and underused space, into a multifunctional space with function extension to outdoor activities.
A key component of the proposal was the four-step concept adaptation, which allows the community and municipality to gradually implement changes based on available resources and evolving needs. The most important structuring principle within this approach is the introduction of two main diagonals that connect the maximum number of destinations, public spaces, and local functions. These diagonals intersect precisely at the former heat plant site, reframing it from a “negative place” into a future anchor point with strong social and spatial potential. The transformation of this area can begin with activating the surrounding space, making it safe, inviting, and community-oriented. Proposed interventions include: a rain garden as a climate-adaptive green infrastructure element, a skate park to engage youth and activate unused space, an open gathering area for events, small workshop spaces with indoor and outdoor activities.

Novyi Stebnyk Neighbourhood Development Concept (Drohobych hromada).

The Development Concept for the Novyi Stebnyk planning area is a non-statutory document prepared jointly by the Drohobych City Council, the Drohobych City Institute, NGO Ro3kvit, and UN-Habitat. It presents a comprehensive vision for the development of public spaces in Stebnyk, with a focus on the area around Stebnyk Narodnyi Dim and Molodyzhnyi Park.
Economic activity in the city is low, and a significant share of residents commute to neighbouring cities, mainly Truskavets and Drohobych. More than 40.2% of the population is aged 60 or older. Employment and leisure opportunities in Stebnyk are limited, and the condition of residential buildings and utility infrastructure in Novyi Stebnyk requires major repair. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the city has hosted more than one thousand internally displaced persons (IDPs), whose integration into local community life remains a key challenge.An urban acupuncture approach was applied in developing the proposals, focusing on targeted interventions in areas of high demand and limited resources. Given the limited municipal budget and the redirection of public resources toward supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine, priority was given to actions capable of generating visible and systemic impact.
The Concept therefore focuses on three key areas:
• the central area surrounding Stebnyk Narodnyi Dim;• the area around the lake in Molodyzhnyi Park;• part of a residential neighbourhood, demonstrating how to organise parking and improve the quality of green spaces.

Stryi Neighbourhood Concept

In Stryi, Ro3kvit worked on a neighbourhood connected to several spatial layers: national infrastructure, regional services, and local recreational spaces. The area is influenced by the Kyiv–Lviv highway, the regional hospital, and the nearby Stryi River, which the municipality sees as an important recreational resource. The aim of the project was to demonstrate how strategic priorities defined at the hromada level can be translated into practical spatial interventions at the neighbourhood scale. The concept focuses on improving quality of life, strengthening social interaction, and creating a safe and accessible urban environment.
A key question guiding the work was how to create safe and high-quality public space with direct access to the Stryi River that could support recreation and psychological recovery for residents and visitors. The masterplan defined spatial objectives related to access to recreational areas, climate resilience, safety, and sustainable mobility, integrating them into a coherent development framework.
Three priority intervention areas were identified: improving parking and pedestrian access to the river through a new pedestrian and bicycle connection; redesigning O. Basarab Street to enhance safety, walkability, and climate comfort near the district hospital; and introducing sports and landscape interventions within the hospital grounds to create a new active public space. The concept demonstrates how targeted, coordinated interventions can transform underused urban areas into connected and inclusive neighbourhood environments.

Team: Elina Polyanska, Fulco Treffers, Natalia Kozub, Daryna Pasiuta, Daria Tereshchenko, Svitlana Usichenko, Iryna Tsyba, Sofia Bondar, Ruslan Antonenko, Anastasia Aniskina, Sofia Vinnichenko and Oleksandr Tsyuper.
The project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. This document was developed by the NGO Ro3kvit for the Stryi hromada with the support of UN-Habitat and funding from BMZ.