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 everyday urban life and creating comfortable, safe, and inclusive public spaces. The concept prioritized preserving the recreational potential of the area, enhancing accessibility within the neighborhood, and transforming the site of a former boiler house—currently an abandoned and underutilized space—into a multifunctional destination with opportunities for outdoor activities. Rather than focusing on the resort area, the project deliberately targeted a typical Soviet-era residential district that emerged during the expansion of the city’s housing stock. This approach shifted the perspective from Truskavets as a “resort town” to Truskavets as a “city for living,” characterized by stronger and more sustainable neighborhood connections.
A key component of the proposal was a four-phase adaptation strategy, enabling the community and municipality to implement changes gradually in accordance with available resources and evolving needs. The central structural principle of this approach is the introduction of two main diagonal routes connecting the greatest possible number of destinations, public spaces, and local functions. These diagonals intersect at the former boiler house site, reimagining it from a neglected and negatively perceived place into a future focal point with significant social and spatial potential.
The transformation of this area can begin with the activation of the surrounding public realm, making it safer, more open, and community-oriented. Proposed interventions include a rain garden as part of climate-adaptive green infrastructure, a skate park to engage young people and activate underused space, an open-air event venue, and small workshop spaces supporting both indoor and outdoor activities.
The development of the district is envisioned not as the creation of a single large-scale project, but as a sequence of incremental improvements that naturally grow outward from a central point—the neighborhood core—and continue along perpendicular routes and the outer perimeter. Over time, these renewed spaces become interconnected into a cohesive network that strengthens local social interactions, encourages spontaneous activity, and creates opportunities for future interventions that may not yet be evident today.
Novyi Stebnyk Neighbourhood Development Concept (Drohobych hromada)
The Development Concept for the New Stebnyk Planning Area is a non-statutory document prepared jointly by the Drohobych City Council, the Drohobych City Institute, Ro3kvit, and UN-Habitat. It presents a comprehensive vision for the development of public spaces in Stebnyk, focusing on the areas surrounding the Stebnyk Community Cultural Center (Narodnyi Dim) and Molodizhnyi Park.
Economic activity in the city remains limited, and a significant share of residents commute daily to neighboring cities, primarily Truskavets and Drohobych. More than 40.2% of the population is aged 60 and above. Employment and leisure opportunities in Stebnyk are limited, while the housing stock and municipal infrastructure in New Stebnyk require substantial renovation. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the city has welcomed more than one thousand internally displaced persons, whose integration into community life remains a key challenge.
The Solonytsia River, which flows through the city, remains largely disconnected from its urban structure. Its potential as a landscape and recreational asset could be utilized through the creation of green pedestrian and cycling routes. Stebnyk also possesses unique tourism potential based on its salt-mining heritage and remarkable industrial landmarks.
The proposal was developed using an urban acupuncture approach, which focuses on targeted interventions in places with high demand and limited resources. Given the municipality’s constrained budget and the reallocation of public resources to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces, priority was given to actions capable of generating visible and systemic impact.
The Concept therefore focuses on three key areas:
• The central area surrounding the Community Cultural Center (Narodnyi Dim).
The proposal envisions transforming the courtyard of the Cultural Center into a multifunctional space for recreation and outdoor events during the warmer months. A commercial component is also introduced: part of the library premises could accommodate a small café, while a section of the courtyard could function as a seasonal outdoor terrace.
• The area around the lake in Molodizhnyi Park.
Proposed improvements include permeable paving along existing pathways and the installation of lighting along the main pedestrian route. The design also considers practical maintenance requirements, ensuring that grass along pathways and open lawns can be efficiently mowed using municipal equipment.
• A residential courtyard area as a demonstration project for improving parking management and enhancing green spaces.
To address parking-related challenges, the proposal recommends assessing the actual demand for parking spaces, organizing and marking resident parking areas in close proximity to residential buildings, though not necessarily directly adjacent to building entrances. Where feasible, traffic circulation patterns should be revised to restrict through-traffic within residential courtyards, allowing access primarily for emergency and service vehicles.
Stryi Neighbourhood Concept
In Stryi, Ro3kvit worked with an area shaped by several overlapping spatial layers, including national infrastructure, regional services, and local recreational spaces. The territory is influenced by the Kyiv–Lviv highway, the regional hospital, and the nearby Stryi River, which the municipality identifies as an important recreational asset.
The project aimed to demonstrate how strategic priorities defined at the community level can be translated into practical spatial interventions at the neighborhood scale. The concept focuses on improving quality of life, strengthening social interaction, and creating a safe, accessible, and inclusive urban environment.
A key question guiding the project was how to create a safe and high-quality public space with direct access to the Stryi River that could support recreation and psychological well-being for both residents and visitors. The plan identified 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 management and pedestrian access to the river through a new pedestrian and cycling connection; redesigning O. Basarab Street to enhance safety, walkability, and climate comfort around the regional hospital; and introducing sports and landscape interventions within the hospital grounds to create a new active public space.
The concept demonstrates how targeted and coordinated interventions can transform underutilized urban areas into connected, inclusive, and vibrant neighborhood 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.