Rapid Urban Re-Innovation: Strategic Urban Design for Inclusive Recovery in Ukraine
Rapid Urban Re-Innovation is an advanced, continuous professional development programme that aims to reskill Ukrainian architects and urbanists in strategic and inclusive urban design for Ukraine’s recovery.
Using a case-study learning approach, the programme seeks to equip participants with strategic and inclusive urban design tools and methods to support hromadas in sustainable urban transformation, strengthen their resilience, and accelerate local development while aligning it with Ukraine’s EU integration path.
The program is organised by Ro3kvit Urban Coalition and Innovation Leadership Group - a Swedish agency working in the field of innovation that helps organisations co-create innovative solutions to complex problems and works as strategic advisors in innovation leadership and capability, manages research projects, and educates professionals. The programme is funded by the Swedish Institute.
6 months duration
From August 2025 to March 2026 (with a winter holiday break)
Format - hybrid.
Online webinars, lectures and consultations, two three-day offline workshops in Kyiv, including site visits in Nizhyn,
a three-day study visit to Sweden*
*Note: The programme provides an invitation for international travel; permissions are subject to official regulationsTime Commitment
~8 hours/week (flexible part-time engagement). The schedule includes weekly online sessions according to a pre-formed curriculum, as well as individual teamwork.
Language: Ukrainian.
Sessions provided by international partners will be delivered in English, with translation to Ukrainian.
Cost
Participation is free. Travel for field trips and the tour to Sweden is covered by the programme.
Number of Participants - 30
Why RURI?
Architectural education in Ukraine faces a critical gap — the absence of urban designers capable of working at the intersection of architecture, planning, and urban analysis. In the context of recovery, EU integration, and current global challenges, there is a growing need for new spatial experts who can accelerate complex, community-oriented transformations. The Rapid Urban Re-Innovation programme trains such professionals, teaching integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to create high-quality solutions for Ukraine’s sustainable recovery.
Why Urban Design?
Urban design plays a crucial bridging role in solving complex systemic problems at the intersection of policies, space, and society, enabling the translation of abstract strategies into tangible change. Operating across multiple scales, urban design materialises strategic goals - like sustainability, equity, or resilience - by shaping actual environments. This makes urban design the perfect tool to test, iterate, and visualise strategies before implementation. In the context of Ukraine’s recovery, this integrative and human-centred approach is essential for rebuilding cities and communities with vision, justice, and care.
What Makes RURI Programme Unique?
Case-Based Learning in Nizhyn Hromada: Participants will develop a real urban design project for Nizhyn Hromada, ensuring close alignment with local needs and priorities. The process is based on direct collaboration with the local community and stakeholders, creating a trusted workflow.
The full project lifecycle. Throughout the programme, the participants will develop a complete project tailored to a real site in Nizhyn Hromada: from systemic and spatial analysis and visioning to project roadmap and implementation strategy, and stakeholder communication with the participatory session. By the end, the group of participants will have developed a comprehensive urban design project that is ready for integration in Nizhyn’s recovery portfolio and possibly further implementation.
Teamwork & Mentorship: Interdisciplinary teams will work under the guidance of Ukrainian and Swedish experts, gaining hands-on experience in participatory urban design, collaborative planning, and sustainability adjusted to the current challenges of Ukraine’s post-war recovery
A study tour to Sweden will offer participants insights and practical examples for integrating resilience and sustainability strategies into urban design practices and provide a platform for knowledge exchange.
Integration with EU sustainability frameworks: The programme fosters the development of a new type of expert - urban designer who bridges spheres of architecture, planning, and policy-making and aligns Ukrainian spatial practice and urban recovery needs with European frameworks and standards.
Community & Network Building. Through workshops, stakeholder engagement, and peer learning, participants will join a growing professional community committed to urban innovation and sustainable recovery in Ukraine.
Learning Outcomes and Results:
Participants will gain the necessary skills to transfer the focus of their professional activities from object/building design to comprehensive spatial design and be able to conduct urban design projects for municipalities in the context of Ukrainian recovery.
By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:● Support municipalities and communities in developing high-impact recovery design interventions.● Translate local spatial strategies into visionary and actionable urban design proposals● Develop comprehensive and feasible visions for neighbourhoods, design guidance and other types of ● Understand and apply principles of economic, social and ecological sustainability for design in built environments● Lead iterative and participatory design processes and navigate in a complex multi-stakeholder environment. ● Adapt and apply European sustainability frameworks in the Ukrainian context● Develop bankable and feasible urban design pilot projects for Hromadas● Effectively communicate complex ideas with clarity and visual strength
By the end of the programme, participants will develop draft proposals for pilot urban design projects that could be further integrated into the local recovery portfolio of Nizhyn Hromada. The overall methodology of the programme and portfolio of the pilot projects will also be summarised as a publication.
For whom is this programme?
“Rapid Urban Re-Innovation” encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration and welcomes applications from two main professional groups:
Group 1 - Experienced Architects & Designers seeking to move beyond object design toward an integrated urban design solution. This implies an aspiration to engage in community-driven urban recovery and collaboration with local stakeholders. Requirements:
Group 2 - Emerging Urbanists, Planners, and Spatial Analysts eager to translate abstract research and strategy into tangible urban design solutions and gain project-based experience in urban recovery. Requirements:
Motivation & Relevance
Selection Criteria:
How to participate in the programme:
Apply by filling out the form https://forms.gle/Zut1FRpVqUCPsmWo9 by 20.06.2025.
In the application form, you will have to include a motivation statement, relevant background, and attach a short portfolio (PDF, max 5 pages/3 projects, 10 MB) showcasing your relevant work. Final selection will be made by the organising committee based on submitted applications.
Online Q&A: at 16:00 on May 20 and June 9, 2025
Selection results announced: 07.07.2025.
Confirm participation by: 14.07.2025
Programme starts: mid-August 2025
End of the program: March 2026
Selection criteria:
● Relevance to participants' requirements/ Time commitment and availability● Professional experience relevant to the target group profile● Skills and professional experience / Portfolio● Motivation and alignment with program objectives
Programme Structure:
● Module 1: Integrated Spatial Planning & Urban Recovery (Fundamentals & Ukrainian Context)
August 2025 / 3 weeks / online
In this module, participants will be introduced to the principles of integrated spatial planning and its key role in Ukraine’s recovery. The module will lay the foundation for understanding how urban design operates within the planning system at different levels and scales, and how it responds to the complex challenges of post-war reconstruction.
Main topics:● Integrated spatial planning and its strategic role in guiding long-term development: definitions, dimensions & challenges● Strategic development documents and types of urban planning documentation.● Urban Recovery Framework: Understand the unique context of planning in Ukraine’s current recovery phase. ● Systemic analysis and spatial planning tools: GIS and mapping tools, evidence-based approaches to planning and decision-making● The role of planners and urban designers in the context of Ukrainian recovery● Module 2: From Urban Analysis to Visioning
September - October 2025 / 6 weeks / hybrid: online + Kyiv and Nizhyn
Participants will explore how the physical environment shapes daily life and citizens' behaviour, its systemic relations, and the overall development of the city. The module aims to provide the necessary tools to translate development strategies and goals into inclusive, future-oriented local visions and design programs that address the real needs of communities.
Main topics:● Fundamentals of urban design: history, theories, and concepts of urban design; morphology, spatial syntax.● Methods and tools for spatial site research.● Integrated and contextually adaptive approaches to designing neighbourhoods, places, and spaces.● Inclusive urban design in (post-)war contexts: co-design methods, engagement techniques, and ethical aspects of working with communities.● Scenario planning and opportunity-oriented visioning: developing visions, prototypes, and scenarios, their evaluation, and the decision-making process.● Module 3: Sustainable Urban Recovery for Resilient Cities and Communities
October - November 2025 / 6 weeks : 4 weeks online + study trip to Sweden
Participants will learn to understand the correlation between social, economic and ecological sustainability aspects and learn how urban forms can provide preconditions for sustainable and resilient cities and communities in the face of local and global challenges.
Main topics:● The city as part of a larger ecosystemic context: from local impact to planetary boundaries.● Social sustainability through design: inclusivity, equity, strengthening social cohesion, and local identity.● Economic sustainability and circular urbanism: efficient resource use and economic resilience through circular economy principles.● Climate action and urban resilience: spatial approaches to climate change mitigation and adaptation.● Importance of the integration of European sustainable development policies.● Module 4: Organisation and Implementation of Urban Design Projects
December 2025: 3+1 weeks, online
This module provides participants with knowledge and practical tools for effective planning, management, and implementation of urban design projects in the context of recovery. Participants will learn how to integrate strategic vision with specific implementation steps, considering funding, partnerships, and the sustainability of solutions.
Main topics: ● Organising and managing urban design projects: Tools and methods for planning and implementing urban design processes● Funding & financing urban recovery projects: overview of funding models and opportunities, aligning with strategic priorities and securing long-term financial ecosystems.● Stakeholders' involvement and forms of cooperation: Strategies for building effective partnerships and shared ownership.● Module 5: From Vision to Actionable Pilot Project
February-March 2026 / 6 weeks / hybrid: online + Kyiv and Nizhyn on site
The most practical module, where participants will convert their previously conducted spatial analysis and other work assignments into a sufficient urban design pilot project for Nizhyn hromada. Additionally, the module will equip the participants with tools and methods for effective communication - tools for different types of presentations, storytelling, visual communication, etc.
Main milestones of the module:● Development of a roadmap and project plan: Define objectives, priorities, key stakeholders, timelines, participation strategies, and implementation steps for the selected pilot project. ● Participatory Design Planning: Design a community engagement session tailored to the specific pilot project, including format, facilitation tools, and expected outcomes.● Onsite Workshop in Nizhyn: Conduct a participatory session with local stakeholders, test ideas through feedback loops, and refine proposals based on input.● Final Proposal Development: Deliver a complete pilot project package, including refined design, implementation strategy, and compelling visual and narrative communication.● Final Presentation for Stakeholders
March 2026 / Online, with in-person participation in conference rooms in Kyiv, Nizhyn, and Stockholm
The programme will conclude with a public presentation of the pilot projects, bringing together participants, local authorities, community representatives, and international partners. This event will showcase the outcomes of the programme and open a dialogue around implementation, collaboration, and future opportunities. This event is a key opportunity to strengthen partnerships and lay the groundwork for further support and real-world impact.
Programme team:
Anastasiia Borodiienko, Programme Curator
architect (SAR/MSA) and urban planner. A graduate of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, with over 10 years of professional experience in both the private and public sectors in Ukraine and Sweden. Previously worked as an urban planner at the City Planning Department of Stockholm and as an architect at Urban Minds, SWECO, Tovatt Architects & Planners, and Borodkin Architects. Anastasiia works with complex interdisciplinary urban development projects in the European context and specialises in developing visions, masterplans, design guidance, and organising design processes for stakeholders. Her aspiration is to create physical preconditions for democratic and inclusive cities with a socially sustainable perspective.
Margot Didichenko, Programme Expert
an urbanist, educational manager, and researcher working at the intersection of architecture, urban development, and critical pedagogy. Her work focuses on transforming cities through educational innovations and the implementation of European approaches to sustainable reconstruction. At Ro3kvit: Urban Coalition for Ukraine, she is responsible for the educational component in urban recovery. She previously led the preparatory department at the Kharkiv School of Architecture, taught at the Kyiv National University of Building and Architecture (KNUBA), and developed informal education programs at CANactions School for Urban Studies. For four years, she was part of the team behind the international CANactions Festival and participated in several cultural and urban initiatives in Ukraine.
Jan Rydén Bonmot, Programme Expert
is a business graduate, author, and artist; a doctoral candidate at the Department of Art History at Åbo Akademi University in Finland, as well as an affiliated doctoral candidate at the Centre for Arts, Business and Culture at the Stockholm School of Economics. Jan was previously a research engineer at the KTH School of Architecture. He has worked with organisations such as ICA, the City of Stockholm, Alsike Fastighets, and Färgfabriken. He is the author of books on urban development, architecture, and art. Jan is a valued strategic advisor, lecturer, moderator, and workshop leader.
Elin Strand Ruin, Programme expert
is an artist and architect working within the field of participatory urban planning and placemaking. In collaboration with local networks, her work operates at the interface between urban politics and performative art, exploring how to catalyse social change through ”domestic public spaces”. Strand Ruin have had a range of private and public commissions and has exhibited at leading art, architectural and planning venues around Sweden and Europe during the last 20 years. She has been a lecturer on artistic merit in Urban planning and KUAUT for 10 years at The School of Architecture, KTH, Stockholm. She is active in the debate issuing public space, invited to participate in panels, to lecture, as guest critic/opponent at university level (art, design, architecture). Elected member of the board of the Association for Community planning (FFS) Stockholm. She has been running the art-architecture practice S E S Studio Elin Strand Ruin since 2000.
Fulco Treffers, Programme Expert
a Dutch architect, urbanist, and researcher specializing in sustainable reconstruction, integrated planning, and community engagement. He is the founder and executive director of the urban coalition Ro3kvit, lead architect and urbanist at 12N Urban Matters, and a tutor and program developer at the Kharkiv School of Architecture. He has been working in Ukraine since 2015 and is currently actively involved in developing approaches to the comprehensive rebuilding of cities and communities.
Organizers:
Partner hromada:
Supported by: