Event structure
Pre-event
Site visit
Involvement according to individual ability, with team leads, participants, local experts and anyone interested
Day 1
Morning:
- Opening words from moderator, local experts and authorities
(Public part)
- Meeting team leads and groupmates
Afternoon:
- Team work
Evening:
- Small presentations
- Dinner and informal discussions
Day 2
Morning:
- Continuation of group work
Afternoon:
- Finalising presentations
Evening:
- Presentations and reflection session
(Public part)
After event
- The results are given to local municipality for future development and implementation
- Established partnerships continue
Team Leads
For our event we invite team leads with rich and diverse experience in architecture, urban planning, and community initiatives - socially engaged, collaborative, and guided by democratic values people, who bring knoweledge and creativity.
Anna Pashynska
Co-founder and curator of the urban laboratory METALAB;
affordable housing project CO-HATY.
Anna Pashynska is the co-founder and curator of the urban laboratory METALAB, the affordable housing project CO-HATY, and the Center for Development and Product Design POLE. She has over ten years of experience working in Ukraine and Austria as a curator, project manager, urbanist, and designer.
Anna leads a variety of projects, particularly in the fields of spatial research and design, product development, public space planning, community-led initiatives, and institutional planning.
Lembit-Kaur Stöör
Architect
Lembit-Kaur Stöör is a partner in the architectural offices ÖÖ-ÖÖ Arhitektid and an architect at KOKO Arhitektid.
Some of most well-known works are the summer house in Laulasmaa (in collaboration with Ülo-Tarmo Stöör, Wooden Building of the Year 2013) and the reconstruction of the Balti Jaama market (in collaboration with Raivo Kotov, Martin Tago and Maia Grimitliht).
He has participated in many competitions both in Estonia and abroad. Notable ones include first place in the concept competition for the new building of the Estonian Embassy in Riga (2007, together with Ülo-Tarmo Stöör) and reaching the finals of the Vilnius Center for Modern Art international architectural competition (2011, together with Kalle Komissarov and Ülo-Tarmo Stöör).
Marjo van Schaik
Researcher, strategic director and designer in Netherlands and Ukraine
Marjo's work experience is very diverse. Since 2009 she has been working in diverse roles as creative producer, researcher, strategic director, trainer and coach. She creates and initiates her own projects, such as Europe by People, where students, young professionals and artists worked together on the future city. In 2018 her PhD thesis “spaces of Culture” was published by NAI in a revised version for a larger audience. in Ukraine she regularly works as strategic advisor and coach of cultural projects in several cities ranging from Zhytomyr to Kharkiv and Kiev to Soledar. Since 2018 she has been working for the Kharkiv School of Architecture.
Before, in 2000-2005 she was General Manager of National Opera and Ballet in Amsterdam for 5 years.
Nowdays Marjo is using her experience to contribute to various projects and initiatives throughout Ukraine.
Oleksandr Anisimov
Researcher in spatial planning at Aalto University and Kharkiv School of Architecture, Orhaniser of symposium
Doctoral researcher in spatial planning and multi-level governance at Aalto University, School of Engineering.
Co-author of reports and thematic papers on housing, land use and spatial planning in Ukraine commissioned by UN-Habitat, PBL Netherlands, RMIT University and Aalto University.
Organiser of the annual international symposium ‘Rebuilding a Place to call home’.
Head of New Housing Policy NGO (Ukraine) and consultant for Ro3kvit: Urban coalition for Ukraine
Research fellow at Kharkiv School of Architecture.
Karin Bachmann
Landscape architect, Projects curator
Estonian landscape architect and doctoral researcher at the Estonian Academy of Arts.
Co-founder of Kino Landscape Architects, leading projects on urban green spaces, parks, and biodiversity integration in cities. Founder of landscape architecture magazine ÕU in 2009.
Winner of the 2020 Estonian Landscape Architecture Award for the Uus-Veerenni courtyard project and member of juries for national green space competitions.
Contributor to research on urban biodiversity and sustainable landscape design, with a focus on context-sensitive, nature-inclusive urban planning.
Urban Hack 1
Zhytomyr 28. - 29.09.2024
Experts from Estonia, Ukraine, and the Netherlands examined the social and architectural significance of the "Kosmos" cinema, which until 2006 hosted film screenings, discos, and events. Workgroups developed proposals to redesign the building and surrounding area as a modern, accessible public space that meets residents' needs, fosters social cohesion, and improves safety. The cinema, it was agreed, has the potential to become a hub for cultural and social initiatives that support the city's and community's post-war recovery.
The proposed solutions emphasized the need for quality, free public spaces, aligning with the Estonian "Good Public Space" program, where improvements in public space quality have increased the surrounding area’s value and property prices. Suggestions included repurposing the cinema as an arts and learning center, formatted like a modern library. Multifunctional shelters were also discussed, offering various activities during emergencies.
Urban Hack 2
Zhytomyr 04. - 05.10.2024
The second forum focused on the unique natural site of Sokolovski Quarry in Zhytomyr's outskirts. Participants analyzed the needs and interests of different visitor groups, from locals and tourists to divers. Working groups explored the possibility of developing safe infrastructure that caters to diverse users while preserving the area’s natural beauty. Ideas ranged from modest step-by-step solutions to islands and floating pathways. Floating saunas were also part of the dream!
The ideas from the five discussion groups will be consolidated and presented to Zhytomyr's city administration for future action.
Gallery
Urban Hacks 1 & 2
Photograph: Andriy Tkachenko
Urban Hack 3
Kalush 01. - 03.05.2025
The Kalush Urban Hack focused on the former kindergarten building in the New Kalushi microdistrict, where the municipality will create a residence for displaced Ukrainians. The Urban Hack sought ideas and solutions for the renovation of the outdoor area of the future residential building and the vision of the surrounding residential area in the context of the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
The focus was on three scales, focusing on a former kindergarten and its grounds (1.3 ha), the surrounding neighborhood, as well as the general housing situation in Kalush. The former kindergarden building will be turned into housing for Internally Displaced People (IDP). The Hack resulted in a joint vision and recommendations for action for Kalush.
.jpg)
Urban Hack 4
Lviv 14. - 15.05.2025
Urban Hack Lviv focuses on the topic of “Holistic Renovation of Modernist Housing” and will have a closer look at a microdistrict in Sykhiv district in Lviv. The microdistrict is located between Chervonoi Kalyna Avenue and Oleksandra Dovzhenko Street.
Holistic Renovation of Modernist Housing aims to meet contemporary standards of comfort, energy efficiency, safety, and social use, while respecting and preserving their architectural integrity. It involves looking beyond just superficial fixes and considering the building as a whole: its design, structure, systems, and its role in the community. This topic is also a research project lead by Architects Association Lithuania in collaboration with Kharkiv School of Architecture that is investigating roadblocks regarding renovation and hoping to offer a toolbox of solutions.
In the neighborhood in focus (https://maps.app.goo.gl/jH31c4X6Bcp6zxMx9) are a lot of challenges specific to the area that are quite common in typical soviet mass produced housing areas.
We believe that if residents, municipal officials, and interdisciplinary teams are involved in modeling the renovation of a modernist mass construction neighborhoods, it is possible to create a realistic foundation for a municipal program to upgrade outdated housing. The hackathon will serve as a lab for developing a first draft framework adaptable to different funding sources and various levels of intervention.
The Urban Hack had 5 teams that had a look at the renovation process challenges from different angles, next to visual ideas. All teams are dealing with one umbrella task of renovation challenges, but every team can choose a more specific viewpoint. We can view the issues from the perspective of the residents, homeowners association, local municipality, financial means and partnerships with donors. With this Hack we aim to empower everyone to take control over their own environment and think outside the box of restrictions and can’t do’s.
UREHERIT Project
Urban Hack is a part of UREHERIT project.
“UREHERIT: Architects for heritage in Ukraine. Recreating identity and memory” is a project co-funded by the European Union under a dedicated call for proposals to support Ukrainian displaced people and the Ukrainian Cultural and Creative Sectors. The project is a cooperation between the consortium of 11 organizations: Architects Association of Lithuania (LT), Architects Sweden (SE), Federal Chamber of Architects and Chartered Engineers BKZT (AT), Royal Danish Academy, The Institute of Technology and Architecture IBT (DK), Romanian Order of Architects OAR (RO), The National Council of Architects, Planners, Landscapers and Conservationists CNAPPC (IT), Federal Chamber of German Architects BAK (DE), Estonian Association of Architects (EE), The National Union of Architects of Ukraine (UA), Ro3kvit: Urban Coalition for Ukraine (UA), Kharkiv School of Architecture (UA) with the Architects’ Council of Europe (EU) as associated partner.
GRP-EACEA-CREA-2023-COOP-UA-EXT
The project addresses the topics of evaluation, preservation, and restoration of the urban and architectural heritage in Ukraine during and after the war, treating it as a resource for sustainable cultural, social, environmental, and economic recovery. Interdisciplinary teams of Ukrainian and European heritage specialists, architects, planners, engineers, other professionals, officers of local authorities and communities of Ukrainian cities in various forms - professional workshops, seminars, public events, research etc. - share their knowledge and experience to build competence on the heritage protection, regeneration of culturally meaningful plans and projects and empowering of local communities as a tool for building the new, democratic and sustainable Ukraine with a unique yet European cultural DNA.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author (s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
17 Urban Hacks - Urban Forums held in Estonia
The Urban Forums, organized by the Estonian Architecture Centre, have been held 17 times in different parts of Estonia since 2009, following a well-established format. They are two-day events, somewhat similar to hackathons. The focus of the discussion is always on a specific area of space and/or problem, and a goal is set, which the discussion wants to reach.
The Urban Forums consist of two public sessions (held at the beginning and end) and two sessions with invited participants. In the public part at the beginning of the forum, the format of which has traditionally been a one-day conference, the topic is opened from different perspectives. Then the activity continues in working groups, to which experts from various fields are invited. Each working group has its own moderator and a slightly different task. In addition to the moderator, the working groups are also assisted by professionals who help to formalize the ideas of the discussions into presentations illustrated with diagrams, pictures and plans, which are presented in the public closing session summarizing the Urban Forum.
List of Urban Forums that took place in Estonia:
2022 – Tallinn - Old Town City Forum "The Old Town's New Opportunity"
2022 – Viljandi City Forum "Our Dream Lakeside"
2021 – Uue-Raadi City Forum
2020 – Tallinn - Bastion Zone City Forum
2018 – Tallinn - New Old Port – A Good Shared Space
2017 – Tallinn - City Heart City Forum – What Kind of City Heart Do We Want?
2017 – Tallinn - Open Seafront City Forum: New Old Port.
2016 – Tallinn - Toome Sea Main Street Area
2015 – Tallinn - Tallinn Main Street
2010 – Pärnu - Pärnu City Center – Integrated Development
2010 – Tartu - University of Tartu in Tartu City
2010 – Rakvere - What is Public Space in a Small Town?
2010 – Tallinn - Fish Shore and Tallinn City Center
2010 – Tallinn - North Field / South Field
2010 – Tallinn - From Kadriorg to Maarjamäe
2010 – Harju County - Developments in Viimsi and Haabneeme Villages
2009 – Narva - Borders in Narva
