Houses of refuge projects presentation by students of Kharkiv National University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Ukraine

‘Houses of refuge’
A presentation by students of Kharkiv National University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Ukraine
The war has disrupted the lives of millions of Ukrainians, forcing people who have been left to their own devices, to fight or to move. For many of the residents in Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, it is no longer possible to live at home and have been forced to make basements, metro stations and bomb shelters their home. In other cities, residents have had the same experience. Homes of acquaintances, friends or distant relatives somewhere in villages or at the other side of the country or even abroad have offered temporary homes for those who have fled the war. Schools and universities, (the second home for schoolchildren and university students) in Ukraine closed on February 24th Also in Kharkiv, where more than 160,000 students are enrolled in the many universities of the city).
The idea of "Home" has been conceptualised by many and the main definition of home is not the physical house or its location on the map, but rather a place defined by people, their habits and surroundings. Houses have stayed on the map, but the people have moved and people from Kharkiv have been scattered all over the country and the world.
On April 4, the Kharkiv National University of Civil Engineering and Architecture started to teach classes online and the brief for the course was changed. The students were asked to design a House of Refuge: this refuge should not only be safe but also be a place that is peaceful, calm and comfortable. When discussing their different projects in the tutorials, the students have identified different typologies: Bunker House, Hill House, Refuge House, Social or Prefabricated Housing and a Traditional House. Having gone through hardship: having gained the experience of life “without a home”, the students have been able to implement everything that they have lacked so much in their daily life into their projects. They have approached their designs in a rational way though with hope and dreams.
The design of the houses has been informed and inspired by the personal experiences of the displaced students: thinking about their home and native city – Kharkiv. The students are hoping for victory and for a reunion with their families. We look forward to seeing you at the presentation of the student projects on June 21 between 7:00 -9:00 pm

Students: Alina Nikolayenko, Mykhailo Oberkovych, Mariia Tsybulnikova, Daria Odainyk, Yulia Zavgorodnya, Anna Blizniuk, Kateryna Makhinko, Olga Kalinina, Mykyta Soloviov, Olexander Vinter,

2nd year, Architecture Faculty, Kharkiv National University of Civil Engineering and Architecture

Сourse teachers: Mariia Rusanova, Liubov Ryzhevtseva, Kharkiv National University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Ukraine

The exhibition is organized with the support of: Architects Aware