Master Plan for Mykolaiv: reconstruction scenarios for the southern Ukrainian city

Destroyed housing in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Photo credits: Sergey Ovcharyshyn

Rebuilding the cities destroyed in Ukraine is a long process that requires a systematic approach. UNECE and architectural firm One Works, are taking one such step towards recovery by helping Kharkiv and Mykolaiv create new master plans.

Currently, this system is being built by the government, local authorities together with partner countries, international organizations and donors. The experience of creating new master plans for Kharkiv and Mykolaiv in cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and foreign architectural bureaus is one such step towards recovery. How it all began and what strategies were created for Mykolaiv in almost a year — in the material.

Why Kharkiv and Mykolaiv?

Among the large cities of Ukraine, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv suffered the most (and continue to suffer) from shelling and bombing. Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, located thirty kilometers from the border, has been suffering colossal damage and destruction since the beginning of the full-scale war, so this choice was in many ways obvious.

Mykolaiv is a large port and industrial center connected logistically with Odessa and Kherson. The city was one of the first to accept the battle and turned into a frontier, made heroic resistance to the invaders. Other factors were also taken into account during the selection of cities — participants of the project, for example, the request of local authorities for changes, their interest and readiness to cooperate with an international team of specialists, the state of technical documentation and databases.

Read more to find out how it all started and what strategies were created for Mykolaiv in almost a year.