UNUN

I am writing this post as I am coming back from the UNUN x PosadMaxwan workshop in Den Haag. It was the first urbanism-related event outside of BUAS that I have attended, and I cannot describe to you the amount of joy and inspiration I feel right now! PosadMaxwan is an incredible company thriving for “healthy, sustainable, smart cities by combining research, strategy, design and implementation” and I was fortunate enough to visit their agency office in The Hague. We were introduced to the 5 teams of the PosadMaxwan by Elena Chevtchenko, Michelle de Roo, Nazar Gresko and Generation.Energy’s Pieter van Os. As a student, I often struggle with envisioning my future work, both environment-wise and content-wise. Today’s visit truly showed how my potential future professional life might look like. Sheer presence in that building made my heart so full; seeing a great balance of personal connection and professional dedication motivates immensely. To reflect on thoughts that were planted in my head today: 1. We must design WITH nature, not adding it later. A talk with Michelle de Roo about the nuances that come with greenification (the importance of the amount and location of male and female trees, issues with green buildings, cable damage caused by trees’ roots…) opened my eyes to the fact of how incredibly complicated Urban Landscape field is. Therefore, “placemaking with nature in mind” must level up to “leaving space for nature from the very beginning and make the place grow around it”. 2. Active neighbourhoods are crucial for our mental wellbeing. The pursuit of solitude has led to a decreasing sense of togetherness in the neighbourhoods. And it is necessary to understand how much this change affects us psychologically as humans, as highly social creatures. Research after research has shown the importance of the socialisation in fight against anxiety, yet we keep extending the length of our fenced front yards and pushing elevator buttons a bit too frantically when hearing someone approaching. 3. Digital teamwork has an incredible potential. The point was made about the fact that even though the interconnectedness is absolutely crucial, “the physical tables (where plans can be presented, and maps be overlayed) are not big enough for all of us”. Hence, the key is digital. Thank you so much again UNUN and PosadMaxwan for this incredible opportunity and experience. You truly inspire! You will see me around often from now on!

Last week, I had the privilege of participating in the Energy Resilience Workshop organized by UNUN. This was a challenging yet inspiring experience for me as an architect, diving into a new realm of knowledge and tackling such a complex and not standard for my profession topic in a high-paced environment—our presentation proposal was developed in just three days! The case study focused on Kherson, a port city, rich on its agriculture with immense energy potential. Our long-term proposal aims to offer a vision and inspiration for detailed, practical strategies that can shape the city’s future resilience. A huge thank you to UNUN for continuing this incredible initiative, and to our table leaders Svitlana Usychenko, Corné Strootman and Kherson municipality representatives Antonina and Denys for their guidance and insights. And of course, an enormous thanks to my teammates Polina Verzhbytska, P. Rebeca Barbu for the fantastic exchange of ⚡energy⚡ and ideas throughout the workshop! Looking forward to seeing how everything will evolve! 

Exploring Healthy Living Environments with UNUN Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting an office visit for UNUN, introducing them to the work of PosadMaxwan and Generation.Energy. Our focus? Designing #healthier #living #environments—a theme deeply integrated into our projects and philosophy.   During the visit, Elena Chevtchenko, Michelle de Roo, Nazar Gresko, and Pieter van Os shared insights into the projects and scales we work on. They highlighted, for example, the importance of designing (with) nature in the city, how active neighbourhoods support mental well-being, and the key #ingredients for creating a #healthy, balanced city.   Would you like to learn more about creating healthy living environments? Our newsletter on this topic launches tomorrow—subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/eNJ6XaZa

We broadend our (energy) perspectives during 'Panorama Ukraine, Building Energy Resilience in Time of Crisis' 💡 Last week UNUN organized a very exciting 3-day-workshop 'Building Energy Resilience in Time of Crisis'. The workshop brought together Ukrainian and Dutch experts and student in Rotterdam to develop actionable solutions for Ukraine's energy sector, now facing unprecedented challenges due to ongoing conflict. Laura de Bonth and Basia van Rijt collaborated with Oleksandra Sladkova as mentors. Together with Lena de Rouw, Nada Soliman, and Sofiia Brem we examined the energy system of Drohobych, to enhance its resilience on the short term and prevent energy poverty on the long term. This workshop is part of the Panorama Ukraine project, supported by UNUN, IABR, College van Rijksbouwmeester & Rijksadviseurs, Vereniging Deltametropool and Restart . Funded by the Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. Thank you very much for the inviting us, and for the great organisation! The inspiring input and talks of Saskia van Stein, Gerjan Streng, Roman Zinchenko, Sven Stremke, Francesco Veenstra. The workshop broadened our perspective and resulted in interesting new concepts that will be collected in the future work of Panorama Ukraine.

The OpenDoorUkraine.nl team had the honour of attending the Green and Circular Rebuilding of Ukraine Summit, which took place on 21 November 2024 in Kyiv. The event brought together visionaries, politicians, architects, urbanists and circular economy experts who shared case studies and ideas on circular design, processes, materials and techniques that are already being used or can be applied in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Particularly impressive were the panel discussions on the implementation of green reconstruction, the role of the principles of the new European Bauhaus in the reconstruction of Ukraine, and the use of construction waste. One of the speakers was our partner Patrick Meijers from UNUN.NU who shared his valuable experience in architecture and the circular economy. An important role in the event was also played by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine which actively supports the ideas of sustainable development and reconstruction of Ukraine. The OpenDoorUkraine.nl team is constantly looking for innovative solutions in green building and circular economy. Some of the proposals discussed at the summit are already being implemented in our projects. In particular, together with architect Alexander Kucheravy we are working on a research project for the green and healthy recovery of Ukraine. This project is based on innovative approaches such as neuroarchitecture, modular green roofs, bio-based energy efficiency solutions, reuse of materials, and art therapy to involve future residents in the process of creating housing. We are pleased to see that the approaches we are actively implementing in our work are in line with global standards and support the ideas of a circular economy and sustainable development discussed at the summit.

Elena Chevtchenko, UNUN board member, participated in a meeting alongside Special Envoy Erica Schouten and RVO to discuss masterplanning and capacity building for Ukraine. Together with other cluster spokespersons (covering water for food, water quality, and the Kakhovka dam), Elena emphasized the critical need to bridge the gap between pre-feasibility studies and implementation. This intermediate stage—focused on masterplanning and capacity building—is essential for sustainable rebuilding in Ukraine. It also de-risks and unlocks larger investments while showcasing Dutch expertise in planning and capacity building. Looking ahead, the Special Envoy will organize a meeting early next year with international financial institutions (The World Bank, GIZ Ukraine, etc.) and cluster representatives to brainstorm financing opportunities for these initiatives. Despite some uncertainty, the commitment and energy to support Ukraine’s recovery remain strong.

Last week I had the privilege to be group leader in de Panorama Ukraine workshop on Energy Resilience together with Yuliana Onishchuk. Our group of very dedicated students worked on plans for the mining town of Klesiv in north-western Ukraine. The mayor and the councillor were present in Rotterdam to give their input. With our plan to regenerate an abandoned part of the mines, we try to tackle air pollution, energy resilience and water sanitation at the same time. On Friday all 6 groups that worked on energy resilience for different cities in Ukraine presented to the audience including Rijksbouwmeester Francesco Veenstra and moderated by Saskia van Stein, directeur IABR. I would like to thank the organisation of Panorama Ukraine and UNUN for the opportunity. Hopefully we can visit the region next year to continue on the plans. And special thanks to the participating students Dariia Alieieva, Jose Brian Bustos Chavez and Jakaria Tuhin

💪Broadening perspectives on the #energy sector development - this time from the #urban planning point of view. Last week, I participated as a group lead in a 3-day Panorama Ukraine workshop organised by UNUN in Rotterdam. 🇺🇦Our group has been working on a cross-sectoral energy-urban #strategy for the community of Voznesensk town, located in the south of Ukraine. In these 3 days, participants with energy, architecture, design, and urban planning backgrounds had to educate each other, learn to speak each other's language and understand the different issues that the Ukrainian cities are encountering as a result of the russian war. 💡Whilst I am used to working with national governments and international energy corporations, it was the first time I had to zoom in and work at the scale of a selected #community. Luckily, each group was supported by our mentors Roman Zinchenko and Gerjan Streng, who guided us masterfully through the complexities of city and energy system #transformation - considering needs, resources, governance, ownership, financing, communal and institutional capacity. 📊Working together with Thijs van Spaandonk, as my group co-lead, and Olena Kuzhym and Oksana Kichenko, as group members, we have developed a detailed energy & urban roadmap for the different clusters of Voznesensk and identified priorities moving forward. The event has been made possible by UNUN, IABR, College van Rijksbouwmeester & Rijksadviseurs, Vereniging Deltametropool and Restart. ❤️I would like to extend my gratitude to Pavlo Gorokhovskyi and Oleksandra Tkachenko for the invitation, Tania Vovk and Johanna Fuhler for coordination, and the other group leads Yuliana Onishchuk, Valeriya Izhyk, Oleksii Khalin, Rens Wijnakker, Magdalena Grienig, Corné Strootman, Sebastiaan Veldhuisen, Svitlana Usychenko, Oleksandra Sladkova Basia van Rijt Laura de Bonth for their insights and time together!

𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 On November 14th, Vakwerkhuis in Delft became a hub for thought-provoking discussions on the critical energy challenges Ukraine faces as winter looms amidst the ongoing war. Experts Sebastiaan Veldhuisen, Nataliya Lushnikova, and Maksym Semenyuk gathered to share insights on Ukraine’s energy recovery. Moderated by Nazar Gresko, the event highlighted innovative solutions, resilience, and decentralised energy approaches to address the destruction of critical infrastructure. ▶ Sebastiaan shared his journey from the warmth of the Caribbean to the cold Dutch climate, reflecting on his work as a pioneer in applied sustainability and energy solutions. He emphasised the necessity of passive energy-saving strategies, such as improving thermal resistance in old buildings. The audience also explored DIY activism, with Sebastiaan recounting his student experiences of self-reliant warmth. ▶ Nataliya stressed the importance of reusing materials, planning for higher energy efficiency, and grassroots initiatives. She shared her impactful work, which included supplying solar plants to over 30 hospitals in Ukraine and promoting gender equity in energy diplomacy. ▶ Maxim provided insights into the geopolitical dimensions of energy, discussing Ukraine's mineral resources and the balance between centralised and decentralised energy systems. Drawing on examples of energy communities in Spain, he advocated for local, community-driven solutions instead of relying solely on centralised grids. 🔺 The topics and questions raised during the lecture will be explored further, along with the development of solutions for six Ukrainian communities, during the 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩. ⚡ 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 22! Details via the link:https://lnkd.in/e_2VFSTc This event was organised under the Panorama Ukraine project—a collaboration with IABR, UNUN, Vereniging Deltametropool, College van Rijksbouwmeester & Rijksadviseurs, and Restart. 🌍 Missed the lecture? Follow UNUN for upcoming events and insights!

𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 From 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 19 𝐭𝐨 22, 2024, 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 workshop will bring together Ukrainian and Dutch experts in Rotterdam to develop actionable solutions for Ukraine's energy sector, now facing unprecedented challenges due to ongoing conflict. This workshop will explore the shift toward a decentralised, resilient energy system and the critical role of international cooperation. Workshop Highlights: 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 Addressing the immediate needs for emergency power solutions, protecting critical infrastructure, and ensuring continuity of essential services across Ukraine. 𝐌𝐢𝐝-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Exploring the integration of distributed energy solutions and grid modernization to mitigate power shortages. This includes examining innovative business models, government support mechanisms, and community-based solutions that can support resilience. 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Focused on sustainable energy transition, this track covers building a resilient grid, developing renewable energy capacity, and implementing climate-adaptive strategies that position Ukraine for long-term stability. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: The Netherlands, with extensive experience in post-crisis rebuilding and sustainable urban planning, brings valuable insights to this collaboration. Experts from both countries will discuss best practices in smart grid development, community energy resilience, and renewable integration. Together with Gerjan Streng, Rens Wijnakker, Magdalena Grienig, Corné Strootman, Thijs van Spaandonk, Sebastiaan Veldhuisen, Roman Zinchenko, Svitlana Usychenko, Oleksii Khalin, Maksym Semenyuk, Yuliana Onishchuk, Valeriya Izhyk, Oleksandra Sladkova, Basia van Rijt, Laura de Bonth Join the discussion about the future of energy in Ukraine and the importance of international partnerships in building resilience on 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 22, 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 16:00 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐛, 𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐦! This workshop is part of the long-term 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 project, supported by UNUN, IABR, College van Rijksbouwmeester & Rijksadviseurs, Vereniging Deltametropool and Restart. Generously funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine