The first meeting of a series of conversations about the city took place in Lutsk on May 12, 2023, where urbanists from all over Ukraine made presentations.
"Urban Talks Lutsk" is a discussion involving Lutsk residents aimed at identifying the peculiarities, problems, and prospects for developing the potential of the central part of Lutsk.
We have a big dream - to turn Lutsk into a local creative and technological hub, to improve the quality of life in the city, to make it more attractive for residents, to ensure sustainable development, economic activity and openness. Our team collects the experience of creative economy centers and researches their work models. Our goal is to create a space where designers, IT specialists, entrepreneurs, financiers, scientists, and investors interact and positively influence the region by implementing business and social ideas. I invite everyone to actively join the projects we are already implementing: Diia.Business, a training center, and RE:Ukraine Housing Lutsk, a temporary housing project for Ukrainians affected by the war. I hope and believe that the projects we are creating now will definitely unite cool and powerful people who believe in Lutsk,"
At the meeting, it was announced the "Urban Vision Lutsk" - a project of a comprehensive urban study of the city and the development of a master plan for the central part of Lutsk. The Urban Reform Urban Development Office also presented the results of the first stage of the project - a survey of opinion leaders in Lutsk. Some of the requests from Lutsk residents included immersion in the nature and history of the city, the return of cultural heritage, the development of social consulting, and the creation of territorial business associations.
Speakers of "Urban Talks Lutsk":
- Oleksandra Naryzhna and Anastasia Paliy from Urban Reform (Kharkiv-Rotterdam),
- Taras Pakholyuk from Parallel Architects (Lutsk-Lviv),
- Levko Davydiuk from Leod'uk Design (Lutsk-Lviv),
- Maksym Holovko from the "Urbanina" Urban Project Office (Kyiv),
- Demian Danyliuk (Lviv).
Moreover, representatives of the city authorities, the IT community, local businesses, and other active citizens joined the discussion.
Our work on the project began with an expert urban study of the city. We want to understand what values and requests for change local residents of different ages and professions have. There is a feeling that the city's community and everyone who joined the event are ready to actively engage in the project and work together to improve the city, and this is very inspiring for our team,"
The participants of "Urban Talks Lutsk" shared their impressions of the event:
First of all, I think it is very important to build a barrier-free environment in Lutsk. Before the war, there were many people with disabilities, and now there will be even more. Lutsk should be comfortable for all its residents. Building a barrier-free environment will affect absolutely everything: the arrangement of streets, sidewalks, public transport, entrances and exits to residential buildings, shops. The entire public infrastructure will require certain changes. One of the most important is inclusiveness, maximum accessibility. Urban Vision Lutsk forms around itself a starting point for change and a certain community that wants to make it. If the voice of this community is strong, it cannot be ignored. I think then we will have more comfortable streets and a barrier-free environment in our city."
We would like to thank the citizens of Lutsk who joined the development of Lutsk, took the survey and shared their vision of the city, thus helping the project team to understand what changes the city needs.
I love this city. I was born here, I live here, and I want to live here. I think that love is the foundation of everything. The city is a living organism, and all living things need love and tenderness. Therefore, we need to take care of the space we live in. You don't have to be a mayor or a big businessman, everyone should do his job well. The city authorities, the public, and business - all the players in our city need to unite and decide what is important to us. We should draw a roadmap, an action plan, and then we could move forward from there. The city development strategy will contain a lot of things, and we will be able to implement it over the next 20-30 years."
The emergence of the Urban Vision Lutsk project is proof that the city is moving forward. Many young people attended the event. It's a pleasure to see how these people are looking for ways to improve their lives, the environment, and the development of the city. In my opinion, the vision of development is important: returning to nature, preserving what came before us. Lutsk is a city with a great history, and we need to see this potential and build on it. Today, I heard a phrase from Adam Harber, the founder of the "Algorithm of Actions" public organization, that really resonates with me: "All the people here are fanatical ants". I am more than sure that such meetings will be effective, because the truth and new visions are born in such discussions. For me, Urban Vision Lutsk is a push forward."
The Urban Vision Lutsk project is being implemented at the initiative and with funding from the "Algorithm of Actions" NGO in partnership with the "Misto.reboot" public organization and the "Urban Reform" Urban Development Office.
