In the town of Voznesensk in the southern part of Ukraine, many people miss a meeting place: “Whether you ask the children, the elderly, the war veterans or the new residents who have fled to the town, they all point to the need for a place where they can meet,” says Daria Borovyk, who has helped map the residents’ wishes for the development of their town.
Daria is herself from Ukraine, an architect living in Denmark and a volunteer team leader at Architects Without Borders. There, she she is currently working on creating a sustainable community center, to demonstrate how sustainable reconstruction can serve as a model for the enormous reconstruction work ahead.
“With the community center in Voznesensk, we want to inspire others, both in terms of social and environmental sustainability in reconstruction. We don’t need more rubble,” says Daria, referring to the many concrete and brick buildings destroyed during the bombing of Ukraine.
Trapped in Greece – fled to Denmark
Daria was only supposed to spend a short week on vacation in Greece when the Russian invasion of Ukraine made it impossible for her to return to Odesa, her home town in southern Ukraine.
After a month of volunteering on the border between Ukraine and Hungary, where many of her compatriots fled from Ukraine, she sought safety in Denmark. At the time, she had no idea that 1.5 years later she would have completed a Danish course and still be living in this country – far from family and friends in Ukraine.
“I went to Denmark to stay in a more stable place. A place where I could work and contribute financially to my family while providing a safe place for them if needed. For now, my mother and my brother and his family have stayed in the port city of Odesa, but if the frontline changes, they may have to leave,” says Daria, who lost her father 10 years ago.
As part of her education, Daria did an internship at Domus Arkitekter in Lyngby five years ago, so she was already familiar with Denmark, where good friends were ready to take her in when she needed a place to stay. Since January this year, she has worked in urban development at Gehl Architects. In her spare time, Daria is active in the Ukrainian think tank Restart Ukraine, which focuses on rebuilding her country, and for a year she has been a volunteer leader of Ukraine-team at Architects Without Borders.
“Because it allows me both to stay connected to Ukraine and to help my country,” says Daria, who met Architects Without Borders at last year’s Building Green conference.
“When I heard about the plans for sustainable reconstruction in Ukraine, I immediately jumped into the team. There were already two other architects from Ukraine in the team, money for the project from the Dreyer Foundation and an agreement with the company EcoCocon, which produces CO2 embedding wall panels made of wood and straw. So it was just a matter of getting started,” says Daria.
Community center built from prefab straw elements
The Ukraine team is working with the city government of Voznesensk on the community center, and a plot of land next to the city hall has now been found for the future house, which the Ukraine team expects to be inaugurated in the fall of 2024.
Maybe the war will be over by then, maybe not. In the meantime, Daria visits her hometown of Odesa as often as possible. “Because I miss my friends and my family and I’m always afraid that I won’t see them again.”
