Tangible urbanism

I’m not the first one to admit that with all the attention to Ukraine from international organizations and their eagerness to support quality changes in the country financially, the number of various urban projects is only going to increase by leaps and bounds. But let’s face it, in all the questions of sustainable development and especially in terms of design we are still more of aboriginals charmed by the shines of jewelry brought by the conquistadors. Of course, I have no right to make some turgid academic statements, but from the point of the grateful observer, there is a lot of ground for my skepticism.

Concerning last election campaign, when cities were invaded by new benches and greenery at a high pace, we can spot the trend of urbanism, that became a hot potato for each politician. On the other hand, more and more international specialists are coming, being attracted to the endless possibilities of abandoned spaces and grant foundations. This junction is a hidden danger, as it pairs people, who are more for loud words than big deeds with companies, that churn out audacious project all over the world with very few implementations. As an outcome, citizens with their desire for a new quality of life wait impatiently for tangible implementations but the bounced back ball brings beautiful renderings and set of recommendations. People, experienced in crafts, tend to say that paper can handle everything, but who is to do it in real life? Same with urban improvements — who is in charge, where are those, who have zeal and passion for making something useful for the society?

I’m really scared of those internationals, who come to Ukraine, lured with our disorder like with siren song, empowered with the respect and regard they receive they can virtually behave like experienced Nabokov’s Humbert Humbert. But I don’t want our cities to become Lolitas-like! Though I’m not against experts from abroad — I know a few, and their intentions are often good, it is great when they give advice, share experiences and tutor citizens — those who are to own and manage the city, unlike converting places into a platform for personal ambitions and experiments.

Of course, a good idea is worth dozens of millions, but it is as important to nurture our own generation of professionals, able to design competitive projects for a reasonable price and still have money for implementation. Unfortunately for politicians, this is not a low hanging fruit, thus, it is more of the punk style urbanism to the current prevailing zeitgeist. In the country, where most people care only about the day they live in, those with the strategic thinking are in the position of a minority, but they are the one who move it towards the future. And even ordinary, homemade, but executed project in the suburbs (meaning those of social improvements, but not a street embellishment) are much more valuable, when your resources are limited, than posh illustrations by famous bureaus or another strategy by an international agency.