Five Ukrainian urbanists discuss the buildings, parks, and neighborhoods that make Kyiv unique.

As war batters Ukraine's historic cities, Megan Buskey, a journalist living in Kyiv, interviews five Ukrainian urbanists about the public spaces and buildings in Ukraine's capital that they value most, and those that are threatened by the current conflict.
Oleksandr Anisimov, chief specialist in the department of urban mobility and street infrastructure for the Lviv city council, points to "a housing complex from the late Soviet era known unofficially as 4blocks. Stretching across four city blocks, it was built from 1985 to 1994 and is one of the few examples of what could be called Ukrainian postmodernism." The complex, which has been continuously inhabited since its completion, was radical in its design, which let the community shape its construction through a rare open competition. "Each of its 19 buildings had a different architect who integrated environmental features and existing buildings, rather than ignoring them or tearing them down. Despite the looming economic crisis, the complex was audaciously decorated." Anisimov sees it as symbolic of "an alternative vision of a vibrant 1990s that never happened."
Others point to Kyiv's unassuming but homey residential neighborhoods, the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy (now the Expocenter of Ukraine), the Flowers of Ukraine building (a complex once threatened with demolition and now preserved as a cultural-heritage site), and the city's vibrant green spaces and rivers. Read their stories in the source article below.
FULL STORY: Kyiv's Sublime Urban Spaces Are in Danger

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free
Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies
A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program
The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie