As Kharkiv embarks on the long road to recovery following the devastating conflict in Ukraine, a global design competition has been initiated by the Norman Foster Foundation and Buildner to reimagine one of the city’s most significant landmarks—Freedom Square. A symbol of Soviet-era urban planning, the square, along with the Regional Administration Building, was heavily damaged by a missile strike on March 1, 2022. The attack left the building in ruins and the square scarred by conflict.
Now, two years on, the city is rallying to restore and renew its urban spaces. In collaboration with Kharkiv City Council, UNECE, and Arup, the open competition calls on architects and designers worldwide to submit proposals for transforming the square into a dynamic, revitalized public space. The challenge includes not only restoring the damaged Regional Administration Building but also reimagining Freedom Square—one of the largest squares in Europe—as a vibrant center for civic life.
Freedom Square has long been central to Kharkiv’s identity, representing both its cultural and political significance. However, its vast expanse has often left it feeling empty and underutilized. Today, the competition seeks to change that, asking designers to create a space that is pedestrian-friendly, community-centered, and reflective of the city’s resilience in the face of adversity.
The brief calls for proposals that honor the city’s history while looking toward a sustainable future. Designs should incorporate green infrastructure, encourage public engagement, and respect the architectural heritage of both the square and the Regional Administration Building. The goal is to make Freedom Square a symbol of Ukraine’s strength and future potential, much like the transformation of Berlin’s Reichstag after World War II.
This competition is part of the larger Kharkiv Masterplan, an ambitious urban regeneration project spearheaded by international partners, including the Norman Foster Foundation, UNECE, and Arup.
Jury
Buildner is working with an outstanding international jury of regional and global experts:
Norman Foster: Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners, a global leader in sustainable architecture, and President of the Norman Foster Foundation, which promotes interdisciplinary approaches to future city design. He received the Pritzker Prize in 1999 and has been recognized with numerous awards, including a Life Peerage and an Order of Merit.
Deborah Berke: Dean of Yale School of Architecture and founder of TenBerke, a New York-based architecture firm known for prestigious projects like Princeton’s Residential Colleges and 21c Museum Hotels. She has received the National Design Award and the Topaz Medallion and serves on the Pritzker Prize jury.
Vishaan Chakrabarti: Founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), with a portfolio of iconic projects such as New York’s Penn Station redesign and Ford’s Michigan Central Station. He is an author and former Dean of UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design, known for visionary urban design.
Beatriz Colomina: Architectural historian and theorist at Princeton University, focusing on architecture, media, and technology. Author of several influential books and curator of exhibitions such as *Playboy Architecture* and *Sick Architecture.* Recipient of the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize.
Anupama Kundoo: Architect and professor specializing in sustainable, low-impact designs, known for her innovative material research. She has received prestigious awards like the RIBA Charles Jencks Award and the UNESCO Global Award for Sustainable Architecture. She is currently a professor at TU Berlin and a visiting professor at Yale.
Maxim Rosenfeld: Architectural historian and Associate Professor at Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts, specializing in the history of architecture and design. He plays a key role in shaping Kharkiv’s future through collaborations with the Norman Foster Foundation and UNECE.
Stuart Smith: Director at Arup, leading structural design in Germany with expertise in sustainable architecture and circular economy. Known for high-profile projects like Beijing’s CCTV headquarters, he serves on the board of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction.
Brinda Somaya: Founder of SNK Consultants, recognized for her work in architecture, urban conservation, and social equity. She has received lifetime achievement awards from the Indian Institute of Architects and is an A.D. White Professor-at-Large emerita at Cornell University.
Moshe Safdie: Renowned architect and urban planner with a career spanning six decades, focusing on socially responsible design. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the Gold Medals from the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
Igor Terekhov: Mayor of Kharkiv since 2021, with a background in construction engineering and public administration. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to the city’s development, including recognition from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine for his role in defending Kharkiv.
Award Prizes and Implementation of Winning Design
While the competition features a 10,000 EUR prize fund sponsored by Buildner, the rewards extend beyond the monetary prize. The winning teams will have the opportunity to develop their design proposals in cooperation with the City Council, local professionals, and stakeholders for the further implementation of the proposed concept design.
This opportunity would allow the selected teams to work closely with the community, ensuring that the final designs are deeply rooted in local needs and aspirations, and bringing their visionary concepts to life as part of Kharkiv’s future urban landscape.
Competition Schedule
The final registration deadline is November 5, 2024, with a submission deadline on November 26, 2024. Winners will be announced on December 13, 2024.
Buildner’s other ongoing competitions include: the 2025 edition of the Kingspan MICROHOME competition; the Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge to address the housing crisis in Colorado by inviting innovative design solutions for mid-rise, single-stair housing; and the Unbuilt Award, which honors unrealized project proposals with a 100,000 EUR prize fund.