Office for Future reveals plans to transform school into housing for displaced Ukrainians

Architecture studio Office for Future has unveiled plans to remodel a former school in Stavyshche into temporary housing, wrapped around a courtyard, for families affected by the war in Ukraine. Located around 140 kilometres south of Kyiv, Dvir will provide shelter for 42 families displaced due to Russia's invasion of the country, which has been ongoing since 2022. Office for Future will create 42 apartments of various sizes in the former school building, including one, two and three-bedroom flats along with several accessible apartments. Office for Future has revealed plans to transform a school building into housing for displaced Ukrainians Supported by the charity Housing for IDP, Dvir will also include shared spaces designed to build a sense of social connection between the residents. "Our goal was twofold: to guarantee high-quality private living spaces for the new residents and, at the same time, to offer the city meeting places where the two communities can get to know each other and experience shared moments, transforming the architectural project into a true social project," said Office for Future founder Paolo Russo. "Through this intervention, architecture becomes a tool for social reconstruction, demonstrating how the recovery of a historic building can contribute to the regeneration of a community affected by conflict." Dvir will contain apartments arranged around a central courtyard Common areas, children's play areas and meeting spaces will provide space for people to gather and host cultural activities for the community. A courtyard at the centre of the building will be transformed into a planted green space with portions of the existing asphalt surface retained as walkways. Office for Future will top the existing building with a timber roof covered with photovoltaic panels, and connect apartments with freestanding wooden walkways. The studio hopes that adapting an existing, familiar building in Stavyshche will better help settle the residents in the rural town. "We asked ourselves how this place could best welcome people who have experienced the trauma of losing their homes," said Russo. "We worked on a building that is already a landmark for the citizens, a former school that is part of their memory," he continued. "We wanted a new community to be born here, capable of integrating into the broader community of Stavyshche." Wood-lined walkways will connect spaces at Dvir A number of significant buildings in Ukraine have been damaged by Russian strikes this year, including the UNESCO-listed Dormition Cathedral and Bernardine Monastery. Dezeen's Jennifer Hahn investigated the unexpected trend of striking interiors popping up in the country, despite four years of war and the constant threat of Russian bombardment. The images are by Office for Future. Subscribe to our newsletters Your email address New! Dezeen Agenda US Sent on alternate Fridays, this US edition of Dezeen Agenda is a fortnightly newsletter rounding up everything you need to know from America, featuring news, projects and interviews with industry figures. Plus occasional updates and invitations to Dezeen events. New! Dezeen Showroom New Releases A quarterly newsletter rounding up a selection of recently launched products by designers and studios, published on Dezeen Showroom. Dezeen Debate Our most popular newsletter, formerly known as Dezeen Weekly, is sent every Tuesday and features a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories. Plus occasional updates on Dezeen’s services and breaking news. 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