Sydney-based architect Jansen Che is among three winners of an international design competition that invited participants to reimagine Freedom Square in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
The Norman Foster Foundation, in collaboration with Buildner, the Kharkiv City Council, UNECE and Arup, launched the Norman Foster Foundation Kharkiv Freedom Square Revival Competition, calling upon architects, designers and urban planners to present concepts for the redesign of Freedom Square and the Regional State Administration Building adjacent.
The competition is part of an ongoing effort to develop a broader masterplan for the reconstruction of the city of Kharkiv, which has faced significant challenges due to its proximity to the Russian border. The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, underscored the need for a new landmark during the United Nations’ Second Forum of Mayors – a project that could embody renewal, resilience and hope, while honouring the history of the city. The Freedom Square International Competition was launched as part of this vision. The broader masterplan, once developed, is intended to be used as a blueprint for the reconstruction of other cities in Ukraine.
The competition garnered more than 80 international submissions, with Che the only Australian to be shortlisted.
While the jury intended to award individual place-winners, they concluded that they would recognise three proposals as equal winners as they found that no single entry adequately addressed the diverse needs of the building and public space.
Che, an architect and senior associate at Lippman, has now been revealed as one of the winners. His proposal Memory seeks to revitalise Freedom Square with minimal intervention, opting instead to retain the expansiveness of the public realm so it maintains its ability to serve as a flexible space for events, festivals, protests and other civic functions.
A below-ground memorial with an oculus is introduced as part of the concept. The oculus establishes a visual link to the Regional Administration Building, reinforcing the symbolic connection between democracy and its people. Elements from the war-damaged heritage facade of the Regional Administration Building are incorporated into the design.
Upon being recognised as a joint winner, Che stated, “This achievement is particularly meaningful to me – not only because of its vital role in the revival of Ukraine, but also because it was chaired by Lord Norman Foster. I think he is one of the greatest architects ever and is someone that I have always looked up to throughout my career. It is a privilege to contribute to such a significant project, and I am excited to see the vision for Kharkiv take shape,” said Che.
The two other equally recognised proposals include a concept from Nischal Ba (India), which comprised a seasonal landscape framework with biodiverse green zones, shaded pathways and multifunctional spaces for year-round engagement, and a scheme from Daniel Mintz (Israel), which focused on balancing historical preservation with contemporary insertions.
The ideas behind each of the three winning proposals will inform a forthcoming second stage competition, which will be open to new entrants as well as those who competed in the first stage.
The winners were each awarded from a prize pool of €10,000 (€3,000 for each winners and €1000 for a student prize).
Source: Architecture - architectureau
