Our place: a social project by a UNITE member

On 11 September 2023, the social urban project “Nashe Mistse” (Our Place), launched by UNITE member RDS Group, presented its vision for the reconstruction of Panskyi Park in Makariv. The main goal of the project is to revive public spaces affected by the Russian-Ukrainian war in Ukrainian small towns and villages. Makariv community was the first to join the project.

 The vision was formed jointly with Makariv residents, using a range of participatory practices. The team conducted in-depth interviews, a workshop with experts, and a clean-up day. The youngest residents of Makariv were also involved in the design process. This is how another goal of the project is achieved – the democratisation of communities. The experience of finding solutions together is therapeutic in itself and will help resolve controversial issues in the future.

  Together with the Makariv community, the team identified the key principles of the park’s revitalisation and developed its inclusive zoning. They planned to build a settlement, a house for veterans, a promenade with piers and a beach, a rehabilitation centre and a summer terrace. RDS undertook to finance a pilot project to reconstruct the cultural space around the Kyivan Rus archaeological site, the settlement, and the waterfront.