In a context shaped by war and its consequences on Ukraine’s urban fabric, Les Ateliers de Cergy continue their commitment alongside Ukrainian territories. This mission in Lutsk is part of this dynamic: identifying needs, building partnerships, and laying the groundwork for a workshop rooted in local realities.

Structuring a dialogue with local stakeholders

Several institutional meetings helped introduce the Ateliers’ methodology and gather the expectations of local actors.

An initial online exchange with the Ateliers’ leadership was organized with Boris Smal, Director of the Economic Development Department of the Lutsk Agglomeration. This meeting provided an opportunity to present the principles of the approach and to initiate a shared reflection on the territory’s development challenges. A meeting with Veniamin Tuz, Director of the Architecture – Land – Living Environment Department of the Lutsk Agglomeration, extended this dialogue by further exploring urban planning issues and specifying the needs that the future workshop could address.

A meeting with the leadership of the Kharkiv School of Architecture (relocated to Lviv since 2022 due to the conflict) opened up prospects for academic collaboration within this initiative.

Numerous exchanges also took place with Algorytm, a locally well-established association and the main partner of the future workshop, helping to strengthen a relationship of trust.

A conference on the thermal renovation of collective housing

Beyond institutional meetings, Natalya Yankovska led a conference on the thermal renovation of collective housing—a particularly pressing issue in Ukraine, where the deterioration of the Soviet-era housing stock is compounded by destruction caused by the conflict. This intervention made it possible to share experiences and practical approaches with residents and local stakeholders.

Natalya Yankovska also facilitated a student workshop on urban renewal, organized by Lutsk State Technical University. This session provided an opportunity to experiment with the Ateliers’ methodology and to begin involving students in reflecting on the city of tomorrow.

A key step toward the international workshop in Lutsk

This preparatory mission represents a structuring step in the establishment of the future international workshop in Lutsk. Despite the context of invasion, the work continues in order to foster an international reflection on Lutsk’s territory, its attractiveness, and its infrastructure. We extend our warm regards to all the residents and stakeholders of Lutsk and sincerely thank Natalya for successfully carrying out this field mission.