Project of Petr Vladimirov, architect and artist.

There is no clear-cut answer to the question what should Ukraine be like after the war. Petro Vladimirov invited Ukrainian experts in the fields of architecture, urban planning and conservation law to ponder over this question together. The Ukraine Reconstruction Office housed at the Museum of Warsaw’s Room of Change is the fruit of their cooperation.

The reconstruction of Ukraine has already begun. With the war still on, the volunteers are active, tidying up the towns and cities, fixing damaged buildings. In the background, the less visible kind of activity is underway—institutions are working on creating an organisational and legal framework for the country’s reconstruction.

The Ukraine Reconstruction Office points to the issues which the people engaged in the country’s reconstruction have to deal with. It offers an opportunity to change the state—to form new institutions, to abandon the existing laws, to quickly implement reforms. There is no clear answer to the question of what Ukraine should be like after the war.

The project focuses on five areas: housing policy, construction, historic preservation, law and administration. The invited Ukrainian experts discuss these areas—urban planners, a female politician, a construction developer, urban researchers and activists involved in historic preservation. The project demonstrates how these areas had developed until 24 February 2022 and what context they create for future reconstruction.

The title refers to the Warsaw Reconstruction Office, a body responsible for the reconstruction of Warsaw following the end of World War Two. The institution is recalled on an emotional level. Some of the questions that Ukraine faces today are similar to those that the people of Warsaw faced almost 80 years ago. However, there are also important differences which will be addressed in the programme of events.

The exhibition has been created by:

Petro Vladimirov — project curator. Ukrainian architect and multidisciplinary artist. Leader of projects at the Direction studio, graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at the Wrocław Polytechnic. During his studies, Petro went for a student exchange to the School of Arts and Communications at the University of Malmö. He worked in Ukraine and in Denmark at the Henning Larsen architectural studio. He participated in artistic and research projects in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Denmark. Together with Zofia Jaworowska and the Brda Foundation, he runs the projekt Okno [Window project]. Petro has been nominated at this year’s edition of the PinchukArtCentre Prize for Ukrainian artists under the age of 35.

Tomasz Świetlik – exhibition design. Architect, researcher of architecture and economist. Author of, i.a., Stage in Dnipro, Ukraine, nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award, Seventh Day Architecture research project or the Island of Shadows—an installation within the 2021 Futuwawa competition. Designer of exhibitions, among others Let Them Flow! The Other Rivers of Warsaw at the Wola Museum of Warsaw.

Uliyana Bychenkova – graphic projects. Ukrainian artist, designer, curator and researcher. In 2022, a bilingual publication titled Znak / ЗНАК was published by the Karakter publishing house. As a member of U,N,A collective, Bychenkova is the volume’s co-author.

Experts and organisations engaged in the exhibition content: Oleksandr Anisimov—urban planner, co-author of a research initiative aimed at studying and promoting changes in housing policy; Hanna Bondar—Ukrainian architect and politician, M.P. for Ukraine in the 9th term; Ihor Raikov—founder of the Spilnota construction development company; Yegor Vlasenko—urban planner, works in the field of urban economy, member of the Ro3kvit coalition of urban and regional planning experts; Renovation Map—a public organisation that works towards the preservation of historic buildings and urban heritage.

Events—including meetings, talks and debates—will be an integral part of the exhibition. During the events, we will elaborate on the issues raised by the exhibition, such as the notion of a home during wartime or the materiality of reconstruction. From January till April, the events will be conducted online, with a live debate planned for May. The events will take place with the participation of our Ukrainian guests; simultaneous translation will be provided.