Architectural and Urban Concept of the Public Centre of Sykhiv Residential District in Lviv (Ukraine)

1st Prize at the Open International Competition for the: “Architectural and Urban Concept of the Public Centre of Sykhiv Residential District in Lviv (Ukraine)” was awarded to the architectural group DOMORINTHOS L.Bobou-Αrahovitou, G.Αrahovitis and Partners.

EXISTING SITUATION: Sykhiv is a residential district with a population of 145.000 inhabitants. It was built in the early 80’s, under the Soviet Union regime and after its collapse remained incomplete with its main shortcoming to be the absence of an Administrative, Cultural and Financial Centre.

The impression given is that of an unvarying, devastating and chaotic formation, which lacks of a central binding tissue. Divided in two by a very wide void (140 m. the widest and 90 m. the narrowest), which runs from North to South along Chervona Kalyna Avenue the city resembles a body without a spine.
Correspondingly, the adjacent oak wood - Sykhiv Park, remains unexploited, dull and threatening, keeping hidden the potentials of pleasure that it can offer to the inhabitants.

The challenge of the competition: to transform Sykhiv from a residential district – dormitory – into a dynamic and vivid suburb of multiple social activities, a core of attraction to all the strata of society and to a dynamic economic development.

PROPOSAL: The new centre will be developed and will occupy 60 hectares area for urban development and 90 hectares park – forest area.
The gross floor area of the proposed buildings is estimated ~ 400.000 m2
The proposal developed according to the principles of “Sustainable Development” regarding: traffic circulation, storm-water collection and reuse, waste and wastewater collection/management, utilisation of solar energy and natural ventilation for buildings, utilization of the local flora and the forest and renewable energy sources.
 

It is distinguished in three basic units:

1. The Urban Stream Centre expands, unfolds, twists like a river in the whole of the free space along the main arterial road, Chervona Kalyna Avenue. It constitutes an urban multifunctional centre that assembles all daily public social activities of the residents, at a local level. It restores the lost conscience of a bustling live, urban city. Its linear development ensures a very good connection with all the existing residence sectors. The covering of the roof with a wavy planted “green carpet” completes the composition creating a particularly original unit with identity that contributes to the Sustainable Development of the city.

2. The Public Central Core is organised in the midway and vertically to the Urban Stream Centre. It coincides with the geographic “centre of gravity” of the settlement at the position of the current urban square. Its planning is more disciplined with direct references and dialogue with the historic medieval square of Lviv. It is the heart of the city with all relevant public central administrative, cultural, economic activities. It is in direct contact with the existing prominent public places of the city, the churches, the cinema, and the square. It has a very good access by all public means of transport.

3. The Urban Park - Oak Wood is the natural life “lung” of Sykhiv. The first zone, in direct contact with the Public Central core, is developed in an Urban Park with relevant activities (lanes with trees, esplanades etc). The remaining space is upgraded, embellished; it functions as a free natural forest, with relevant functions, up to Zubra River.

Project Info:

Title:  Open architectural competition for the "Architectural and Urban Concept of the Public Centre of Sykhiv Residential District in Lviv (Ukraine)".
The Administration of the city announced the competition on 11th May 2007.

Client:  Executive Committee of Lviv City Council.

Organisers: Office of Architecture of the Department of City Development of Lviv City Council; Lviv Office of National Association of Architects of Ukraine.

Committee: Members of the contest committee include 14 experts from Ukraine, Canada, Poland, Austria, Germany and France.

Aim:  The aim of the contest is to choose the best concept of the development of the public centre of Sykhiv Residential District in Lviv in terms of its spatial, functional, aesthetic, landscape, technical and operational organization, as well as finalisation of the architectural and urban formation of this very important public part of Sykhiv.

Participants: 9 architectural offices from Greece, Sweeden, France, Polland, Ukraine.

1st Prize:  The closing ceremony of the awards took place on 19th February 2008, the first prize was awarded to the architectural group DOMORINTHOS, L.Bobou-Αrahovitou, G.Αrahovitis and Partners .

2nd Prize: The second prize was awarded to the Swedish office "Krook & Tjader".

3rd Prize: Not awarded

Participants of the greek team: (domorinthos.gr , domori@hol.gr)

Architects: L. Bobou-Arahovitou G.Arahovitis

Colleague Architects: M.Gournianakis, N.Kaisaros, P.Gouliaris, D.Giouzepas, G.Τsaras, P.Horafa

Consultants:  
Κ.Moraitis (Architect, associate prof. NTUA)
G.Tsolakis (Architect)
K.Serraos (city planner,assistant prof. NTUA)
K.Zekkos (Transport Planner – Traffic Engineer))
Κ.Mormori (Αrcitect, Sustainable Architecture)
P.Antonaropoulos (Civil Engineer -Hydrologist)
G.Paisidis (Lighting Specialist)
N.Zahariadis (Financial Consultant)