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Philanthropists and entrepreneurs have developed a project of evacuation hubs LeoStates, which will be able to accommodate about two thousand IDPs for free. Such towns are planned to be built in Mykolayiv and Zhovkva communities in the Lviv region. This was reported by the journalist project «Our Money. Lviv.»
We are talking about the creation of a town of modular structures, in accordance with UN requirements. This is a separate apartment of 15 square meters connected to main communications and designed for two or four people. One house can be installed in 4 hours, it is resistant to frost and heat. It is important that this housing is mobile and can be used for more than ten years. It can be easily moved to another region, where the restoration of housing will take a long time. Up to 250 houses can be placed on the territory of 1-3 hectares.
«It is important for us not to create a «ghetto» effect, here every house will be equipped with everything you need: toilet, shower, cooking tiles. On the territory of the hub, there will be a medical centre, laundry, wi-fi. The town itself is built close to the city infrastructure. People have already tested this principle of housing in Syria – it is a world standard for migrants,» – project manager Stanislav Lutskovych says.
The Zhovkva community plans to combine the construction of an evacuation hub with the creation of a technology park in the industrial zone. Park will provide a large number of jobs for people who had to leave their homes due to the war. There is already an initiative from IT companies that are ready to conduct training for migrants.
Currently, the project is at the stage of fundraising and drafting budget documentation. The organizers are negotiating with other communities about the location to create evacuation hubs. According to the plan, the first housing modules in the Lviv region will appear in May, and the first thousand migrants can arrive here in June. The Zhovkva City Council has confirmed that they are negotiating with the project’s initiators.
«We are currently looking for locations where we can start implementing a hub for migrants, and we are also finding out the peculiarities of documenting such a project. Only the first meetings took place, we are negotiating,» – Maria Malachivska, Zhovkva First Deputy Mayor said.
The LeoStates initiative estimated the budget for such a project at 3 million euros and the implementation period at 2 months. The cost of one module for 4 people with all communications is about 10 thousand euros. Funds from the state budget are not used for this project. Business representatives and foreign partners are financing and constructing.
The Ukrainian design studio Balbek Bureau has also developed a project of a modular town for migrants. It is called RE: UKRAINE. The studio notes that the information collected is universal and suitable for different types of construction, location and investment. This is a constructor that can be used at both the public and private levels.
«We analyzed the world’s experience in the development, construction and maintenance of settlements with temporary housing. We established a system of values and priorities to ensure temporary but dignified living for Ukrainians, « – the Balbek Bureau wrote.
The architects analyzed more than 20 implemented projects in different countries on the use of the site, the formation of the master plan and layout of housing sections, as well as used the Ukrainian experience in building temporary housing.
The project provides for four types of modules: residential, public, kitchen and sanitary. The town can be enlarged to the extent which is needed. It should not only help to accommodate temporarily displaced persons, but also provide them with decent housing, comfortable living and socialization.
The Lviv City Council is considering several plots for the construction of modular housing for migrants: 12 hectares on the street Velychkovskoho in Ryasne, 2 hectares on the street. Hlynianskyi tract, and 8 hectares in Dublyany. The first construction should begin in April.
Translated by Kateryna Bortniak
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