"City-Park" instead of simple developments." Analysis of the Lviv North concept, which residents called the most ecological

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CityLife

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Neglected spaces in Zboishcha and Zamarstyniv within the "Northern Lviv" project may get a second life – instead of wastelands, it is proposed to create a "living" infrastructure filled with greenery, water, and movement. We are talking about "rain gardens," natural spaces for relaxation and interaction, which together will form a cohesive concept of a "city-park." This vision was presented by the team of Martin Duplantier (Martin Duplantier Architectes) and Henri Bava (Agence TER) – one of those working on the project. And it seems it resonated with residents: they called this idea the most ecological among those proposed. Therefore, "Tvoe Misto" learned about this master plan in more detail.

"The right to a view" for everyone, regardless of the apartment's cost

The concept of the French team Agence TER & Martin Duplantier (France) in partnership with the Lviv bureaus Urbaideas and Room⁶⁶ and the Kyiv bureau Burø is based on the idea of a park-district: nature should not be "islands" amidst concrete but should permeate the entire district – with an emphasis on the Poltva River, ecology, and recreation.

Межа опрацювання північної частини Львова

Their presentation was one of the most emotional, as the architects emphasized the "right to a view" for every resident – regardless of the apartment's cost. At the same time, they talked about how to make the "invisible" nature of Lviv visible and how to turn neglected territories into blooming park spaces.

"For the concept we are developing, it is very important to preserve the natural component and balance with dense development – as in the historical center – while not losing the feeling of the forest and hills around, – Henri Bava emphasizes. – Therefore, we propose a pedestrian concept that envisages a conditionally "English" development with low-rise buildings."

According to him, "English density" in development is a concept of a compact city associated with the British approach to urban planning. It involves creating compact, multifunctional districts with a high concentration of housing, jobs, and services, united by pedestrian accessibility and public transport. This approach is the opposite of suburban sprawl and allows for more efficient use of space and infrastructure.

Фото з презентації концепцій в межах проєкту "Північний Львів"

"The peculiarity of our concept is not only the preservation of the forest but also the creation of a cohesive system of parks connected to each other. It is through this system that we form green connections between the northern part of Lviv and other districts of the city, – Henri Bava underscores. – Therefore, our concept is not only about 690 hectares in the north of Lviv. It concerns the entire urban planning system of the city."

Agence TER (France) – a world leader in the field of landscape urbanism. Henri Bava is a world-renowned French landscape architect and urban planner, one of the founders of the influential international bureau Agence TER. He is famous for his innovative approach to urban space, where the landscape is viewed not as a decoration but as the basis of the urban structure.

Landscape urbanism is a modern theory of urban planning that considers not buildings as the main element of organizing the urban environment, but the landscape – that is, nature, ecology, and open spaces.

One of Henri's most famous projects is Aqua Magica Park in Germany, where he transformed the geological features of the area and mineral springs into an interactive landscape with an 18-meter water crater. He is also known for the large-scale renovation project of Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes in Barcelona, which turned a former road junction into a large city park.

They want to create the "green spine" of the district

This is exactly what the residents of Zboishcha dreamed of when they complained about the lack of not just parks – even squares or landscaped courtyards within the development. This was previously reported by Tvoe Misto. How will the neighborhoods already built in the 70s and 80s with chaotic Soviet development change? What transformation is envisioned for them in the "Northern Lviv" project? Will it affect Hrinchenka and Khmelnytskoho streets, which are densely built up and lack spaces for parks?

"We are trying to improve the environment in which they live. Our project envisages the creation of a 'green spine' for the district, – Martin Duplantier says. – This is a wide promenade that will connect the Hrinchenka residential areas with park zones. This is not just a path, but a landscape park that will pass through the courtyards. Landscape "fingers" – green zones – will go inside residential blocks, forming a system of small squares and zones for neighborhood relaxation, which will visually expand the space."

Since the Hrinchenka district is low-lying, the architects propose a system of open drainage channels and "rain gardens."

"During heavy rains, they retain water, preventing the flooding of entrances, and in dry weather, they serve as decorative elements," – the architect explains.

Martin Duplantier – one of the world's leading urban planners, an urbanist, head of the French bureau Martin Duplantier Architectes, and president of the French architectural association AMO. He gained world recognition thanks to ecological projects and creative urban solutions.

In particular, in the unique Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province, China, he created mirrored pedestrian bridges and pavilions in a complex landscape. He also participated in the development of the Olympic Village for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Martin Duplantier gathered a team of like-minded people to work together on the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities. To this end, he founded the "D Architecture Ukraine" association. Before the major war, he had successful commercial projects all over the world. He works on projects in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

According to Martin, their project proposes to "revive" the blind walls of buildings along Hrinchenka Street by adding lightweight glass extensions for small businesses – workshops, cafes, children's clubs. Thanks to this, the street should become more active, safer, and more interesting for walks.

Part of the private estates can become a public garden

In the territory of Zboishcha and Zamastyniv, there are many private garden plots and dacha areas used by cooperatives. It is difficult to determine their exact total area, as the territory is actively changing its status from "garden" to "residential" for development.

To the question from Tvoe Mistoabout what will happen to the private garden plots, Martin Duplantier replied that the task of architects is to help the city council transform these territories.

“Currently, we have designed a system of parks that is adjacent to the garden plots,” — he clarifies. — “Some transformations are possible. We can turn part of the gardens into public ones, but not all. In this context, we are working on a system that will allow private gardens to be made public or shared for several houses – accessible to a certain group of residents.”

Lviv architects claim that Northern Lviv is a unique area that cannot be understood from a drone or on a map. We asked Martin and Henri whether they managed to feel this locality to organically combine its advantages and uniqueness in the project.

“Yes, we felt the unique identity of this place, which is very different from the historical center,” — Henri Bava says. — “In fact, every district of a large city has its own character. The center is always different from the local 'Chinatown' or any other district. If we talk about the north of Lviv, the identity there is deeply connected with the forest, gardens, and vegetable patches. And our concept is a consequence of this feeling – a direct connection with nature, which we strive to make a key element of the project.”

Building heights below the treetops

During the presentation of master plans within the "Northern Lviv" project, different teams showed different potential for development of the territory. The amount of new housing and residents depends on the chosen strategy – landscape or urban.

Agence TER & Martin Duplantier has the lowest indicator among all teams – about 10,000 new residents. This is explained by the fact that a significant part of the territory in their master plan is allocated for open parks, water bodies, wide "green corridors," and restoration of the natural landscape.

Instead of monotonous high-rises, the team of French architects proposes development of variable heights.

“This allows sunlight to enter every courtyard,” — Martin Duplantier emphasizes. — “Low-rise construction should not exceed the tops of the trees on the hill. Buildings – up to four floors maximum. This way we preserve the view of the green hills while creating a comfortable environment for residents.”

“We are not building a new city center, because it is not the center,” — Henri Bava explains. — “We are creating a completely different district where the standard of living will be closely connected with nature. People will have small gardens and vegetable patches, and they will be able to grow fruits and vegetables there. And this is very important. There is a different approach here: while in the center we see the street and immediately the building facades, here we try to preserve all the greenery, leave all the trees, and set back from the street line into the plots to preserve the natural character of the lanes, paths, and roads.”

According to him, the main innovation the team is working on is not to invite more developers and build dense residential complexes, but to preserve the unique character of this site.

“We see an opportunity to emphasize the local identity,” — Martin Duplantier emphasizes. — “And not turn the north of Lviv into another cookie-cutter suburb. We want to maintain the connection with nature and the forest, while creating conditions for new residents.”

Henri Bava adds that in the era of climate change, it is extremely important to adapt cities to new environmental challenges.

“And the main tool that allows us to realize this is the opening up of the soil,” — he emphasizes. — “Moisture passes through the soil, but when we cover it with asphalt or concrete, the water remains on the surface. In our project, there is a lot of open land that we strive to preserve. This is the first step for adapting this site to climate change and for the proper management of biodiversity.”

The territory of the northern part of the city today is one of the largest in Lviv with vacant plots without development.

“If you look at the demographic forecasts for the next 10–20 years, it is unclear whether we really need such a number of square meters, – notes Martin Duplantier. – What we propose is to organize this territory from the perspective of quality of life, rather than the volume of development. Our concept puts nature first and seeks a balance between human intervention, the comfort of residents, and harmony with the environment”.

As a reminder, residents of Zboishcha admit that in the summer they like to go to Franko Park or walk along Chuprynka or Konovalets streets, admiring the ancient architecture and taking photos against its backdrop. People told Tvoe Misto that they want their district to become much more comfortable as well. We have already explored what the situation is like there today and what changes the residents themselves expect. More details can be read here.

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