above: The Ukrainian flag flies over Kyiv at dawn on March 16.
As Russia continues its relentless advance through Ukraine, it is leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, endangering not only the lives of the Ukrainian people, but also the future of the country’s built environment. Once proud cityscapes were reduced to ruins; The once bustling neighborhoods are now empty. In fact, more than 3 million Ukrainians They have fled their country since the invasion began last month. Others bravely chose to stay, among them those who are part of Ukraine’s vibrant design community.
The editors of the ELLE Decoration network (the magazine is published in about twenty countries) reached out to Ukrainian design professionals to check their integrity and allow them to share their individual situations. Although their circumstances are uncertain, the designers’ responses are united by their hope, resilience, and determination to build their home anew. These are three of their stories
Editor’s Note: As the situation is constantly evolving, some designers’ circumstances may have changed since the time of publication.
Rina Lofko
Ukrainian Architect and Product Designer Rina Lofko Creates exquisite and assembled interiors for both resident and hospitality clients throughout Kyiv. Interiors and furnishings are defined by minimal lines and materials. As noted on its website, Lovko aims “to provide its customers with not just a new quality of life but new experiences.”
My daughter and I left the country on February 23. I attended a French school and the holidays are just beginning. all the rest [of my family] He stayed in Kyiv. Nobody is safe. They are all tense and desperate. Some cities are especially dangerous; There are hundreds of victims there. Everyone is afraid of nuclear weapons. It is a nightmare that children and women live in now as they sit in basements, deprived of their homes, and sit under the bombing and Russian planes.
Everyone helps each other survive – all kinds of conversations were created to combat the growth of propaganda. They help everyone to move and hide; Everyone is connected. The main thing now is to be in business and work on the media front to show the truth to Russian citizens.
Now, we are all unemployed. We had to leave our homes. There are millions of refugees across the country. Nobody can work now. Everything stopped. We are frozen. We are a very talented nation. I work with a lot of talented, hard working people. We spend our time creating and creating something new. We are very European-oriented and strongly associated with Europe. The past eight years in particular have shown our originality and pride in our country. Our history goes back thousands of years. We have our own language, our folklore and our culture.
Dmitriy Sivak
SIVAC + partners It is a small architectural studio with offices in Kyiv and Odessa. The company operates in both commercial and residential projects ranging from elegant beautification saloon Boldly reimagined Historic Apartment in Kyiv. Sevak’s motto: “It doesn’t matter what you do. What matters is how well you do it.”
We have nowhere to go and no reason to leave. This is our home and our parents are here. The war is going on practically all over the country now. It is not safe anywhere. Battle maps on TV don’t show all the bombing points so as not to frighten people. We have to go up to basements several times a day because of the bomb threats. Everyone sits with their bags to be prepared. I happened to be close to a shootout in a peaceful neighborhood on the second day of the war. There was almost no news coverage.
Our fear is that we cannot trust promises that protect civilians. There have already been many civilian casualties, far more than they say on television. All these threats of nuclear weapons provoke even more fear. We have many chats because the internet is still working, and we quickly help women and children find transportation to shelter or leave the country. More people are donating blood than ever before.
I have great faith that this will quickly end peacefully. I am more eager than ever in my life to build and design in my country and rebuild. I didn’t want to leave before the war either, even though there were plenty of talented architects and designers in Europe. There is a real need for design here, especially after the war. Design isn’t just about making something beautiful or comfortable; The design is also about helping people after the war.
Yuva Yager
Since its launch in Kyiv studio In 2014, Yova Yager specialized in Hospitality Design. Yeager fills every space she works on with joy, energy and unexpected ups and downs, from a plant-filled restaurant to a corrugated metal-clad café. Each project supports a very important message: keeping the planet safe and caring for living things.
My whole family is currently in Kyiv. We are safe now. We are all in different parts of Kyiv. My father is in the center. My sister with her baby and her husband on the left bank. My mom and I are on the left bank, too, next door. We are all in our homes. My parents did not go to the orphanage; My sister can’t because it’s hard with the baby, because she lives on the 14th floor of her 25-storey building. Our father is a calm spirit, and his sense of humor reassures everyone. For example, when I sounded the siren and asked him to go to the shelter, he said, “Don’t bother me – I’m trying to pay the apartment bills.” Our whole family is very stubborn, and no one wants to leave Kyiv.
Our concerns are that at any time and at any moment your friends are in the house being shot at by stray bullets, bombs or missiles. The horror never ends. Everyone hopes that the enemy will leave our country tomorrow, because we have to go to work on Monday. I’m kidding. We joke a lot because it is hard to live in constant fear; It consumes you from the inside quickly. We try to get distracted by discussions about how to rebuild our cities.
Here everyone is looking for each other and after them. Even if you get a small cut on your finger, you will be saved by half a city of volunteers. I’m kidding again. But that’s a bit of what it is. We are united, even stronger than before. Many designers stayed in their cities, some volunteered in territorial defense, some sat on communications for days and bought flak jackets from all over the world, and some formed a group on Telegram [the instant messaging app] They actively interacted with the international media, and some made charts. There was a lot of work going on, and everyone was helping out as much as they could.
I receive many questions from journalists and from ordinary people around the world: Everyone wants to know how they can help, and this is a super powerful support that inspires us with every development. Each warm word has a meaning. Every opportunity to go abroad is important for every Ukrainian. Now the question “How are you?” It means I love you.” Together we love, and love begets the new. By loving our homeland and our freedom, we have shown the world that the power of love will always be greater than any evil.
Ways to help Ukraine:
Donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross
Support for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Helping Ukrainian children through Save the Children
Bid on design items as part of the Ukraine International Design Auction, from now until March 31.
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