How to revive Ukrainian cities: unique insights from MIT professor Andres Sevtsuk
As part of the training, the Community Recovery Academy hosted an open lecture with Professor Andres Sevtsuk, Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which was devoted to an in-depth analysis of street commerce and its role in the modern urban environment. The central idea was to reveal the complex interrelationships between urban planning, economic factors, and the social dynamics of urban development.
Andres Sevtsuk discussed in detail how various factors influence the formation of the urban landscape. In particular, he paid considerable attention to criticizing the trend of creating large shopping centers on the periphery of cities, which negatively affect the development of local businesses in the central areas. Instead, the lecturer emphasized the importance of supporting small businesses that not only create jobs but also create a unique atmosphere of urban life.
Particular emphasis was placed on the relationship between population density, transportation infrastructure, and retail development. The lecturer demonstrated how different cities around the world deal with spatial development issues in different ways: from densely built-up Asian megacities to sprawling car-oriented American cities.
The lecturer's practical recommendations covered a wide range of issues: from the need to invest in public transportation to the importance of creating pedestrian zones and supporting local business associations. Andres offered specific strategies for transforming urban spaces that can be useful for both megacities and smaller cities.
The lecture not only presented a theoretical overview of urban processes, but also provided the audience with practical tools to understand the complexity of urban development.
Urban environment is a space for interaction, understanding and unity of society
We are confident that the knowledge and experience gained during this lecture will become a powerful tool for municipal managers in the process of rebuilding Ukrainian cities. Despite the challenges facing our country, we have a unique opportunity not only to restore but also to create fundamentally new, comfortable, and viable urban spaces.
Community Recovery Academy was founded by the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the NGO Mariupol.Reborn. It is being implemented with the support of the UK Government under the UK International Development program and the International Republican Institute (IRI Ukraine) in partnership with Metinvest and SCM. The educational partners of the project are Metinvest Polytechnic and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
