Ukraine faces an immense reconstruction challenge following Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022. The total rebuilding cost is estimated to exceed NOK 5.8 trillion, with 13% of the country’s housing stock damaged or destroyed, and more than 2.5 million households affected. At the same time, the war has left behind vast quantities of materials in the ruins, many of which have potential for reuse.

In this project we explore how such materials can be given new life and used as a resource in the rebuilding of the country. Based on principles from the circular economy and urban mining, we develop a flexible construction system that combines salvaged materials with locally produced supplementing materials. The goal is to maximize the use of reused materials in order to reduce carbon emissions.

The system is adapted to local resources and accounts for structural, architectural, and health-related considerations (such as the presence of asbestos). With a focus on scalability, the system’s potential and limitations are tested through three modular building typologies. These are placed in a specific context to explore how reuse affects architectural expression and how Ukraine can, quite literally, rise from its ruins.

Find the entire master's thesis in the Norwegian Research Information Repository.