In 2016, we were approached by a Ukrainian team of architects and city planners called Sprint 7, to participate in an invitation-only competition aiming to redevelop grounds surrounding a large, well-known chocolate factory in Kyiv.
The project involved converting the beautiful historic Roshen Factory building, dating back to the 19th century, into new corporate headquarters and a retail store, and transforming the surrounding areas and factory courtyards into a welcoming plaza and parking lots.
The site is in the southern districts of the Ukrainian capital, at the center of a significant road network and near a major metro station. The client sought to create welcoming and innovative private spaces that are generously open to the public.
Our proposal took the liberty of deviating from the competition brief, by offering to drastically reduce the parking area to create a true park instead of the initial parking lots. We also suggested installing fountains on the plaza and incorporating an ice rink, a very popular and sought-after amenity in Ukraine.
The proposal was selected and led to extensive discussions with the client and their architectural and urban planning consultants, which allowed for this bespoke project to evolve in a very positive direction, all while considering local expertise, available materials and vegetation, and a remarkable topsoil—the exceptionally fertile “chernozem.”
The paved courtyards were transformed into employee gardens, and the forecourt was extended to accommodate lengthy, animated fountains. As for the ice rink, which was gradually expanded, its oval shape was imagined to fit within the park’s topography and is equipped with terraced seating. During the summer, the area allows for roller skating and other board sports, as well as various festive events.
A long, winding path connects the forecourt, the garden courtyards, and the park’s central clearing, that the ice rink occupies for part of the year.
Custom lighting and projections bring the factory facades to life and mark key calendar dates.
The project materials were chosen to reinforce the installation’s identity and draw on local expertise; Ukrainian granite with an incorporation of basalt and blue labradorite, combined with custom metalwork, make up the cladding and steps.
The project is rich in vegetation, enhancing the site’s natural environment; mixed forests of deciduous trees and Scots pines, birch groves, low-lying undergrowth, and carpets of ferns.
This unique project was the result of remarkable collaboration and international partnership between the French and Ukrainian teams responsible for its implementation.
Unfortunately, the festive park opening was immediately followed by the outbreak of the Russian invasion in 2022.
We have since learnt that the residents of Kyiv, and the many people living in the neighborhood, continue to enjoy and visit this place, which remains open to the public.
This small, well-equipped park appears as a precious place for life and interaction, a green oasis in the heart of a city that has sadly been severely scarred by the ongoing war.
Kyiv is a uniquely dynamic, resilient, and vibrant city, fighting to defend its freedom, identity, culture, and openness. We hope that this energy will encourage the city to continue its resistance and capacity to rebuild.
Client: Roshen Factory
Landscape Architects (lead designers): In Situ Paysages et urbanisme
Partners: Maksym Kotsiuba, landscape architect
Subcontractors:
Lighting Design: Les Éclaireurs
Civil and fontain engineering: OGI
Ring engineering: KEO
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