Since the start of the full-scale aggression on February 24, 2022, thousands of schools have been destroyed in Ukraine. Kharkiv, which has become one of the epicenters of the war, has had the most direct consequences for the educational infrastructure.

In this project, the team of SBM Studio proposes using old and unused industrial underground spaces to create a school hub. 

Since the Cold War, thousands of square meters of underground industrial facilities with five-meter-high ceilings and concrete slabs more than one meter thick have remained in the industrial areas of Kharkiv.

They are characterised by a repeated pattern of columns and beams, without sunlight and with a ventilation system from the previous century.

But the modern-day reality of our city inspired a paradoxical idea that even here, underground, normal life is possible. While working on this project, the SBM Studio architects viewed a plant cell as a prototype for a harmonious underground space. These cells will multiply and ultimately create a harmonious landscape for the school hub. 

With the help of light pipes, the underground space will be filled with natural light, which is so necessary for children and plants.  We added a layer of soil to increase safety.

But the most distinctive feature of the project is the natural landscape – slopes, depressions, a pond, natural grasses and trees. Children will have free access to plants and artificial lagoons. During breaks, they will be able to run around on the grass and play with water.

This project solves the most pressing problem of a frontline city – quality school education.

This project will also provide the opportunity to bring together schools that are understaffed or do not have enough students, which will be highly beneficial for the educational process.

The funds from the city budget will be used to maintain a high level of equipment for laboratories, workshops, and experiment rooms. The physical development of schoolchildren will be enhanced by the possibility to access a swimming pool, a court, a football field and a large amount of free space for movement and interaction. With their children’s educational process taken care of, the adults will be able to remain in the city, where they will be able to make their own contribution to its protection and economy.

This project addresses the most pressing issue in a frontline city: high-quality school education that is safe.

When the war ends and children return to their usual schools, this hub can be used as a public space, a museum of contemporary art, and for other purposes.