STU, Irpin, Ukraine

A POST-WAR UNIVERSITY BUILDING

In the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in the midst of the Battle of Irpin, the STU (State Tax University) suffered a devastating attack. Particularly hard hit was its iconic main building, which sits prominently on the main streets of Irpin, as we witnessed during our visit in June 2022. Rather than simply rebuilding what was lost, the STU is aiming for a transformation that meets its current needs and functions.

MASA architects and MADMA urbanism+landscape decided to donate the preliminary design of this building and the surrounding landscape, in collaboration with our local partners: Druid Project Bureau, Beloded Landscaping and IRS (Irpin Reconstruction Summit). Despite the ongoing war, we strongly wanted to be proactive in the reconstruction of Irpin.

The challenge of the building design is to balance these two factors: Firstly, to be highly rational and repetitive in order to optimize both cost and construction efficiency; Secondly, to be a prominent building as one of the symbols of the new generation of Irpin.

Currently, the campus is hidden from the main road due to the enclosed nature of the existing main building. And the street is dominated by vehicle traffic with minimal space for pedestrians. There is an opportunity to address all of these issues through the design of the new STU main building and surrounding landscape.

The ground floor of the new STU main building, with its transparency and inclusion of public functions, effectively integrates the STU campus with the city of Irpin. The redesigned STU Garden and the revitalised street enhance public accessibility, transforming them into welcoming public space of Irpin. In addition, the striking architectural volume above contributes to the landmark status of this impressive new structure.