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Architecture & design studio
in New York led by Sasha Topolnytska.
2022 - Ongoing
In collaboration with Lindsay Harkema
Project supported by Independent Project Grant 2022 organized by the Architectural League and New York State Council on the Arts
Education, advocacy, community engagement
Дія-Ти / Diya-Ty initiative is a series of educational design workshops for Ukrainian youth developed in 2022-23. The proposal was a response to an ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the destruction of Ukrainian cities and landscapes. The design workshop’s goals were intended to inspire youth to develop creative thinking skills necessary for rebuilding Ukrainian towns during and after the war. We believe that learning design skills early in life can empower young people to create the built environment around them and imagine alternative futures that celebrate heritage and foster growth. These design skills will also help to develop problem-solving skills and creative thinking. Whether one chooses a design career path or not, we believe that these skills will be essential to rebuilding Ukrainian cities as environments of care, cultural expression, and social vitality after the destruction of war.
The project was multiphase. During the first phase, we developed Diya-Ty design workshops in conjunction with local Ukrainian youth organizations in New York City and central New York State. The first phase has been developed with the support of the Independent Project Grant.
The second phase involved sharing design workshops with partnering organizations in Ukraine that work with children affected by the war.