Voting results at the 100 Ideas for Cities Hackathon: innovation, impact and prospects for implementation

As part of the large-scale project "Hackathon 100 Ideas for Cities", the results are being summarized and the winners are being determined. The official announcement is scheduled for the All-Ukrainian Forum of Mayors on November 8 in Kyiv.

The jury consisted of experts from various fields,  and now the best ideas for rebuilding Ukrainian cities after the war have been selected. The competition brought together architects, urbanists, community representatives, and international experts who jointly searched for the most innovative and realistic solutions to address today's challenges. Each jury member shared his or her impressions of the process, which helped to form a holistic view of the future of rebuilding Ukrainian cities.

How were the winners determined?

Iryna Yarmolenko, the author and executive director of the project,  says: 

"The process of selecting the winners was quite complex and multifaceted. We evaluated each project according to clearly defined criteria, such as relevance to the needs of the community, feasibility, innovation, and social impact. Each of these aspects mattered, as it was important not only to create beautiful concepts, but also to understand how they can really change people's lives on the ground.

In addition, the jury dealt with a variety of projects, from small landscape concepts to large-scale urban solutions. "Our goal was to find a balance between ambitious projects and those that are ready for implementation. We were looking for projects that could be implemented in a short time, but also have the potential to be scaled up to other communities," Iryna added.

Key evaluation criteria

Each of the jury members had their own priorities when evaluating the projects. For example, Christian Wittig, an international expert in architecture and urbanism, emphasizes the importance of social value and community involvement: "We evaluated not only the technical implementation or the aesthetic aspect, but also the extent to which the project will contribute to community integration. Cities are rebuilt not only through architecture, but also through people's interaction and participation in the rebuilding process. This helps cities preserve their identity and find new ways of development.

Innovation and compliance of projects with modern challenges also played an important role. Luigi Fiumara, an architect from Italy, notes: "it was especially important for me to see how the projects meet the needs of the new Ukrainian society — not only at the material level, but also at the level of soul and spirit. Projects that offer non-standard solutions to social and infrastructure problems stand out for their originality and potential to become a symbol of rebirth.

Olga Syutikova, UNDP environment specialist and biotechnologist engineer, emphasized realism: "I always paid attention to how ready the project is to be implemented in specific conditions. The war has made its own adjustments to the plans of many cities, so it is important that projects are not just innovative, but also meet modern realities.

Discussion and consensus building

The discussion process between the jury members was intense and sometimes emotional. Zoryana Tikhonchuk, who also served as chairman of the jury committee and coordinators, emphasizes: "the discussions were lively, because each of us has our own view on what is a priority in recovery. This is natural, as everyone has their own experience and focus. However, this is what makes our decisions balanced — as a result, we took into account both the social and architectural aspects of each project.

These discussions helped the jury come to a common decision that took into account the diversity of approaches. "We managed to find a balance between creativity and realism. Some projects needed clarification and refinement, but it is important that a large percentage of them have great potential for implementation," adds Iryna Yarmolenko.

Zoryana Tikhonchuk and Iryna Yarmolenko

Prospects for implementation

One of the key questions raised by the jury was the practical implementation of the projects. Iryna Yarmolenko expressed optimism about this: "We have long ago started negotiations with various organizations that could support the implementation of many projects. The Dream platform, with which we have been actively working since the start of the project, should also help to attract the necessary resources, and the active role of local governments is crucial here.

Christian Wittig also emphasized the importance of social investment: "The projects we have seen bring not only material innovations, but also hope for local communities. This is especially important for cities such as Kreminna, Bakhmut, and Mariupol, which are currently occupied but have a huge potential for recovery in the future, and we wanted to support and preserve this hope through the Hackathon.

Community reviews

Zoryana Tikhonchuk notes that the feedback from communities regarding the proposed projects is mostly positive. 

"Local communities appreciate the attention to their needs and see these projects as real opportunities for infrastructure development and improvement of living conditions. It is important that the projects meet the specific needs of the communities and are not detached from reality. Some communities were expecting design estimates, but this is not possible within the framework of the Hackathon. The cost of project ideas ranges from UAH 50 to 200 thousand, and the project design document is a full-fledged certified activity of UAH 1 million and above."

This opinion is supported by other members of the jury. Olha Siutikova emphasizes: "Although the projects differ in scale and complexity, each of them is important for a particular community. We tried to objectively assess all aspects and at the same time take into account their specifics." Olha Siutikova even shared her impressions: "There are some real masterpieces among the projects. For example, the concept of Maria Prymachenko Park in Ivankiv or the project of a rehabilitation center in Poltava. They not only meet the needs of communities but also have the potential to become new symbols of urban architecture.

Future plans

The next step after the Hackathon will be further cooperation with communities and investors to scale the best projects, and we still have more than a hundred applications that have not been selected by the architects this season. Iryna Yarmolenko summarizes: "We plan to continue to work actively to attract investment and hope for support from international organizations. We would like to help communities at all stages - from the preparation of project documentation to the practical implementation of solutions.

This hackathon was an important stage on the way to the restoration of Ukrainian cities. The projects presented offer not only new infrastructure solutions, but also innovative approaches to social revival. And most importantly, they give hope for a better future for many Ukrainian communities.

In the next publications, UNN plans to familiarize readers with the projects in more detail.

About Hackathon "100 Ideas for Cities"

One of the largest projects to restore Ukrainian cities after the war is the Hackathon "100 ideas for cities", organized by The Project innovation and reconstruction for society (IRS) and the NGO "Сlub of Mayors".

The hackathon has already brought significant results, bringing together 63 developed architectural ideas for participating communities from all over Ukraine. Currently, 250 applications have already been received from communities in 22 regions, which is about a hundred communities. the project involves 139 formed architectural teams, 20% from abroad: Belgium, Chile, Austria, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Italy, the Netherlands and Slovakia.

We, the project participants and organizers, have a responsible task to implement several projects that are important not only for a single community but for the whole of Ukraine. We also plan to provide the Office of the President and the Prime Minister with unified solutions that can become the basis for the development of similar projects in many communities in Ukraine, including schools, kindergartens, ASCs, rehabilitation centers, memorials, and sports infrastructure