What determines the cost of housing after reconstruction and how urban planning decisions affect the investment climate — these issues will be discussed by city mayors, architects, and developers in Kyiv on March 26.
What determines the cost of housing after reconstruction and how urban planning decisions affect the investment climate — these issues will be discussed by city mayors, architects, and developers in Kyiv on March 26.
On March 26, the Investment and Construction Congress will be held at the Parkovy Exhibition and Convention Center, a platform for dialogue between representatives of the city government, the development industry, and the architectural community. The format of the event is open panel discussions without pre-agreed theses.
Two thematic blocks will cover key issues: factors driving real estate value growth in recovery and the role of strategic urban planning. The discussions will involve leaders of five cities, central government representatives, leading architects and developers.
The organizer of the event is DMNTR Media Group , one of the most influential business media groups in Ukraine with many years of experience in creating large-scale industry forums and professional awards.
The congress’s theme goes beyond the purely sectoral: urban planning decisions directly determine the living conditions of millions of Ukrainians. Three key dimensions of this impact are particularly relevant in the context of post-war reconstruction.
Housing affordability. About five million internally displaced persons need stable housing. The formation of transparent urban planning rules and attracting investment in construction is a necessary condition for real estate prices to remain within economically reasonable parameters, and not to increase chaotically.
Quality of the urban environment. Transport accessibility, greenery, the condition of public spaces and communal infrastructure are not secondary issues. Studies show a direct correlation between the quality of the environment and the level of migration sentiment: people stay or return to places where living conditions meet basic standards.
The country's economic future. The construction sector generates about 8–9% of GDP in stable economies. The quality of urban planning decisions made now lays the foundation for the arrival of long-term foreign and domestic investments - and therefore affects employment, local budget revenues and the pace of recovery in general.
In parallel with the main congress program, exclusive presentations for event participants will be held in Hall 3. Invited speakers are international and Ukrainian experts in the fields of architecture, urbanism, and development.
09:00 — 09:30
Fulko Treffers — online
Dutch architect and urban planner, co-founder of the urban coalition in support of Ukraine "Ro3kvit".
"Architecture is about buildings. But even more, it's about people. Reconstruction is about infrastructure. But above all, it's about communities."
09:30 — 10:00
Pavel Gudimov
Curator and founder of the art center "I Gallery".
10:00 — 10:30
Dmytro Bonesko and Serhiy Zhuk
Dmytro Bonesko — co-owner of YOD Group; Serhiy Zhuk — CEO and co-founder of HBD (Hospitality Business Development)
10:30 — 11:00
Julian Chaplinsky
Architect and urban planner, former Chief Architect of Lviv and former Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development; currently CEO of AVR DEVELOPMENT. Laureate of the Mies van der Rohe Award, Ukrainian Urban Awards and Archello Award
"Architecture as Strategy: How Space Shapes Business Models and Their Scaling."
11:00 — 11:45
Christos Passas — online
Zaha Hadid Architects (United Kingdom)
"Interrelationships between architecture, development and urban environment as a driver of growth."
The discussion focuses on the relationship between strategic decisions in urban governance and real estate market dynamics: the role of infrastructure, transport accessibility, the quality of the urban environment, and mechanisms for attracting investment.
Moderator: Oleksandr Slobozhan — Executive Director of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Ph.D. in Public Administration.
The panel is dedicated to strategic planning issues: how urban planning documentation affects the development of cities, what is the role of the community in these processes, and how government, business, and society interact in shaping the urban environment.
Moderator: Yevheniy Favorov — Head of the Ukrainian Developers Association
The congress is aimed at architects, urban planners, developers, city government representatives, and investors. The event is held as part of a broader discussion on the future of Ukrainian cities in the recovery period.
Registration and program are available at the link .
