TORV Kyiv

The World’s Largest Tactical Urbanism Project—Built in a War Zone

Sponsors: Novo Nordisk, Carlsberg Ukraine, Bosch, Negrich Workshop, DSV Global. Partners: Danish Embassy Kyiv, City of Kyiv, Podil Administration

Project Team: Coolville Design Lab, Ukraine Active, Novo Nordisk, NGO Prytysko-Mykilska

In the heart of Kyiv’s historic Podil district, something extraordinary has taken shape. On 11,000 m² of lifeless asphalt once scorched by summer heat and neglect, we built a square—not just of wood and paint, but of possibility. This is TORV Kyiv. A tactical urbanism project from Denmark to Ukraine with love - built under daily threat of missile strikes. Funded entirely by private donors. Designed by a tiny team. Constructed by volunteers from 18 countries. No renderings. No masterplans. Just urgency and action.

Read a long article about the whole journey on my Medium blog: The Unexpected Story of the World’s Largest Tactical Urbanism Project - in a Warzone.

From Asphalt to Atmosphere

Kontraktova Square is no ordinary site. It's the beating heart of old Kyiv—thousands of years of trade, culture, and public life compressed beneath the paving stones. But for decades, it was nothing more than an 11,000 m² heat island.

So we flipped the script. We filled it with life.

Benches, trees, public seating, scaffolding structures, swings, petanque, ping pong, public art, climbing zones, chess, shaded gathering spaces, historical exhibits, and outdoor fitness equipment. Built for use. Built for now.

From day one, it worked. Before we’d even finished installation, people were already using the space—sitting, gathering, reclaiming it. It grew from there. Slowly. Surely. Defiantly.

Tactical by Design

TORV Kyiv was built entirely on the surface—no drilling, no digging, no permanent interventions. Every element is modular, movable, and designed for disassembly and reuse. The project ends in September 2026, but everything we built can—and will—live on in other cities across Ukraine.

This is tactical urbanism scaled up: a full-scale test lab for placemaking in crisis conditions. Every bench is observed. Every pathway mapped. The entire space is under real-time, real-human observation—allowing us to adapt, move, improve.

Built During War. For Health.

Our main sponsor, Novo Nordisk, saw this not as branding—but as public health infrastructure. Their support made it possible to add fitness zones, ping pong, and outdoor exercise equipment. Movement returned. So did conversation, community, and mental health.

Because in a city under siege, placemaking isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline.

A Square That Works

TORV Kyiv is not a monument. It’s a prototype. A tactical “yes” in a city full of strategic maybes. Built from the ground up—by locals, for locals. Built not with glossy blueprints, but with plywood, persistence, and participation.

It’s not ours. It’s theirs. And that’s the power of placemaking done right.