Experimental Active Park in Borodyanka
The project is being implemented as part of the President of Ukraine's programme ‘Active Parks’ in 2025. The project was developed and implemented by the urban bureau Big City Lab, Urban Reform and the Street Culture platform teams.
Borodyanka today
Borodyanka is one of the areas that suffered the most during the Russian occupation of the Kyiv region. Today, the village is being actively restored: residents are returning to the area, and houses and infrastructure are being rebuilt.
But no less important is the creation of public spaces. After all, a city lives when there are people on the streets. It is in common spaces that they meet and communicate, go on dates, walk their dogs, move, and relax. Such locations shape everyday life, so restoring and creating something that brings back a sense of stability is important.
Active Park
The Big City Lab team, together with Urban Reform and Street Culture, has created a temporary experimental Active Park in Borodyanka. The project is being implemented jointly with the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
On 1 April, the anniversary of the liberation of Borodyanka from Russian troops, a temporary experimental sports space was opened in the village. It was created to understand which activities Borodyanka residents are most interested in and which sports should be considered when implementing a permanent solution.
The test Active Park includes:
- Pump track and ramp;
- 3×3 streetball court;
- 3×3 football and panna football pitch;
- Tables for table tennis;
- Street workout area;
- Children's playground.
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This is an example of a modern urban park – a space where you can feel the movement, express your creativity and find like-minded people.
All the equipment was purchased with patronage and is mobile, as the park will exist in this form for some time. The experimental format will allow us to test the location, understand the community's specific needs, and, based on
this, develop and implement the final concept. Our team will analyse the user experience and propose a permanent solution – a large-scale modern public space for movement, recreation and meetings that will become an integral part of Borodyanka.
Sport and mental health
In times of war, it is not only residential areas or critical infrastructure that need to be rebuilt, but also our mental health.
Physical activity reduces stress and promotes cohesion and interaction between people.
The Active Park will not just be a place for movement and sports. It will become a space that will restore a sense of calm and bring people together. And this is another step in the great recovery process that Borodyanka residents are going through.
Previous experience
In 2021, the Big City Lab team, in collaboration with the PUPA urban bureau and the Street Culture platform, created an urban park at VDNH, a modern and barrier-free space for recreation, work, creativity, and communication. About 1,000,000 people visit the location every year.
