"This project is a real Danish poetic gift:" How tactical urbanism is bringing Kyiv’s Kontraktova Square back to life

What is the problem?

Kontraktova Square is one of Ukraine's most iconic public spaces. Long before Kyiv's uptown neighborhoods emerged, this area, nestled in Podil, was already bustling with life. As early as the 6th century, it featured a vibrant street system and marketplace, becoming the cradle of urban Kyiv.

In the days of Kyivan Rus, the city was far smaller than it is today, concentrated along the Right Bank of the Dnipro River, and Podil was its beating heart — home to artisans, merchants, and thriving cultural life.

Market in Podil. 1850s. Lithograph from a watercolor by M. Sazhyn, late 1840s.

At the center of this district stood what is now Kontraktova Square. Historical sources suggest it was originally called Rynkova (Market Square), a name reflecting its role as a key trading hub. Goods from across the region arrived by ship via the Dnipro, making the square the busiest marketplace in the city. Over time, the name evolved to Kontraktova, in reference to the contracts merchants had to sign with the city to conduct business there — an 18th-century nod to bureaucracy and commerce.

For centuries, Kontraktova Square thrived. But in recent decades, it had fallen into disuse — a vast, empty space in the middle of the city that people merely passed through.

Danish urbanist Mikael Colville-Andersen. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

"For the past 15 years, it's just been a lifeless place. That's not good urbanism. Anyone can see that," says Danish urbanist Mikael Colville-Andersen, creator of the Torv project that aims to transform the square. "No city should have a space like this," he adds. "It's 400 meters across, but people only walk along the edge by Hostynnyi Dvir. Some cross to the other side and that's it. Nobody stays. It's just a hostile place."

What is the solution?

Colville-Andersen is now leading what may be the world's largest tactical urbanism initiative — right in the heart of wartime Kyiv. "We're framing this as a Danish project — that's why it's called Torv, which means "square" in Danish," says the urbanist. "This project is a real Danish poetic gift."

"I thought of Times Square in 2006," he says. "They said, 'Let's stop the cars, make a square, put in benches.' People thought, 'This is New York—it's going to go terribly.' But it didn't. Everyone loved it. And a few years later, it became permanent." Times Square is about 10,000 square meters. Kontraktova Square is 11,000.

"I just thought — how incredible is it that we're in Kyiv, in a war zone, doing the world's largest tactical urbanism intervention? With air raid sirens, missile threats, drones overhead. And it raises the question: why aren't other cities doing this on a random Tuesday? Why isn't this normal?"

Tactical urbanism is a global movement focused on rapid, low-cost interventions that improve public space and test long-term changes. The Torv project began with a graphic design competition — its winning entry painted directly onto the square. Then came the first toloka (a traditional community work day): benches were installed, trees and bushes planted.

The use of color in tactical urbanism is not just aesthetic — it's strategic. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

"I remember, we were packing up after that second toloka, and we looked down the square. All the benches were already full — that same evening. It took ten seconds," Colville-Andersen recalls. "I know it happens like that all over the world, but it still hits you. It's amazing to see."

To most people, a bench may seem insignificant. But for others, the change is striking. "Some walk by and think, 'Oh, cool — benches.' Others stop and say, 'Wait — someone did something with this square.'"

The project attracted the visitors right away. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

The project checks every box for tactical urbanism: rapid implementation, minimal cost, and immediate community impact. It also proves that even in the midst of war, cities can evolve — and public spaces can be reclaimed.

"This should be the world's best pedestrian square," says Colville-Andersen. "Let it show the world what Ukraine can do, even during wartime. It's visible, it has an impact, and it can do a lot of good."

How does it work?

The space is a great example of trauma-sensitive design. Trauma-sensitive design is simply about making people feel more at ease in a public space.

For example, here — the grasses are designed to grow high, and fast. That creates a natural barrier behind a person sitting on the bench. It is supposed to make people feel calm. There are no animals or threats behind your back — and that's anthropology. A million years of human development: humans want their backs protected. Plus, there's a cooling effect of the greens. 

The greens planted behind the benches should have a cooling effect. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

"It's something Ukrainian urbanism could do a lot more of. This space is designed to make you feel calm and comfortable in public," the urbanist explains. 

As for the mural on the asphalt, the plan was simple at first: five types of circles in bright colors, easy enough for volunteers to stencil and paint during one of the tolokas. The idea was to keep it practical — "I always have to think about what's easy and effective for volunteers," says the project's lead.

But then, just as everything was ready, the skies opened. "That first weekend — we were ready to paint, and then it just started raining. All weekend," he recalls. "I can do anything in the rain, but I can't paint on asphalt." So the team postponed it for 10 days. In that unexpected pause, something shifted.

"I'd had this idea for ages and thought I'd never have time for it. And I just said, screw it — let's do it," he says. Within hours, the team announced a spontaneous design competition with an almost absurd four-day deadline.

The Torv project was constructed by volunteers from 18 countries. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

Despite the short notice, the call brought in 15 submissions. "I was surprised to get that many," he says. The rules were strict: participants had to use the specific paint already on hand, ensure balanced color distribution, and keep the designs achievable within the time constraints of a single toloka.

Not every submission met the criteria. "Somebody sent in a beautiful design — but all greens. And I'm like: we don't have those greens. So that missed the point."

Three finalists were chosen. One design, featuring birds flying across the entire square, was a favorite — but impossible to execute quickly. The winner, decided by public vote on Instagram, was a vibrant poppy design composed entirely of geometric shapes.

"It's cool without being overwhelming," Colville-Andersen says. "You don't even notice it much — but it's there. It brightens up the square."

The use of color in tactical urbanism is not just aesthetic — it's strategic. "Anywhere in the world — backyard, side street, whatever — you cover dull asphalt with color. It's the starter's pistol: boom," he explains.

And the impact was immediate. On the first day, Colville-Andersen pulled out a thermometer. "It was 27°C in the air. I placed it on the asphalt — it read 35°C. I moved it just 50 cm onto the white paint — 23°C." A difference of up to 12 degrees, simply from painted surfaces. The green paint was less effective but still dropped temperatures by 8–10 degrees. "It cools the space, uplifts the mood, and even helps mental health," he adds. "It's just textbook tactical urbanism. And it works."

What's more, the colors used weren't random — they were historically significant.

The blue seen on the National Bank building, the green, the beige — all of it comes from that historically approved palette.

The project will last a year and a half, but even from the start the team participants  knew that everything has to just sit on the asphalt — no bolting, no deep installations.

"As a designer, that was a cool challenge. I had to invent stuff. Like the benches we're sitting on — solid enough that people can't move them, but no bolts," the urbanist proudly shares. 

The entire setup is designed to be flexible — modular, movable, and easy to disassemble and reuse. The project is scheduled to wrap up in September 2026. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

The bricks in the cages under the benches come from Colvile-Andersen's community garden that opened last month. The bricks are the remains of a 17th-century building that the Soviets knocked down in 1985. "We got the rubble and now we're sitting on history," Colville-Andersen explains. The same bricks were used in the tree boxes for stability.

The German volunteer, who is a master carpenter designed the benches and pre-assembled everything in the backyard of the team's office, making it easy for volunteers to just show up and put it together.

The benches were pre-assembled by a German volunteer, allowing volunteers to quickly and easily install them on site. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

The trees are also an important part of the setting, as the space needed shade. When the volunteers first put them up, it wasn't even that windy — and one fell over, which made the team seek for a solution. "No time to draft plans. I just built stabilizing boxes, filled them with more bricks — now they're solid. I didn't want people getting hit by falling trees," Colville Andersen says. "This is what I love — not just sitting at a desk designing for months. I need a solution now. And we made one."

The project was made possible thanks to the Danish medical company Novo Nordisk, willing to invest into the urban project, investing about 6 million UAH (around $143 thousand). Novo Nordisk was the first to come on board, laying the foundation for what would become a distinctly Danish-Ukrainian collaboration. Their corporate social responsibility focuses on improving public health — targeting issues like diabetes and obesity — so their involvement reflects a shared goal of encouraging movement and well-being in urban spaces. Then came an unexpected partner: Georgetown University, which offered support through a Danish company that administers funding. Carlsberg Ukraine added a local touch, funding the ping pong tables and sponsoring five trees. Bosch, the German tool company, is also a major sponsor. They gave all the tools used for assembling the space.

The project has been entered into the Ukrainian Book of Records as the largest temporary urban space for physical activity, covering a total area of 6,321 square meters. With its international scope, the initiative brings together key partners such as the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Ukraine, the city of Copenhagen, the NGO Ukraine Active, and companies including Carlsberg and JYSK.

Even more useful solutions!

The project has a strong emphasis on simple, accessible design: benches for rest, painted games and labyrinths for kids, and a stage with wooden tribunes built from recycled materials donated by the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. 

Another partner is the Ukrainian organization Active Parks, which installs sports facilities in public spaces to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Photo: Mykola Tymchenko/Rubryka

On July 5, the opening ceremony of the project took place on Kontraktova Square. The opening ceremony was attended by city officials, Deputy Ambassador of Denmark to Ukraine Lars Olaf Sovndahl Petersen, project manager and renowned Danish architect and urban planner Mikael Colville-Andersen, CEO of Novo Nordisk Ukraine Vladyslav Moroz, and other project partners.

The opening ceremony of the Torv project on Kontraktova Square. Photo: Maksym Ananchenko/Rubryka

The newly created open-air platform represents a significant step toward making the city more accessible and conducive to an active, healthy lifestyle. It is now open and available for everyone to enjoy.

Check out Rubryka's article on another initiative brought to life by Colville-Andersen: "If anyone needs it, it's Ukrainians: Scandinavian therapeutic garden aids in mental health recovery" — a project using nature and design to support mental well-being during the war.