Opening of CLUST SPACE DNIPRO. Image: CLUST
Opening of CLUST SPACE DNIPRO. Image: CLUST
The shelter, which was named CLUST SPACE DNIPRO, has all the same functionality as CLUST SPACE KYIV (the smart shelter project at KPI received this name after its opening): it has modern ventilation, soundproofing of the ceiling, modern furniture and appliances, thoughtful zoning, and absolute inclusiveness. And, like the previous one, the project does not provide for a refund of investors' funds: the premises were transferred to the university's balance sheet immediately after opening. From now on, the decision on what events to hold there will be made by the DNU staff.
Openspace that can easily be transformed into a coworking space. Image: CLUST
Ruslan Timofeev: "The next stage after the opening is to promote the development of the student community, in particular, organizing events and meetups, creating conditions for interaction between young people and business, and supporting student initiatives. We want CLUST SPACE DNIPRO to become a place where students will develop an offline network."
Ruslan Timofeev, founder of the venture builder CLUST, initiator and investor of the smart roof project CLUST SPACE. Image: CLUST
Ruslan Timofeev, Ukrainian entrepreneur, founder of the venture builder CLUST, initiator and investor of the smart shelter project CLUST SPACE, explained: this project, like the previous one, has several goals. The team aimed to:
- to solve the problem of a possible decrease in the level of knowledge of future Ukrainian specialists, because the need for regular “runs” to the smart shelter is very harmful to the academic process;
- demonstrate what a modern shelter should be like;
- to create a location where urban events can be held without interruption due to alarms, and at the same time to prove that a properly renovated shelter can be relevant not only during war and air raids;
- draw the attention of Ukrainian businesses to the need to assist educational institutions with the arrangement of shelters.
A room for relaxation and exercise. Image: CLUST
"First of all, a brief note about the previous project: no important event at KPI is complete without CLUST SPACE. It has become a place where there is constant movement: learning, working on projects, events. Over the past year, the space has hosted many guests, including President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, ambassadors of various countries, ministers, prominent poets, writers and scientists. We are confident that CLUST SPACE DNIPRO will also become an important element of the city's infrastructure for many years to come. The next stage after the opening is to promote the development of the student community, in particular, organizing events and meetups, creating conditions for interaction between young people and business, and supporting student initiatives. We want CLUST SPACE DNIPRO to become a place where students will develop an offline network," said Ruslan Timofeev..
Among the investors who made this possible are Usyk Foundation, Svichado Foundation, Lenovo, Epicenter Network, MOAR TECH, and CEO Mike Savchenko. The main donor of the CLUST SPACE DNIPRO project was Freedom Holding Corp.
CLUST SPACE DNU: planning, functionality and design
The second CLUST SPACE, like the shelter at KPI, was built according to the smart shelter concept - the space is a set of multifunctional locations that can be easily adapted to the specific needs of students and university guests. It includes:
- large open space;
- rooms for meetings and practical group exercises;
- areas for independent work and reading;
- area for sports, computer games and relaxation;
- video call capsules;
- a room for sleeping;
- restrooms and showers;
- cafeteria.
The project architect is Pavlo Peker, founder of Peker&Partners. Image: CLUST
The project architect, Pavlo Peker, an expert with extensive experience working in countries that have been at war for a long time, and the founder of Peker&Partners, explains: thanks to the principle of multifunctionality in CLUST SPACE DNU can host conferences, Olympiads, lectures, exams, exhibitions, business negotiations, board game championships, award ceremonies, mini-concerts, public discussions, presentations of books or business ideas, press conferences, and much more.
Work and reading areas. Image: CLUST
Work and reading areas. Image: CLUST
Work and reading areas. Image: CLUST
The second important advantage of the space, the architect believes, is its thoughtfulness: rooms with relaxation areas and capsules where teachers can conduct online lectures have good soundproofing, and open spaces are zoned with bookcases. As for inclusivity, CLUST SPACE at DNU is arranged so that a person with a disability can easily get to any zone or room, including locations on the second level.
The second level area, with call pods under the stairs and a quiet area and showers upstairs. Image: CLUST
The second level area, with call pods under the stairs and a quiet area and showers upstairs. Image: CLUST
The second level area, with call pods under the stairs and a quiet area and showers upstairs. Image: CLUST
Pavlo Peker: “I really hope that the main elements — the lighting geometry, the furniture configuration, and the acoustic panels on the ceiling — will remain recognizable and become our corporate identity, so people will always immediately identify the shelter.” CLUST SPACE in the photo »
So, multifunctionality and thoughtfulness of details. But all this was also in CLUST SPACE KYIV. When asked what the evolutionary nature of CLUST SPACE is DNIPRO compared to CLUST SPACE in KPI, the expert answers: the main goal of the team was not renewal, but scaling, so there are differences, but not in the set of key solutions, but in the design and placement of individual spaces. Unlike the shelter in KPI, the shelter in Dnipro is two-level: on the second level there are well-insulated sleeping rooms and showers. Also, the DNU shelter has a very high ceiling, so if the Kyiv shelter is dominated by white shades that visually expand the space, in DNU dark colors were used with the opposite purpose.
“We can’t say that we just took ready-made solutions and moved them from one place to another. In Dnipro, we experimented with colors, which helped completely change the space and its perception. However, I really hope that the main elements — the geometry of the lighting, the configuration of the furniture and the acoustic panels on the ceiling — will remain recognizable and become our corporate style, so people will always immediately identify the shelter CLUST SPACE in the photo,” said Pavlo Peker.
Next to the reception is a small kitchen. Image: CLUST
Next to the reception is a small kitchen. Image: CLUST
Next to the reception is a small kitchen. Image: CLUST
CLUST SPACE as a state-of-the-art shelter
During an air raid CLUST SPACE open to both students and teachers, as well as to everyone who is currently near the university: the shelter is designed for a comfortable and safe stay 350 people.
Safety is guaranteed by two key factors: safe surfaces and reliable communications. Regarding the first, only materials and elements that do not pose a danger in the event of a collapse were used during construction, for example, the glass walls of isolated rooms are reinforced with a special film that retains fragments of broken glass.
The open space is zoned with bookcases. Image: CLUST
Pavlo Peker: "DNU is a fairly old building from the Soviet era, and the systems we integrated into it (ventilation, smoke extraction systems, and power supply) had to be connected to the existing communications. We managed. Everything works."
As for the second factor, the shelter has all the communications necessary for protection against radiation and chemicals: there is autonomous ventilation with filters that ensure complete isolation of the space for three days. The room also has a backup pumping system and power supply system, so electricity and fresh air, as well as the ability to use a toilet or shower, will continue to be available even if the power goes out upstairs.
"During the installation of these communications, just like last time, we encountered minor difficulties related to the fact that we are not building anew, but are merging into an existing structure. DNU is a fairly old building from the Soviet era, and the systems that we integrated into it (ventilation, smoke extraction systems, and power supply) had to be connected to the existing communications. We managed. Everything works," said Pavlo Peker.
The shelter has a room with beds where you can rest. Image: CLUST
Regarding whether the team was able to improve the condition of the university building, the architect says: by developing and implementing CLUST SPACE, he only solves issues related to the space of the smart shelter, so sometimes it is difficult for him to find the point where the boundary of his work ends and the building itself begins. "This time we dealt with this together with the DNU team. For example, we calculated the evacuation time in critical situations and found that in order for everyone to be able to evacuate, another exit would have to be made," the expert explained.
Inclusive toilet and showers. Image: CLUST
Inclusive toilet and showers. Image: CLUST
Inclusive toilet and showers. Image: CLUST
Inclusive toilet and showers. Image: CLUST
Scaling within Ukraine: CLUST SPACE in every city near the front
Another university will soon join KPI and DNU: the CLUST team, together with the team of architects of Pavlo Peker, has begun work on the third CLUST SPACE shelter at the I. Mechnikov ONU. The working group has already completed the design of this shelter: the designers have determined functional component and planning, and also completed visualization and video tour. Two stages remain: completion of design and development of engineering sections. NThe process of finding funds is ongoing, and the team has already managed to obtain first investment: it was provided by Binance.
Pavlo Peker: "Every city wants a shelter: we receive requests from all over the country, including Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kyiv. I cannot name specific institutions yet, but I really hope that after the opening in Dnipro, we will be able to quickly implement several more facilities."
The ceiling has soundproof acoustic panels. Image: CLUST
“Why Odesa? As I said, we focus primarily on areas where shelters for students are critically needed. Currently, our strategy is to act step by step: we build one shelter, raise funds, and determine where our assistance will be most effective. Right now, the focus is on Dnipro and Odesa, and then we will make decisions based on the current situation. If we talk about expansion, then the next cities will most likely be Sumy and Kharkiv. At the same time, Kharkiv is currently constantly under fire, and most students there study online. Building a shelter will not change the situation, so this city is not our priority for now,” Ruslan Timofeev explained.
Pavlo Peker adds: the demand for smart shelters is simply crazy. "Every city wants a shelter: we receive requests from all corners of the country, including Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kyiv. I cannot name specific institutions yet, but I really hope that after the opening in Dnipro we will be able to quickly implement several more facilities."
