The material sphere of the architecture of humanity. How to build qualitatively new social infrastructure facilities?

Spaces for human interaction

Social infrastructure is the "foundation" that supports our daily lives and the web of connections between people. It meets the needs for education, care, health care, cultural development, and leisure.

Even in a small town, these are the majority of public buildings:

• educational institutions of all levels — from kindergartens to universities, training centers, libraries and coworking spaces;
• healthcare: outpatient clinics, polyclinics, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, palliative care facilities;
• hostels, boarding schools, social housing, care centers for the elderly and people with disabilities;
• "interaction points" and information points: employment centers, provision of administrative services;
• cultural and leisure infrastructure: museums, galleries, theaters, cultural centers, cultural and artistic venues, religious spaces.

Social infrastructure also includes gyms and clubs, swimming pools, and open spaces for training and recreation, as they affect health and help social integration.

Some classifications even include transportation, such as public transportation, or pedestrian infrastructure. Why? Because they provide access to basic services that determine quality of life and levels of social inclusion.

We spend a lot of time in these spaces at every stage of our lives, and ultimately they have a profound impact on who we are. In buildings created by people for people, we learn, we receive support, we feel part of a greater whole, and we gain a variety of emotional experiences.

Social infrastructure is important not only as a convenient “set of services.” It creates conditions for interaction between people, support, co-creation of well-being, and a safe place to live.

Social architecture combines two roles - service and public. It should not only provide convenience and durability, but also form a sense of trust, belonging and comfort. Materials, forms and other components of spaces affect the experience of users, impressions, feelings of trust, comfort or belonging no less than planning. Thus, architecture becomes not just a service, but a catalyst for the development of a place, creating its identity.

 

 

How Ukrainian social architecture was formed

Historically, social facilities were built by representatives of the government or the church - those who had the resources and saw a moral mission in this. Such buildings were not only a service, but also an instrument of influence. Private hospitals and schools appeared much later, and even today their share remains smaller, depending on the country. For example, in Scandinavia the state model prevails, while in the USA, Britain or Turkey private institutions are also widespread. Usually the private sector grows where the state does not have time to meet needs.

In Ukraine, the basis of social infrastructure is still the objects of the Soviet period. The construction system of that time operated "top down": the state determined the quantity, typology and standards. Architecture had to be serial, easy to reproduce, without unnecessary decoration, with minimal maintenance costs. Valuable materials and artistic decoration - natural stone, ceramic facade decorations, majolica panels, bas-reliefs or mosaics - were allowed only for show buildings.

The main thing was not the nature of the building, but its functionality and controlled environment. Hospitals, schools and cultural centers served as "institutions of socialization" designed to shape the person within a given system.

Different perspectives on "invisible" topics and humanity

Looking back on this experience, it would be prudent to say that social architecture should "educate." Rather, it should be humane and human-centered, and everything else will naturally follow from this.

In the Soviet and post-Soviet social sphere, there was very little room left for concern for human dignity and consideration of the needs of vulnerable groups of the population, because the main focus of the system was on an active, able-bodied citizenry and productivity.

Social architecture serves two key roles: service (provides for needs) and social, meaningful (acts as "social glue")

The topic of hospices, geriatric institutions, and rehabilitation centers was taboo and underestimated. For example, in Ukraine, the first palliative care institution appeared only in 1996.

For obvious reasons, religious spaces and churches fell out of the social fabric. Their typology and planning were not "updated" and no space was provided for such objects.

At the same time, practices in Western countries were different. In the second half of the 20th century, state initiatives also played a key role in social architecture here - as an example, we can mention the British welfare state policy. But projects were financed even then mainly through decentralized mechanisms - municipalities, competitions or foundations, with the possibility of influencing decisions by the community, residents. The main attention was focused on service function of infrastructure facilities, without ideological overload. Architects had more freedom to implement their own ideas, experimented more freely with styles, typologies, and materials.

For comparison, in the West, for representative objects of the social sector, the priorities were innovation, comfort, accessibility for users, and demonstration of a new quality of life through the architectural environment. In our homeland, the impact was through monumentality, "palace" scale, and symbolism. It was for them that special solutions were reserved, and the rest of the buildings were replicated.

New standards instead of "copy-paste"

Ukrainian architects, developers, manufacturers, and distributors of building materials mostly understand these lessons of the past well and draw the right conclusions. However, the willingness to “build better than before” must be supported by stable and consistent programs for restoration and reconstruction, partnerships to attract additional resources and expertise.

In state initiatives, we would like to avoid "hello from the past" - for example, collections with typical vague projects proposed for rebuilding the social sector and which could return us to the era of low-quality copy-paste buildings.

The challenges for Ukraine were already great: to gradually update the old social fund, both Soviet and created later. The 2000s also left us with a certain number of architectural "Frankensteins" and renovations that, perhaps, would have been better not to carry out.

The war critically exacerbated the problem and increased the pressure due to the destruction of social fund facilities (some of which had already been reconstructed at that time, for example, through the "Great Construction") and the financial component. Just a few alarming figures to illustrate: according to interactive map "Education under threat" Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, at the time of publication, 4296 educational institutions were damaged by bombing and shelling. Statistics for medical facilities: more than 2300 facilities were damaged, of which only 653 were fully restored, and slightly more than 300 were partially restored.

Kindergartens, schools, and hospitals are usually the first things people think of, here is the data by cultural and leisure facilities: according to statistics from the Ministry of Culture, 1175 clubs, 848 libraries, 184 educational and artistic institutions, 133 museums/galleries, 50 theaters/cinemas/philharmonics were destroyed or damaged due to Russian aggression.

An accurate calculation of the number of institutions is made impossible by the temporary occupation and ongoing hostilities.

The population of Ukrainian cities continues to change due to internal migration and emigration, the pace of construction and reconstruction in different regions, depending on their distance from the contact line, is uneven - all these trends persist. The security component is relevant, and it's not just about reliable shelters: schools with full-fledged educational spaces underground are being actively built in frontline regions.

In such conditions, the creation and restoration of social infrastructure facilities is not only a complex technical task, but also a profound social process. It needs an upgrade, and this applies to partnerships to join forces, planning decisions, approaches to architectural expressiveness, selection of materials for these new buildings.

We talked about what the Ukrainian social infrastructure is and should be like today with Antonina Kaplea, architect and co-founder of TSEH Architectural Group, and Mark Savitsky, architect, restorer and founder of the architectural bureau Savytskyy Design. The press service of the leading Ukrainian development company also shared its observations KAN Development.

Experts agree on existing and new facilities.

Marko Savytsky emphasizes that it is no longer possible to think in categories of "typical projects", as in the past:

"If previously social buildings — schools, hospitals, cultural spaces — were created only for function, now the key is a human-centric approach. The main requirements are barrier-free and inclusive, energy efficiency and resilience to challenges, flexibility for different scenarios, and environmental friendliness of materials. Customers want to see not only a building, but also an environment of trust and comfort that has a positive impact on the community."

Marko Savytsky: "If previously social buildings were created only for function, now the key is a human-centric approach. Customers want to see not only a building, but also an environment of trust and comfort that has a positive impact on the community."

With representatives of KAN Development, we analyzed the case of building a modern school Educational holding A+ on the territory of the Faina Town residential complex in Kyiv. They note:

"Modern educational institutions have long gone beyond the typical school "boxes" of the Soviet era and must meet a whole range of functional requirements. Educational architecture should form a space for personal development, and not simply provide a "roof over your head"."

According to the company's assessment, the quantitative problems of social infrastructure facilities in Ukraine are spotty:

"In particular, there is a shortage of preschool and school educational institutions, children's leisure facilities, and homes for the elderly. At the same time, there is a need to improve the quality in all areas of social infrastructure: education, medicine, trade, public catering, leisure, services, etc. Ukraine also needs not just a larger number of schools, but qualitatively new educational spaces. We see an acute need for modern educational institutions that combine high technology, environmental friendliness, and psychological comfort."

Antonina Kaplya also notes that educational institutions cannot be the way they were previously designed:

"Instead, they should be flexible, modern, and loyal not only to children, but also to their parents and visitors. With common spaces for communication, concert or sports, or better yet, multifunctional halls, laboratories, and coworking spaces that encourage curiosity about knowledge. The outdoor space should also be attractive - with landscape design, areas for games, recreation, and sports, where, for example, parents can play football with their children in the evening. These areas should be accessible on weekends as well as on weekdays. Mandatory requirements for modern schools are inclusiveness, openness, energy efficiency, and good natural lighting."

In Ukrainian realities, she reminds us, a very urgent need for public institutions is available shelters, which meet current safety and comfort standards:

"They should be incorporated into all projects being created, added to architectural designs that are already ready for construction, and completed in existing schools."

The architect touches on the topic of medical institutions and emphasizes that here too it is important to reach a different level of quality:

"Medical institutions should make life easier for patients, not more difficult. After all, people are already experiencing difficult conditions on the way to recovery. These should be inclusive spaces that are comfortable for patients and visitors. Areas for solitude are important, where you can relax from the atmosphere of a hospital ward, which a person is often forced to share with others. For example, well-equipped halls or open-air spaces: gazebos, gardens.

Antonina Kaplya: "Educational institutions cannot be the way they were designed before. Instead, they should be flexible, loyal not only to children, but also to their parents and visitors, inclusive, and energy-efficient."

"The key requirements for medical facilities are energy efficiency, sufficient natural lighting, and high-quality ventilation. In old medical facilities that have not yet been reconstructed, very often there is no good artificial ventilation and air conditioning, and this is a big problem."

"Many social buildings that are currently in use were built a long time ago. They are outdated in terms of accessibility requirements, new fire safety standards, and energy efficiency. Most of these institutions have old heating systems, only natural ventilation, and no sound absorption systems. They have lost their relevance in terms of design and materials used. Currently, new private and public kindergartens, schools, and medical centers are being built in Ukraine, which can be considered models of new social architecture, but there are not so many of them yet," adds Antonina Kaplya.

"At the state level, comprehensive solutions should be implemented to restore, reconstruct, and improve the energy efficiency of buildings that are already in operation and need modernization. It is desirable that this be done through open competitions, where the contractor is chosen not only by price, as is often the case in public procurement and tenders, but by the architectural concept and quality of the project. Experienced architects should be involved in the professional jury, perhaps not only from Ukraine. This will result in modern projects with good layouts, facades, interiors, and landscaping at a decent European level. Architects can also cooperate with private customers and foundations, joining forces to implement high-quality solutions," notes Antonina Kaplya.

She said that a few years ago, the TSEH Architectural Group team participated in an open architectural competition for the project municipal schools and kindergarten in the Lviv residential area of ​​Pid Holoskom:

"Then our project took second place, the winner was a worthy proposal from our colleagues from Lviv (Guess Line Architects bureau. — Ed. note). This is an example of how you can choose a designer not only in terms of cost, but also architecture."

The municipal school is being built with funds from the Resident Development company, this is the third project for the city in which the developer is participating.

Materials as a response to architectural challenges

The choice of materials for the construction and decoration of social architecture is a strategic decision, not just a technical item on the budget. Architectural and construction materials directly affect how the functional and value objectives of the object will be fulfilled.

In a practical sense, will the building be reliable, comfortable, and safe to use, how often will repairs be required, what bills will the owner receive? In a deeper sense, what feelings will the space create in users, will it be spectacular or caring, and will they want to return there?

Let's summarize the range of requirements and see what architectural solutions and materials can be effective.

• Durability and endurance

Buildings housing social institutions are designed for long-term use: decades of operation and many visitors every day. Therefore, materials must be resistant to weather fluctuations (for facades), designed for mechanical loads and frequent cleaning.

This includes many solutions: wear-resistant flooring; coatings that are resistant to abrasion and washing with aggressive agents, on which scratches or chips are invisible; anti-vandal materials; surfaces that do not absorb moisture and reduce bacterial load (for example, in hospitals or sports complexes).

Materials that meet these challenges are clinker, slabs for ventilated facades (ceramic, porcelain stoneware, fiber cement, HPL), and tiles for interior decoration.

• Economic feasibility and ease of operation

When a building has a long service life, repairs are inevitable, but they should not be frequent and expensive: social infrastructure facilities usually operate under limited budgets. Therefore, durable ventilated facades are advisable, where only a specific element or row can be replaced if necessary, and finishes that do not need to be frequently restored or painted.

• Safety and hygiene

For this purpose, environmentally friendly certified materials are used that do not emit harmful substances and are resistant to moisture, mold, dirt. Surfaces must be easy to care for, must retain their appearance after numerous disinfections or even help fight pathogens.

Non-combustible materials and those that do not support combustion are a strict requirement for kindergartens, schools, and dormitories.

Ceramic materials, HPL (the degree of non-flammability depends on the type of panel and filler) and special paints have such properties.

• Energy efficiency and thermal and acoustic comfort

Energy efficiency is a “rule of good taste” for modern projects. It is especially important in the context of cost control and comfort for users of social infrastructure. Therefore, hinged facade ventilated systems are relevant, as well as materials that provide good acoustics in educational premises and reduce the level of unwanted noise in hospitals, recreational spaces, libraries, co-working spaces, etc.

• Architectural expressiveness, impact on emotional experience

Natural textures, warm colors and materials with deep plasticity of facades help to form an environment that is friendly to people. The atmosphere of the space directly affects the state of users: for guests of service centers, openness and trust are important, for patients - support, comfort, coziness, a sense of security of the space. For students - creativity and inspiration, but at the same time, help in concentration.

Antonina Kaplya recalls that at the beginning of her architectural career, her diploma project was a palliative care center. Since then, the use of forms, materials, and color in socially important projects has been her professional interest:

"Taking into account functional aspects is a working point, and a qualified architect can incorporate all of this into his projects. It is necessary to study the properties of materials, to be interested in the experience of high-quality implemented projects of others. Materials should be humane, functionally appropriate for use, and correspond to the purpose and design of the environment. For example, in medical institutions, surfaces can be sound-absorbing in some places, tactilely rough in others, and in others such that they can be easily cleaned with various disinfectants.

Modern ceramic materials meet virtually every requirement for social architecture і capable of providing stability, comfort, safety features and making objects unique and humane

Architecture certainly affects people. The objective properties of form force users to act in certain patterns, for example, narrow dark corridors “narrow” routes, while open spaces in a school — not only classrooms, but also common areas, libraries, open laboratories — encourage collaboration and learning. The same applies to architectural design: contrasting and bright colors stimulate users and are suitable for certain areas of play centers or kindergartens. In hospitals, medical institutions, natural materials and calm colors, soothing natural or artificial lighting, architectural forms that do not “press” on people, for example, biomorphic.

There must be quality common spaces on the street where you can relax, as I mentioned earlier."

Architectural ceramics in social infrastructure facilities. Case studies

Modern ceramic materials meet virtually every requirement for social architecture that we have outlined.

It is architectural ceramics that can simultaneously provide durability, comfort, safety characteristics, and make objects unique, friendly, and humane.

Naturally, it is among the most optimal options for social architecture — buildings designed to serve people, to be platforms for communication and building well-being, points of attraction on the street or in a residential area.

Although ceramic materials are not the cheapest, the costs of their use are fully compensated at later stages of operation due to the durability of the facades, ease of maintenance and repair, as well as the positive image of the buildings for the townspeople.

Architect Marko Savytsky answers the question of how ceramic materials shape the image of a building:

"Facade ceramics are the first thing the user and the community see. It signals that the facility is made with attention to quality and durability. For the community, it is a guarantee of reliability, for investors, it is a sign of the developer's strategic thinking. Materials with a long life cycle indicate that the building is intended to be a landmark in the urban environment for a long time."

IT Shuttle Business Center Solution

The Savytskyy Design studio team developed a project for a business center with coworking in Lviv, which recently celebrated its two-year anniversary.

We asked Mark Savytsky about the motivation for using architectural ceramics in this project.

"In the IT Shuttle project, we worked with facades from the German company MOEDING, a leader in the market of ventilated ceramic systems. These were parametric facades that allow you to arrange and modify elements. The color was selected so that it harmoniously fits into the context of Shevchenko Street.

For me, ceramics are not only about durability or energy efficiency, but also naturalness and sculpturalness of the facade. Volumetric parametrics interact with sunlight: shadows change the structure, enliven the architecture and make it interesting. This plasticity of clay and ceramics gives the building the character of a “living sculpture”. At the same time, ceramics are ecological, they do not pollute the space and preserve the purity of the environment. For our studio, it is important to work with natural materials that are understandable to humans at the level of evolutionary experience,” the architect explains.

"Over the two years of operation of the IT Shuttle center, we see that the facade is resistant to damage, has good energy saving indicators, and its maintenance does not require significant costs. Ceramics do not burn out or age visually - we observe the stability of aesthetics. What is especially valuable is that the facade has retained its sculptural character. The play of light and shadow emphasizes the dynamics of the volume over time and seasons. This proves that the facade works not only technically, but also emotionally. And from an ecological point of view, it is a natural material that does not create an unnecessary burden on the city," concludes Marko Savytsky.

Solutions for A+ school on the territory of Faina Town residential complex

Representatives of the development company KAN Development told more about the modern social infrastructure facility — space "Architectural and Engineering College A+" on the territory of the Faina Town residential complex in Kyiv. In a situation where few new schools are still being built in Ukraine, each such project takes on special importance and sets quality benchmarks for future social infrastructure facilities.

KAN Development experts explain: the project was a response to the lack of quality preschool and school facilities in new residential areas.

"That is why KAN created the A+ Educational Holding School directly on the territory of Faina Town to provide residents of the complex with access to modern education. We are convinced that the future lies in such comprehensive educational centers that unite different age groups and areas of development under one roof. This is a more efficient use of resources and a way to create a true educational community."

 

The principles of safety, inclusivity, and functionality were prioritized in the design of the A+ school.

"This involves architectural solutions that support different learning styles, provide a barrier-free environment, and create an atmosphere where children feel comfortable and safe. The main difference in the modern approach is the understanding that space teaches": each element of the architecture of the A+ educational complex is designed with the idea of ​​how it will affect the well-being of students and their desire to learn. We form these requirements based on many regulatory, operational, and technological factors and are constantly improving them," KAN Development experts note.

“When the company designed the A+ school in Faina Town, every decision was made with care and understanding of how it affects the child’s psyche and behavior. After all, a school should be an environment where every detail works for the child’s development and comfort. For example, spacious classrooms and halls with high ceilings create a sense of freedom and expand the horizons of thinking. Large windows fill the space with natural light, which improves students’ concentration and mood. Wide corridors give children the opportunity to move and communicate freely, and also maintain safety during a possible evacuation. Green spaces and outdoor recreational areas help students recover between classes. We paid significant attention to safe engineering solutions: protective films and nets are provided, sharp corners are removed.

KAN Development experts: "The future lies in comprehensive educational centers that bring together different age groups and areas of development under one roof. This is a more efficient use of resources and a way to create a true educational community."

We aimed to create spaces in all educational institutions of the A+ holding that inspire and motivate learning. For example, wall graphics made using 3D technologies transform corridors into interactive learning zones - so the decor also becomes part of the learning process.

Representatives of KAN Development explained the approach to using materials for school construction and space decoration:

"The choice of materials reflects the company's philosophy. The quality and aesthetics of materials are the main factor on which the impression of the implemented project is formed. For example, facade solutions with architectural ceramics are much more attractive than facade plasters and have a much longer service life."

For the Faina Town residential complex and the A+ school, ceramic materials were chosen not only because of their practical advantages, but also because of their symbolic meaning: it is a material that combines tradition and innovation, explains the KAN Development press service.

"Facade ceramics create an important image of reliability and durability. Parents who choose housing in Faina Town see the quality of the school's materials as a guarantee that their children will study in an institution that will remain attractive and functional for decades. For investors, the quality of the materials is an indicator of the responsible approach of the developer to all aspects of the project."

Experts point out that short-term savings on materials result in large expenses in the future.

“KAN Development chose ceramic materials for the A+ School in Faina Town with the future in mind. Although ceramics do not speed up the construction process, they radically simplify the operation of the institution. This solution is a smart balance between investment and long-term savings. The A+ Educational Holding will be able to focus on the educational process, rather than on constant repairs. Parents are confident that their children are studying in neat and attractive spaces.

Where people spend the most time and where surfaces are subjected to the most impact, ceramics provide reliability for decades to come. In environments used by children, activity and unpredictability are the norm, so the durability of materials becomes a critical factor. Ceramic surfaces are easy to clean, resistant to mechanical damage and retain their original appearance for years.

Finishing materials of various formats and types made of ceramics are used in rooms with maximum traffic. They perform a decorative, protective and operational function at the same time.

“This approach makes the school safer, more resilient, and reflects the company's vision: to create educational spaces that grow with children, support their activity and curiosity, and form a taste for beauty.

"We perceive the A+ school not as a purely educational institution, but as an investment in the future of Ukraine through investments in its children," the developers add.

In the material we talk a lot about the origins and consequences, about formal and more complex value requirements for architectural objects. But the most important thing is that we are not talking about the needs and problems of buildings, but about the needs and problems of people and society. Spaces designed with attention to the dignity and interests of the community are able to inspire, change the quality of life and form confidence in the future. Any specialists, architectural ideas and materials work for the benefit of this.