Military rails of Ukrainian design: creativity as a manifesto

/ Design /

The war continues, the war has been going on for over a year now and will probably continue for some time. The war affected the lives of Ukrainians and forced them to rethink their attitude to many things. Design, in particular. The author Tetyana Telegina collected in the material new projects and developments that were created by Ukrainian designers and inventors during the war.

This article is an attempt to draw attention to the fact that the war is not over; the war continues and Ukraine still needs support.

On February 24, 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine. It was exactly a year ago. For a year now, the European country has been living under the sound of air alarms and is constantly waiting for another terrorist attack from Russia.

For every Ukrainian, regardless of age and profession, the world was divided into "before" and "after", and design acquired new meanings and functions. We all understood that design is a method of solving specific problems; it is function first and clear form second.

Before the full-scale Russian invasion, the development of Ukrainian design kept pace with the world and harmoniously incorporated local messages into global programs. But after February 24, 2022, the essence and principles of artistic design changed, taking their place in war. Using the experience of past years, Ukrainian designers focused on functional objects necessary for the new realities of wartime. These objects help solve problems in warehouses, dugouts, hospitals, bombed-out houses. These objects help save lives, find enemies, protect heritage and bring a bit of comfort where it seems impossible.

Of course, many designers continue to create aesthetically pleasing products for a quiet life: furniture, lighting and accessories, and that's a good thing, because thanks to them we can feel the ground under our feet and stay strong. But today I want to talk about military goods, so let's get started!

DESIGN as a MANIFESTO

NOOM. Gropius Low Chair Military Edition as part of the "Ukraine: Design for Real Time" project

Object: Gropius Low Chair Military Edition by NOOM in collaboration with Natalia Bakulina and Antonina Latayko

Gropius Low chair by NOOM

Concept: the project shows two periods of Ukrainian design: before and after February 24, as well as how the essence and principle of artistic design changes in the historical context. “We sought to convey our feelings by combining the classic peacetime shape of the Gropius Low chair by NOOM with a wartime camouflage net. For every Ukrainian, regardless of age and profession, the world was divided into "before" and "after", and design acquired new meanings and functions," the designers said.

Gropius Low chair by NOOM

The original Gropius chair, designed many years ago, was inspired by geometric shapes, mainly cylinders, and was made to mark the centenary of the founding of the Bauhaus school. The plywood frame is covered with foam rubber and polyester cotton, then padded with wool for comfortable cushioning and proper ergonomics. We combined form and functionality in it exactly as the great Bauhaus masters of the last century did. The Military Limited Edition camouflage netting consists of over four thousand knots to which other pieces of fabric are attached.

Find out more about the Gropius Low Chair Military Edition here

About NOOM: NOOM is a young, fast-growing Ukrainian design company engaged in the production of furniture, lighting, decor and home accessories. NOOM creates sculptural and eye-catching design pieces that enhance any space, whether residential or commercial.

Balancing expression and functionality, NOOM has become a place where design meets art.

DESIGN as a SOLUTION

balbek bureau: RE:Ukraine Monuments project

Visualization: balbek bureau

Ukrainian studio balbek bureau developed "RE:Ukraine Monuments" — a modular, easy-to-install and quick-to-install system for protecting monuments and sculptures from destruction during war. This technological system can be applied to sculptural monuments of various sizes.

See more details about the project here

About balbek bureau: is a well-known studio of architecture and interior design, founded by Ukrainian architects Slava Balbek and Borys Dorogovy. For 14 years, they have been designing commercial, corporate and residential premises to order.

The main approach is to explore the basics and then dive into the details to turn aspirations into innovative environments.

HARDRIDE: Gloves for drone pilots

War lasts a year, that is, four seasons, three of which are accompanied by cold weather conditions that require not only durable, but also comfortable gloves for drone operators. HARDRIDE designed and manufactured gloves with membrane fabric, interchangeable clear/opaque panel, fleece and insulation - only the best for the best.

Photo: HARDRIDE

See more about the project here

About HARDRIDE: the company was founded in 2011. HARDRIDE: “We design, make and sell clothing, bags, backpacks and tactical gear. Products for civil and military needs".

Container design studio: "Karpaty" electric moped and multifunctional mobile field shower

Karpaty electric moped — the top model of the Ukrainian company Delfast, presented to the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard of Ukraine. Now it is actively used by the military on the front lines, for example, to transport NLAW (Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon).

Visualization: Container design studio

Main characteristics\advantages of individual transport:

  • speed — 80 km/h;
  • weight — 70 kg (without suspension)
  • range — up to 320 km without recharging;
  • silence, all-terrain and high mobility;
  • load capacity — with a reinforced frame up to 50 kg;
  • easy maintenance of working components, fast charging, large capacity battery.

Portable field shower intended for quick hygiene in field conditions. It is made of metal pipes and camping fabric.

Visualization: Container design studio

Drive:

  • foldable, light, without small parts that are easily lost;
  • the form factor is simple;
  • assembly/disassembly by one person without instruction takes only two minutes;
  • strong and windproof, low production cost.

See more about the projects here

About Container design studio: Container design studio was founded by Evgeny Puklich in Kharkiv in 2015. The studio specializes in the design of industrial and collectible items, furniture and lighting. Like other Ukrainian design brands, Container design studio changed its main specialization due to new conditions (full-scale invasion of Russia). Within three months, the studio began developing a series of products for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and has already received contracts with the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard.

The team works on new projects and develops tactical military clothing, sleeping bags, stretchers, field showers and more.

Hochu rayu: VOVK repair facility; evacuation-repair-restoration mobile complex ZUBR; "car body armor" PANCERNYK

VOVK — mobile, fast, passable, maneuverable repair installation. Works as part of the repair and restoration unit at the point of collection of damaged cars and can work in a separate area.

Visualization: Hochu rayu

Designed for simple repairs and equipped with appropriate tools and equipment. Operating range: rear and up to 10 km from the front line.

ACC — evacuation-repair-restoration mobile complex, needs 5-6 people. Works as part of a repair and restoration unit and can operate in a separate area. Designed to evacuate damaged equipment and carry out more complex repair work, such as replacing and repairing heavy complex assemblies and assemblies. Operating range: rear and up to 50 km from the front line.

Visualization: Hochu rayu

PANCERNYK is a "vehicular body armor", a simple adaptive solution that should save the lives of civilians and military personnel in unarmored vehicles.

Visualization: Hochu rayu

PANCERNYK is made of special protective mattresses - strong fabric with pockets for inserting Kevlar and armored metal plates.

This design can be adapted to any transport according to the number of mattresses and with different fillings of pockets for different degrees of protection; it is quickly mounted with the help of magnets and fasteners.

About Hochu rayu: Hochu rayu is a multi-award-winning design bureau from Ukraine, founded in 2007 by two brothers, Vitaly and Yuriy Kyrylyvy, together with Danuta Kryl. Each project at Hochu rayu is transformed into a holistic macro world, where design is a solution that combines architecture, landscape and interior with objects, communication elements, products and industrial design according to the customer's needs and concept. Today, Vitaly and Yuriy Kyrylyvy are serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

See more about the projects here

Yaroslav Cosmonaut: invisibility shields and cloaking invisibility shields; 7″–11″ tablet holder for drone remote control

Invisible shields. The idea to create a strong shield from a lenticular sheet and a clear acrylic base came to mind from one of the tutorials on YouTube. Yes, the idea is not original, but it is very useful for saving the lives of soldiers. Behind this simple invisible shield, a person can completely disappear and be invisible even to thermal imaging cameras.

Visualization: Yaroslav Cosmonaut

Tablet holder. In times of war, more and more people are discovering the power of design to solve problems. "A few of my friends asked me to solve the problem and create a tablet holder for the remote control of the drone," said the designer. — The remote control of the frequently used Autel Evo 2 pro drone in the basic configuration allows you to hang only the phone, not the tablet. I started to come up with a universal folding tablet holder that I drew in Fusion 360 and 3D printed. That was the decision."

Visualization: Yaroslav Cosmonaut

See more about projects here

About Yaroslav Cosmonaut: Before the war, Yaroslav worked in a concert rental and had a small production of all kinds of installations for events. He is also engaged in 3D printing and is a member of the NGO "Ukrainian Messerschmity", which creates UAVs.

Oleg Vereshchagin: HIGHCAT HC4 military drone and a bed made of cardboard boxes

HIGHCAT HC4 drones. "I have never been a militarist. The war started by Russia against my country, Ukraine, changed my life radically. Therefore, I did this project in cooperation with a German company that produces drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I could not stay away and contributed to this project," said the designer.

Photo: Oleg Vereshchagin

HIGHCAT — a military drone developed by the German company HALI TEX specifically for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "I finalized the existing technical solution (layout) in terms of form and graphic design. I also developed the logo for this area of ​​the company's activity," said the designer.

A bed made of cardboard boxes. Refugees often have to sleep on the floor in inadequate rooms. The use of available material (custom made or randomly found) can significantly increase the level of comfort. After use, the cardboard is recycled as usual. This solution can load idle packaging production during wartime. The very simple design requires no special tools or assembly skills.

Photo: Oleg Vereshchagin

See more about projects here

About Oleg Vereshchagin: Oleg was born in Kharkiv. In 1996, he graduated from the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts (KhDADM).

He is married, has two sons (now, because of the war, the family lives in Europe.)

In the early 2000s, together with his friend Andriy Nikishyn, he organized a bureau that was engaged in industrial and graphic design, interior design and small architectural projects. VNdesign Bureau has many interesting projects in Ukraine and abroad, participation and awards in competitions.

With the beginning of the war, the nature of work changed, only foreign customers remained. A lot of attention had to be paid to volunteer activities and arranging life in new conditions.