Slava Balbek, Ukrainian Architect; Founder and CEO, Balbek Bureau 
In conversation with: Jason Mayden, Co-chair, Fortune Brainstorm Design


Brainstorm Design 2022 - The View From A Warzone

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Brainstorm Design 2022 - The View From A Warzone


So let's get to our first session, Central design principal is, and purpose is to solve people's problems as Ukraine fights for survival. One of the country's other challenges is how the shelter, the tens of thousands whose homes have been destroyed or damaged by Russian forces Baalbek Bureau, a Kiev based architecture studio has a practical solution, a wood frame modular housing system called re Ukraine. The intent is to provide dignified temporary shelter for those who've been sleeping in schools or metro stations and displaced from their homes. After meeting with the studios head President Zelinski suggested its first rollout being near the devastated towns of boudicca and her pin on the outskirts of the capital live from Kiev. We're joined by Slava Baalbek, the founder and Ceo of the Baalbek studio. Please welcome him to brainstorm design in conversation with Jason maiden fortune, brainstorm design. Co chair. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. This is the most longest dramatic walk from that side of the stage here. Slava. Good to see you. How are you? Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. But first and foremost, thank you for taking time out of your day to join us. We are immensely grateful for your presence. And so before we jump in, I want to see, how are you? How are you doing? How's your family? How's the studio? Just just give us an update on what's happening right now. Thanks. Thanks for the question right now. I'm in key. Who's my family, there is more less safe and keep right now, the city filling up with the with the citizens, the people getting back to the business. It's according to Kiev. But as for me, I'm continuing working at the volunteer in our food hub. We are making the daily meals and then continue working with my social project was my big girl. It's wonderful. Wonderful. Now we're here to talk about re Ukraine. Um, the modular housing system that you created for the displaced population. That's in Kiev. What does what what compelled you to decide to pursue this project? So quickly after the invasion began. Yes, we we started working on this project at 10 March while I was advocating my family, my my my wife and my daughter to the Western part of Ukraine because it was more safe. And then I just realized that the problem and the priority of the problematic with this world is the refugees is the people who is temporarily placed. Because I actually by myself, I couldn't find the recommendation for a while and then it's a huge problem. People are living in the gyms, people are living in some shelters. So that's how I just get to the point that we need to propose something. How can we solve this project? How the temporary living can be remain dignity way of life. And this is the main aim. Now, what's tremendously fascinating about this project is that it took 10 days to develop the full vision and to begin to implement, how does your team tackle this? Um, you know, considering the conditions you're currently facing to be able to communicate rapidly prototype and then have this idea, you know, be brought to life actually there is The main thing, this is the big idea when you have the big idea that then the people will join you so shortly and it's a massive wave when when we release it the project on 20 March and then we made an Oakland call that people can join us. So we've got like up to 650 volunteers, different different stages like this as an architect is the lawyers as the landlord just want to participate in this because this problem covers all over the Ukraine and there's so many people is willing to help us and willing to solve this problem with us. So with that many different disciplines that are aligned against a single focus goal. What was the design brief? What were some of the values and principles that you listed out to help give them a clear direction of what you were trying to accomplish? The main aim, as I said, it was to remain the dignity way of life because while the people lost losing their homes as well, they are losing the connection in between neighbors, friends, family, favorite places. So that's how we need to to cover this on this project. So that's how we develop all the rules for the quantity of the technical spaces of the restaurants, the place where they can just hang out. So we analyze Like 50 up to 50 or different similar projects and we realized we need to invent their some space just to do nothing just to communicate in a level of floor plan on the level of the master plan. So they need to they need to have the same comfort level as they have before they just left their homes. And one of the things that I'm personally curious about is for the Children and being able to design an environment where their education and their well being isn't significantly disrupted. Walk us through how you account for families that have Children that are being displaced as well during this time. You know the thing is the Children is used to any conditions so fast even faster than they're growing up in the months staying in the underground station at the bomb shelter, they're playing hide and seek and they slide through the like underground escalator. So but I don't want them to be used to this kind of situation. That's how we invent the same kindergartens, the same playgrounds outdoor here. It isn't a temporary decision, it's like fully scoped project but it's super cheap and super fast mounting. So we we did the project from 10 10 days but you can mount it in three months. So for super super small amount of money so I don't want to be the Children or either or anybody else gets used to the to the worst or to the bad conditions that this is our aim as well. That's beautiful. Um can we see the first image please? Because I want to make sure that the audience is able to see some of the brilliant work. And have you discussed what they're looking at? So what you have up on the screen is is a rendering of uh re Ukraine refugee housing. So walk us through, what are we looking at? What are some of the things that we should take note of um that you're especially proud of that are differentiated from other solutions that have, you know, shown up in the past. I can say that this is uh something special. It's a super simple and nice architectural, minimalistic forum. So my point is, we're not we're not going to do some like uh I don't know, some special architecture there, It should be simple and nice and well understandable for all of the, all of the lawyers of the people who will live there. It shouldn't be something like, wow there, it just needs to be comfort level that people can be used to this so fast and they need to be to feel free there to do anything there anymore. That's wonderful. So when you think about, you know, the materials, the lighting, the layout, the space, um what were some of those considerations because it is designed to be a symbol quickly. How did you go about, you know, making those critical decisions Actually we we've done this four different times. We, we go through the project with four different technologies because we need to be ready to cover the huge the massive scope of works immediately in the like parallel way. That's how we go from the wooden structure to the metal structure, from the sea panels, wood panels to the sandwich panels with the metal enforces structure. So we do have actually four different decisions with the same architecture with the same solutions with the same level of comfort and like the principles of comfort but it helps us to build up like immediately in one side with different companies to cover all the production on Ukraine was able to continue working right now. I just, I just want to add that nobody has an an an experience to make a project or build up during the war. So it's for us every day. It's a new day every day. It's a new information. We can't prognosis, we can leave and make a project day by day. So this is the complicated. Yeah. And so so with those complications, specifically as you mentioned, it's never happened before and everything is unpredictable. How did you determine the location to place these facilities? We are just keep in touch with hundreds of different companies. Uh we, we made an open call, We contact with them, we are just control what is going on, what's with the supply, what's with the production, what with the human resource because as you know, many of people just go to the territory, defense and military defense. And there is actually a big problem. Uh, for example the missiles hit some wooden structure plants and then we can't diagnose so right now, so it's day by day planned routine and it's something that that is also tremendously phenomenal about the work that you're doing. Or I would say more of the calling that you've answered is that not only are you providing housing but you're protecting the history of the Ukraine by making sure that there's also a way to preserve the monuments. Um, if we could see the next slide, could you, could you walk us through something. Um, you know, the factors that contributed to that project and how you're going to preserve the history in a way that's still informative. I'm gonna celebrate the Ukraine but at the same time protection as monuments. Yes. That the, the government of different cities is do some work to, to cover and to hide somehow super extremely fast to preserve the historical historical heritage. And they do this in a super fast way. They just cover with like uh, sandbox or with something else just to be sure that it's world works while the missile will hit beside or just hit in front and then we just take a little bit of time to realize that it's not really an aesthetic away. So we have an expression in Ukraine that there is nothing more permanent than a temporary decision. And now we are speaking about the temporary aesthetics. So, even the temporary decision should be aesthetically cover it. And aesthetically well understandable. So, that's how we rethink about this decision. We made the like double wall. We made the infographic over this. We make some information there while you're passing the favorite movement. You shouldn't see like a garbage all over this. So, and you should see some nicely done easily to understand some information and super graphics just over this space. Mm hmm. So how did you determine which monuments to protect first? Because there's so much heritage, so much culture. Um how did you go about determining where to start with that project? Actually, today's working continue. And like in the two days we will have some first pilot project covered by us with my friends. It's the moment of dostoevsky in the city of Kiev actually on this holiday, will have the day of uh, here. So we do have up to 15, 15 different monuments and the city government calls us to make a decision how we can cover this. So, we went through all of them, withdrew all over them and then we just gave for free all the information actually, all of our work, we're giving like we're donating this. We're not taking any fees or any. We're not charging ourselves. So, this is our aim just to help as fast as we can as maximum effect as we can and to help us both of us. I mean the whole Ukrainian cities and we're inventing not a decision. We're inventing the system which help you to multiply the decision. This is the really important thing. One of the critical words you use is we. And considering the room that we're in right now, the people you're speaking with, how might we actually show up to help you and support this mission to be able to preserve the heritage of the Ukraine and be able to apply that to our our society as well. Like how can we help For now? It's I think that it's a media coverage. So you need to spare the world all the news from the official side. So you need to spread about what is going on in Ukraine day by day. Today. It's the three months of world like it's 24th match. So it's it's Three months and 19 days. We were staying there for Ukraine. We're staying at the volunteers as the civilians, as the military guys and helping each other. And from your side, it's a huge amount of work and I'm really appreciate with all of the all of the world helping and supporting Ukraine in the different ways and you're already doing the huge work. So I really appreciate this from my side from my personal court and me as well. So thank you again, For example, for the example, this interview is helping you and helping us to be a little bit more sure what's going on from the first stage slava. I just want to say you are the embodiment of servant leadership, you're a real life superhero and from myself to you exceptionally proud to be in conversation with you. Thank you for joining us today and we are you know, here for you and with you. Thank you very much.