Container settlements built in Ukraine and Western Europe in 2022. Analysis and design recommendations

Oksana Pekarchuk

doi:10.37190/arc230211

Abstract

Container settlements are used all over the world as temporary housing in crisis situations, which is associated with the possibility to satisfy the basic needs of people in a short period of time. The aim of the article is to research the main features of the built container settlements for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine and to determine the advantages and disadvantages of their operation. 12 container settlements built in 2022 with the support of the Polish government in the Lviv and Kyiv regions were visited for the study. The article contains information on container settlements that relate to land use, built-up area, number of container units, typology and function of the purpose of buildings and their equipment and control of these objects. The analysis of container settlements for Ukrainian refugees in Europe and IDPs in Ukraine has allowed for a focus on indicating successful architectural and urban solutions. The results of the study may be an impulse to improve the quality of the conditions in temporary housing for IDPs. The determination of effective architectural and urban models used in Europe in the construction of container settlements will help during the planning, construction and organization of the living environment of new settlements in Ukraine.

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2023

2(74)

Oksana Pekarchuk*

Container settlements built in Ukraine and Western Europe in 2022.

Analysis and design recommendations

Introduction

According to the data from the Kyiv School of Econo-

mics as of April 2023, it was reported that 158,000 residen-

tial buildings in Ukraine had been completely or partially

destroyed as a result of military operations [1]. This left

many citizens homeless. As a consequence, the aected

society was divided into three groups: one group chose

to relocate abroad, another group opted to stay within the

country but moved to regions unaected by immediate

military clashes, and the third segment of society refrained

from leaving the conict-aected areas due to fears of los-

ing their properties and uncertainties surrounding the con-

ditions they would encounter upon leaving their homeland.

In April 2023, the United Nations Population Fund statis-

tics ocially registered 5.4 million internally displaced

persons (IDPs), while the number of refugees who ed to

Europe surpassed 8.1 million [2]. The state and local au-

thorities of Ukraine, as well as other European countries,

faced the challenge of providing accommodation for hun-

dreds of thousands of people.

The concept of housing for refugees is associated with

the search for small housing units that can fulll the basic

needs of the residents [3], [4]. The container settlements

being the subject of the article are one of the faster ways to

provide refugees and IDPs with a place to live during the

war, as well as until the housing stock is rebuilt. In 2021,

the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

(UNECE) published a study on refugee settlements and

aordable housing, which described 28 positive examples

[3]. The housing settlements listed there provide refugees

with the opportunity to integrate into the communities of

cities and villages, contribute to regional development,

demonstrate economic eectiveness, adhere to sustainable

architectural standards, and ensure long-term operation [3].

In order to conduct our research, 12 container settle -

ments constructed in the Lviv and Kyiv regions in 2022

were visited, while the remaining settlements were ana-

lyzed based on information available in online resources.

The research focused on various aspects such as the area

of the buildings, spatial layouts, identication of building

types and structures (number of storeys, location of entranc-

es to the facilities, location and number of residential and

auxiliary rooms, functional layout, and room equipment).

Container settlements for refugees from Ukraine

established in Europe in 2022

In 2022, many cities in Europe faced the problem of

a large number of refugees from Ukraine. Regulatory pro-

visions introduced after the European Union directives on

temporary protection helped to regulate mass arrivals of

people. In some European countries, due to extreme condi-

tions and limited time, constructing container settlements

was one of the popular options for housing refugees.

Germany has extensive experience in building housing

for refugees. Depending on the region, the authorities ap-

proached the selection of plots, design, and construction

of settlements dierently. In 2022, it was planned to build

nine container settlements for refugees in medium-sized or

large cities and municipalities in Germany [5]. The main

objective of the authorities was to accommodate and inte-

grate refugees into society while avoiding overburdening

the local communities. In July 2022, the rst container set-

tlement in the district for 118 refugees from Ukraine ap-

peared in Unterschleissheim. The district of Munich built

two-story buildings with open metal staircases on land do-

nated to the municipality by the city [5]. In January 2023,

Ukrainian refugees began settling in a container settlement

DOI: 10.37190/arc230211

Published in open access. CC BY NC ND license

* ORCID: 0000-0002-1686-4538. Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw

University of Technology, Poland, e-mail: oksana.pekarchuk@pw.edu.pl

106 Oksana Pekarchuk

located in a nature park near Neubiberg on a former air-

strip. The settlement was built thanks to volunteers and

intensive support from the municipality of Neubiberg. In

the settlement for 432 refugees, twelve two-story container

buildings and an administration building are located lin-

early close to each other [6]. Each building consists of six

independent dwelling units with a spacious kitchen-liv-

ing room and three bedrooms, a bathroom with a toilet,

a shower and a washing machine [6], [7]. Bedrooms for

two people are equipped with a metal bunk bed, two ward-

robes and a fridge. To ensure the safety of the residents,

the settlement is fenced and guarded. Attention is given to

addressing various needs, such as medical care, education

for children in nurseries and schools, as well as trac and

parking issues [6]. The initial expected service life of the

container settlements built in 2022 is two years, but there

are plans to extend it [5], [6]. Apart from Unterschleiss-

heim and Neubiberg, container settlements are being built

for up to 116 people in Grünwald, and 210 people in Ot-

tobrunn, while settlements have already been built for 260

people in Unterhaching, 200 refugees in Kirchheim, 330

people in Unterföhring [7].

In the spring of 2022, two settlements in Antwerp and

Mechelen were built in Belgium within a few weeks. They

were to accommodate about 600 refugees from Ukraine

each. There were also plans to build a settlement in Oostak-

ker. In Antwerp, families and single mothers were housed

in two-story buildings. One hundred and thirteen buildings

are arranged in a rectangular grid of streets. Additionally,

a public center with public buildings, a sports eld with

articial turf, and a playground for children have been

constructed. The buildings consist of 55 m

four-person

residential units with a private kitchen, living room and

bathroom, a children’s bedroom with bunk beds and ward-

robes, and an adult bedroom with a bed [8]. The container

settlement in Mechelen is located on a gravel parking lot

above the De Nekker water reservoir in close proximity to

the city center and has easy access to public transport, and

there are recreational areas nearby. In the settlement, eight

detached single-family houses have a bedroom, kitchen,

bathroom and hall. Three modular container buildings of

the corridor type are intended for living by families of 2 to

8 people. Hygienic blocks with toilets and showers were

also installed. There is a large tent with an area of 3200 m

which is a place to spend time together and prepare meals;

there is also a doctor’s oce available on-site [9]. There

is a place for animals and a playground on the settlement.

It is possible to increase the capacity of the settlement to

a thousand places [9]. In Oostakker, 200 housing units for

600 refugees will be built on a former corneld. There

are several bus stops near the settlement, a parking lot for

40 cars is planned, and a bicycle parking lot will be built on

its premises. In May 2023, 50 one-story residential mod-

ules were commissioned, and the remaining 150 buildings

will be completed by the end of the year. The settlement

will include multi-functional rooms for conducting educa-

tional activities, publicly accessible multi-functional zones

that can be used for workshops, training or other events,

a playroom for children, laundries and drying rooms. Play-

grounds and recreational areas will be built on the site.

The planned period of use of the settlement by refugees

is four years. In the future, the container buildings will be

used as student and social housing [10].

Over time, the Belgian approach to constructing con-

tainer settlements has changed. Small plots of land have

started to be chosen for the construction of a smaller num-

ber of buildings for settlements, because they are better

integrated into the urban environment and have less im-

pact on the environment and biodiversity [11]. Contain-

ers with a long operational warranty period are purchased

so that they can be used as social housing [11]. On this

basis, the Brusselse Gewestelijke Huisvestingsmaatschap-

pij (BGHM) prepared 15 two- and three-level container

buildings for Ukrainian refugees in Watermaal-Bosvoor-

de within six weeks. These are residential units with 1–3

bed rooms. A public building was also built. The buildings

were adapted as much as possible to the topography of the

site, and the design assumed the preservation of all exist-

ing trees. The commune plans to help ensure communi-

cation between the inhabitants of the settlement and their

neighbors, and the non-prot organization will direct them

to existing medical structures and social and psychological

assistance institutions [11].

In Switzerland, container settlements have been built

for Ukrainian refugees in the cities of Zug, Bern and Basel,

while Zurich and the Lucerne canton considered the possi-

bility of building them. Two-story container buildings were

used to build a settlement in Basel that can accommodate

up to 450 people. A three-storey container building with

large terraces at both ends was

constructed in Zug. The

project of a container settlement in Bern for 1,000 refugees

sparked the most discussion. It was designed by a graphic

company. The settlement consists of ve buildings that

form two rows of two-level roofed containers, with ac-

cess to the gallery on the second level by a metal staircase.

The buildings include four-person living rooms, common

kitchens and hygiene rooms. There are no common rooms

in residential buildings. Architect and emergency housing

expert Ueli Salzmann, who has designed settlements for

the United Nations (UN) and the International Red Cross,

noted that the settlement in Bern fails to meet minimum

humanitarian standards. He highlighted the inadequacy

of having only four kitchens for 200 people, the improper

room layout, insucient living space (less than 4 m

per

person), and narrow corridors. In his opinion, such a place

can only be lived in for a maximum of a month (after: [12]).

According to UN standards for emergency housing design,

a minimum living space of 4.5 to 5.5 m

per person is rec-

ommended in cold climates [13]. On a positive note, the

administrative building of the settlement has organized ed-

ucational facilities for children of preschool and school age.

The specicity of the housing market in the Nether-

lands requires the authorities to build modular housing

for refugees. In collaboration with De Meeuw, the munic-

ipality of Amsterdam built a container settlement for 240

Ukrainian refugees in the Sportpark Melkweg car park.

Two three-story buildings were constructed on the plot.

The dwelling unit of the house consists of a living room

with a kitchen, a private bathroom and two bedrooms.

Additionally, the building includes communal meeting

Container settlements built in Ukraine and Western Europe in 2022. Analysis and design recommendations 107

areas for inhabitants and a shared laundry room. The ope-

ration of the buildings in this place is planned for three

years [14]. Zaanstad is involved in the construction of 192

two-storey container houses at the junction of Parkrijklaan

and Noorderveenweg in Assendelft. The area has easy ac-

cess to shops and care facilities. Noise and other environ-

mental impact studies were carried out in this area, and

an environmental building permit was issued. It is planned

that Ukrainian refugees will use this settlement for three

years, after which it will transition into social housing for

the following seven years [15].

An important stage in the construction of a settlement

in the Netherlands is to agree on the selected location with

the community and obtain environmental permits. The Arn -

hem community near Elst had objections to the opening

of a temporary settlement for 150 refugees because it bor -

ders

directly on the Lingezegen Park, although three three-

storey buildings have already been constructed on the site,

each consisting of living modules with a kitchen and a bath-

room [16].

Selected examples of container settlements

in Ukraine – architectural and urban solutions

There are many parallels between the current situation

of refugees from Ukraine and the European immigration

crisis that aected southern Europe in 2015–2016. One

of the issues of refugees in Europe was overcrowding in

shelters [4]. Another problem is the long period of staying

in such a settlement, longer than planned. The situation in

Ukraine is similar, for example, in container settlements

built in 2015 (after the annexation of Crimea and the Do-

netsk and Luhansk regions), IDPs continue to reside there

to this day, surpassing the originally anticipated three-year

period of residence.

In 2022, the Republic of Poland provided Ukraine with

containers that were used to build settlements for IDPs in

the Lviv, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Poltava regions. There are

four container settlements in Lviv (Fig. 1A). There are 14

settlements in the Kyiv region: two in Irpin, three in Bu-

cha, one each in Borodianka, Makariv, Vorzel, Hostomel,

Brovary, Vasylkiv, Ivankiv, as well as in the villages of

Kuсhari and Horenka (Fig. 1B). In the Chernihiv region,

two container settlements have been located in Novose-

livka and Novyi Bykiv (Fig. 1B), and the construction of

a settlement in Poltva was completed in June 2023.

Container settlements in Lviv located at 22 Ivan Sam-

chuk Street (Stryiski Park), Ivan Puluj Street and 72A Cher-

vona Kalyna Avenue were closed in winter (they were not

intended for winter living), but are scheduled to reopen in

summer 2023. Instead, a new container settlement designed

for 1,280 beds was built in Sychiv. For this purpose, eight

two-story container buildings were constructed on site [17].

Location and land development

The vast majority of settlements have good infrastruc-

tural facilities, they are within walking distance of shops,

kindergartens and schools. The total area of container

settle ments in Ukraine is approximately 0.5 to 1.6 ha in

the cases where a separate plot of land has been allocated

to the construction of a settlement. There are examples

where container buildings have been placed within the

area that is used by e.g. schools (Bucha, Vorzel), parking

lot (Bucha), sanatorium (Irpin), hospital (Makariv, Polta-

va). The maximum area of such plots is 7.67 ha.

The city authorities paid particular attention to the beau-

tication and division of the territory into functional zones

of these container settlements, as the functional distribu-

tion of the area ensures security and increases the sense of

privacy for the inhabitants [18]. Typically, a playground for

children, a recreation area, waste bins, sometimes a drying

laundry area, a bicycle parking lot, and a sports area are ar-

ranged in the settlements. Some container settlements have

Fig. 1. Container settlements for IDPs in Ukraine: A – in Lviv, B – in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions (elaborated by O. Pekarchuk)

Il. 1. Osiedla kontenerowe dla osób wewnętrznie przesiedlonych w Ukrainie: A – we Lwowie, B – w obwodzie kijowskim i czernihowskim

(oprac. O. Pekarchuk)

108 Oksana Pekarchuk

ings, in which only laundry and storage rooms located in

separate containers may have a row arrangement.

Row planning schema usually consists of 4 to 20 con-

tainers with direct access to the settlement area. Row plac-

ing of containers around central courtyards in Lviv’s con-

tainer settlements helped achieve a higher level of privacy.

In the settlements of this type, canteens are built in

a hall layout that provides one large main room of the

building. A children’s play area is often organized in a part

of the general canteen area. A module of sanitary and/or

laundry facilities can be attached to the main hall of the

dining room.

The utility and sanitary containers can form separate

rows or can be attached to the accommodation containers.

The settlement may include an administrative container.

In three Lviv settlements, one of the containers performs

an administrative function. The location of the administra-

tion container does not have a typical placing on site. In

each Lviv container settlement there is a designated space

in the project for a medical point. Additionally, near the

container settlement in Ivan Puluj Street in Lviv, there is

a two-storey medical center built by the Red Cross Asso-

ciation of Ukraine, consisting of 20 containers.

An example of a row housing development is a con-

tainer settlement in Lviv, Sychiv, located at 72A Chervona

Kalyna Avenue, accommodating 300 beds (Fig. 3A). It con-

sists of rows of containers: 94 accommodation containers,

3 mo bile kitchen containers, 12 toilet containers, 5 shower

containers, one administration and laundry container, one

medical container, one chapel container, and a dining hall

building consisting of 14 containers. The placement

of aux-

iliary facilities poses a challenge in this type of residential

development, as they should be accessible to the entire

community equally (people living in the farthest contain-

ers have to walk about 60 m to meet their physiological

needs) and usable in winter conditions. The settlement also

features sports elds, playgrounds for children, and recre-

ational areas for adults (Fig. 4A). There are several types

of surfaces in the area: asphalt (1150 m

), gravel (820 m

a parking lot on-site or nearby. Parking spaces are usually

located on the outskirts of the plot. However, there are set-

tlements where the spatial development is of low quality

(due to limited resources). For example, in Makariv, the

area is covered with gravel, and the elements of small ar-

chitecture consist of a children’s swing (with cars parked

nearby) and a few benches.

Container settlements from 2022 were not specially

fenced. Fences are located only if they have been construct-

ed earlier in the area where there were objects for other

purposes (with the exception of container settlements in

Vasylkiv and Poltava).

Containers for the construction of modular settlements

were produced by Modular System, Poland. Ex ternal di-

mensions of standard containers: 6058 × 2438 × 2800 mm

(L × W × H). Containers with external dimensions of 4891

× 2438 × 2800 mm (L × W × H) are used to form the cor-

ridors [19].

Typology of buildings, functional solutions, aesthetics

The appearance of the buildings is dictated by the con-

tainers design. In many buildings in various settlements

there are images of Polish and Ukrainian ags (Fig. 2A).

In order to individualize the settlement in Vasylkiv, the

space under the windows was additionally decorated with

pictures of folk costumes emphasizing the regional diver-

sity of Ukraine.

Until December 2022, all buildings in container settle-

ments for IDPs were one-story buildings, with the excep-

tion of the two-story medical center located on Ivan Puluj

Street in Lviv (Fig. 2B). Construction works were current-

ly completed on two two-story container settlements: in

Sychiv in Lviv and in the Lastivka sanatorium in Irpin.

The following planning schemes are used in contain-

er residential buildings: row and detached double-loaded

corridor. Three container settlements in Lviv are of a row

type. All other container settlements built in Ukraine in

2022 consist of detached double-loaded corridor build-

Fig. 2. The appearance of container buildings: A – container settlement in Borodianka, B – medical center on Ivan Puluj Street in Lviv

(photo by O. Pekarchuk)

Il. 2. Wygląd budynków kontenerowych: A – osiedle kontenerowe w Borodziance, B – centrum medyczne przy ul. I. Puluja we Lwowie

(fot. O. Pekarchuk)

A B

Container settlements built in Ukraine and Western Europe in 2022. Analysis and design recommendations 109

Fig. 3. Schemes of container

settlements:

A – row type buildings at Lviv,

72A Chervona Kalyna Avenue,

B – corridor-type buildings

at Irpin, 2 Mineralna Street

(elaborated by O. Pekarchuk)

Il. 3. Schematy osad

kontenerowych:

A – szeregowa zabudowa

we Lwowie,

al. Czerwona Kałyna 72A,

B – korytarzowa zabudowa

w Irpieniu, ul. Mineralna 2

(oprac. O. Pekarchuk)

mulch (576 m

). Trees, bushes, owers and herbs have

been planted.

Most residential container buildings in Ukraine in 2022

were built in a corridor layout. Container settlements con-

tain from 1 to 8 double-loaded corridor buildings. The

most common scheme is four buildings arranged in two

rows of two buildings each. A typical corridor occupies ap-

proximately 570 m

of the plot area. This type of layout

is planned for 88 to 1,280 beds (mostly around 350 beds).

During the construction of the container settlements, dou-

ble-loaded corridors buildings are built using 30 to 50 con -

tainers. However, in most container settlements, a double-

loaded corridors building consists of 40 containers, in-

cluding 22 living units, 8 containers forming the corridor,

3 containers with a kitchenette and a dining area, 3 con-

tainers with variable functionality that can be equipped

with a dining room, children’s room, sports hall, library,

etc., 2 containers with toilets (one for men, the other one

for women), and 2 containers with separate showers for

women and men (Fig. 5).

There are entrances to the building at both ends. De-

pending on the terrain, the buildings can be located at

dierent heights, so there can be from one to ve steps

at the entrances. However, only in Poltava the buildings

had ramps to provide convenient access for people with

disabilities and mothers with prams. In some settlements,

entrance canopies were installed, which can be useful in

bad weather.

The internal area of the living container is approxi-

mately 13 m

. The internal height of the container is 2.5 m

[19], which is suitable for living quarters. Such a contain-

er is one living module that can accommodate four peo-

ple. It is evident that the size of the container is insu-

cient for the long-term residence of four people (Fig. 6A).

All living containers have two tilt and turn PVC windows

in white, equipped with roller shutters on the exterior of

the building [19]. The living containers are equipped with

typical furniture: two bunk beds, two wardrobes, a table,

and two chairs. Additionally, the rooms are equipped with

mattresses and bedding.

110 Oksana Pekarchuk

The ratio of the number of living containers to the

number of containers performing a utility function (tran-

sit, preparing and eating meals, leisure for adults and chil-

dren) in buildings determines the degree of their economy

and comfort.

Of great importance for the planning structure of the

building is the arrangement of the kitchen with a dining

room and the sanitary and hygienic rooms. In buildings,

sanitary and hygiene containers are placed at the end of

the building: at one end of the corridor, there is a container

with women’s toilets, opposite which there is a contain-

er with showers for women, and on the other side, there

are containers with showers and toilets for men. Such

a solution requires laying a larger water and sewage net-

work than in the case of locating sanitary containers in one

place. The women’s toilet has four cabins and six washing

places. In the male toilet container, there are four cabins,

three washbasins, and three urinals. The men’s and wom-

en’s shower cabins are the same and contain six showers

and six washing places (Fig. 6B). Since the showers are lo-

cated at the ends of the buildings, users may be exposed to

low temperatures and drafts near the entrance. It would be

appropriate to supplement the solution with an anteroom.

Each sanitary and hygienic container has a boiler.

The kitchen-dining room in the double-loaded corridor

building is an isolated premise, and the entrance to it is or-

ganized from the corridor. It is placed in the central part of

the building. The area of the kitchen-dining room is about

42 m

.This premise can be used not only for preparing and

eating meals, but also for meetings and communication

among the inhabitants. It has six tables as standard, with

the capacity to accommodate 48 people at the same time.

Sometimes, tables stacked on top of each other are used

as racks for storing kitchen utensils (Fig. 6C). The use

of large-sized tables reduces the eciency of using the

dining room space. Inhabitants usually install additional

refrigerators in this room. The standard kitchen solution

includes two electric cookers with two burners each and

Fig. 5. Schematic plan of a double-loaded corridor container building

(elaborated by O. Pekarchuk)

Il. 5. Schemat planu budynku kontenerowego typu korytarzowego (oprac. O. Pekarchuk)

Fig. 4. Container settlements: A – row-type buildings in Lviv, 72A Chervona Kalyna Avenue,

B – detached double-loaded corridors buildings in Irpin, at 2 Mineralna Street (photo by O. Pekarchuk)

Il. 4. Osady kontenerowe: A – szeregowa zabudowa we Lwowie, al. Czerwona Kałyna 72A,

B – wolnostojące budynki o układzie korytarzowym w Irpieniu, ul. Mineralna 2 (fot. O. Pekarchuk)

A B

Container settlements built in Ukraine and Western Europe in 2022. Analysis and design recommendations 111

two sinks with a drain. The standard set of kitchen fur-

niture consists of two standing cupboards, three hanging

cupboards, and three tall kitchen cupboards. This set of

furniture and kitchen equipment was designed to meet the

needs of households of 88 inhabitants. A separate room

opposite the kitchen-dining room with an area of approx-

imately 42 m

can have various public functions, which

increases the comfort of inhabitants.

The area of the corridor is approximately 86 m

. The

entrances to the rooms are along the corridor. The corri-

dors are equipped with air conditioners. In some build-

ings, residents have arranged additional places to store

shoes in the corridor (Fig. 6D).

An example of a double-loaded corridor residential de-

velopment is the settlement for 320 beds in Irpin, which

was built on the territory of the Dubky sanatorium (Fig.

3B), consisting of four buildings. Citizens of Irpin, who

had lost their homes as a result of the war, found accom-

modation there. Three 40-container buildings are located

in one line. Spatial development has been prepared for

this part of the sanatorium area. Paths made of cobble-

stones have been laid, and a recreational and sports zone

with sports equipment and hammocks and a playground

for children have been organized nearby (Fig. 4B). One

building was located in the park zone in front of the san-

atorium building. There is a drying area nearby. In the

settlement, in the standard scheme of the double-loaded

corridor the building plan was altered so that one of the

living containers was replaced with a laundry contain-

er, which was arranged with water supply and drainage.

In Irpin, each building utilizes the separate room oppo-

site the kitchen-dining room dierently: in one building,

it serves as a playroom (Fig. 6E), in the second building, it

functions as a gym (Fig. 6F), and in the third building, it is

utilized as a library.

Utilities

Sanitary and kitchen containers in settlements are con-

nected to the central water supply and sewage system or to

local water treatment networks, water intake can be orga-

nized from wells, which requires the availability of elec-

tricity. In Deputatska Street in Bucha, the functioning sew-

age network is equipped with electric pumps. However,

during a power outage, the sewage system does not work.

The containers are equipped with lighting, sockets, and

individual electric convectors for heating. In container set-

tlements, there is no individual way to account for the con-

sumed resources (water, electricity) for a separate dwell-

ing unit, since residents do not pay for communal services.

These costs are covered from local budgets. However, later

on, there may be a problem with paying for utilities, as the

Fig. 6. Rooms of the double-loaded corridor building:

A – living room, B – bathroom, C – kitchen-dining room, D – corridor, E – playroom, F – gym (photo by O. Pekarchuk)

Il. 6. Pomieszczenia korytarzowego budynku kontenerowego:

A – pokój, B – łazienka, C – kuchnia-jadalnia, D – korytarz, E – strefa dla dzieci, F – strefa sportowa (fot. O. Pekarchuk)

D E F

B C

112 Oksana Pekarchuk

entire cost will be distributed equally among all residents,

which could cause dissatisfaction and conicts, as well as

problems with paying for the resources used, as was the

case in the container settlements built in 2015. In the set-

tlements that are not equipped with electricity generators,

there is no water or heating during a power outage.

Recommendations for the design

of container settlements for IDPs in Ukraine

In Ukrainian and European practice, municipal author-

ities choose their own plots of land (municipal property)

for the construction of container settlements in order to

avoid paying rent, engaging in contract procedures, and to

ensure the possibility of extending the settlement’s opera-

tional period. When selecting a location, it is important to

consider the accessibility and availability of infrastructure

facilities such as kindergartens, schools, hospitals, etc., as

well as the potential impact of increased demand on the lo-

cal infrastructure [13]. It is necessary to consider the pos-

sibility of organizing a kindergarten within the settlement

if there are no kindergartens within a 500-meter radius. If

there are no schools within a 1-kilometer radius, arrange-

ments must be made for children to have transportation to

schools. Therefore, it is important to conduct a logistical

analysis, assessing accessibility, public and alternative

transportation development, as well as the condition of

the road infrastructure (roads, bike paths, sidewalks) [3].

Ecological analysis (assessment of the natural system,

relationships between elements of local nature and terrain

topography) is important when selecting a plot of land,

because the environmental condition has a direct impact

on the well-being of both refugees and local residents

[11], [13]. When selecting a site for the construction of

settlements, the suitability of the soil cover for small-scale

cultivation should be evaluated, seasonal vegetation and

the presence of existing trees should be examined, and

noise levels should be determined. It is advisable to avoid

areas where gusty winds can stir up dust clouds [13]. To

avoid potential delays in the future approval process for

project documentation, it is recommended to refrain from

selecting plots of land that are adjacent to protected areas.

During the design process, it is important to preserve exist-

ing trees (they will provide shade and protection from the

wind), install grass cover (preventing dusting), and main-

tain biodiversity. Among the key topographical features to

consider when choosing a site are: terrain slope (1–5% to

avoid extensive earthworks for construction and the need

for stair installation at building entrances), groundwater

level (below 3 meters from the surface of the settlement),

and soil cover type (to avoid non-permeable soils), prox-

imity to water bodies (to determine the risk of ooding)

[13]. Due to the extreme conditions and limited time, it

is advisable to simplify the environmental expertise. It is

recommended to pre-select plots for the construction of

temporary housing in case of crisis situations.

It is crucial to engage IDPs in the improvement and or-

ganization of their lives in container settlements [3]. The

inhabitants can plant shrubs and owers in the area, take

care of small gardens, as well as clean the area and com-

mon areas of buildings (kitchens, corridors, laundries, hy-

giene rooms, etc.). Additionally, they can paint container

buildings, as well as engage in painting and decorating

premises.

The functioning of settlements requires nancing; there-

fore, the economic potential of the region and the avail-

ability of jobs or the possibility of opening new enterprises

should be taken into account [3]. Employment of IDPs

will benet the local economy. The social integration pol-

icy should include obligatory actions for the education of

the inhabitants of the settlement, social and cultural aware-

ness, as well as interaction with local communities [3].

Container settlements built in 2022 in Europe and Uk-

raine are not adapted to the long-term stay of refugees and

IDPs. However, the construction of container buildings

with a warranty period of at least 10 years will not only ex-

tend the life cycle of the building (important for Ukraine,

since the duration of the war and housing rebuilt is un-

known), but will also allow containers to be reused.

The creation of the settlement for 300 people is an op-

timal solution, as it allows the best integration of inhabi-

tants with the urban environment. It is advisable to de-

sign the settlement with two-story buildings because this

height of container buildings is the most common in Euro-

pean practice and allows for optimal use of the terrain, en -

gineering networks, and infrastructure.

The analysis of European and Ukrainian examples

of spatial planning reveals that the design of courtyards

takes into consideration the inhabitants’ need for peace

and privacy, creating a multi-level system of public, semi-

private, a

nd private zones. The grid urban layout of the set-

tlement requires the shaping of a square on which various

public spaces will be organized (playground, outdoor gym

or sports eld, recreational areas, etc.), as well as public

utility buildings with places to spend time together, for

training sessions, laundries, etc. It is necessary to create in-

clusive and accessible public spaces to promote social and

psychological health based on the pursuit of common inter-

ests [3]. It is advisable to provide a place for parking bicy-

cles and the possibility of a parking lot nearby or within the

settlement.

Additionally, it is necessary to allocate space

for municipal waste segregation containers on or near the

settlement [13].

The architectural form of the buildings aects the overall

image of the settlement, therefore predicting the scenario of

seasonal transformations of the buildings can be benecial.

For example, with the onset of cold weather in Bern, tem-

porary structures were installed around the perimeter of the

buildings, as the galleries and passages on the rst oor were

not sheltered from wind and precipitation. This allowed for

modications in the aeration characteristics to enhance the

micro-climate of the interior space, but it also led to changes

in the level of illumination in the general transit trac area.

From an aesthetic standpoint, the building took on two ar-

tistic interpretations. Furthermore, temporary structures can

be utilized to create additional features such as reserve spac-

es for storing auxiliary equipment, shade tents for summer

dining areas, etc. Another measure aimed at altering the ap-

pearance of buildings and enhancing their energy eciency

is the construction of additional elements in the building

Container settlements built in Ukraine and Western Europe in 2022. Analysis and design recommendations 113

[1] Kyiv School of Economics, $147.5 billion – the total amount of

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national monograph book, Centre de Política de Sòl i Valoracions,

Barcelona 2016, 921–931, doi: 10.5821/ctv.8094.

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References

structure. For instance, in Antwerp, gable roofs were placed

over container buildings. In order to improve the existing

Ukrainian settlements, it is essential to explore the possi-

bility of building verandas and open terraces.

Ukrainian container settlements are built on the princi-

ple of shared use of kitchens, dining and hygiene rooms. In

European settlements, additional options are implemented

where the kitchen and bathroom are shared by 2 to 5 rooms.

Containers (dwelling units) for one family with indivi dual

bathrooms, kitchen niches, equipped with transformer fur-

niture for eating and sleeping, are most suitable for creat-

ing settlements intended for long-term residence and cre-

ating comfortable basic living conditions. It is necessary

to use exible planning solutions of dwelling units to pro-

vide housing for families of dierent composition. Based

on studies of foreign practice of architectural design, it is

advisable to equip a room or dwelling unit for people with

disabilities on the ground oor of container buildings [3].

Design solutions should aim at maximizing the poten-

tial of passive solar heating in winter and avoiding it in

summer by taking advantage of the terrain and features

of the designed landscape. Additionally, it is important

to remember about the correct location of surfaces that

transmit light and heat (windows and doors). This was ac-

complished through careful building orientation and plac-

ing windows on the sunny side of the building. Installing

external roller shutters on the windows will help reduce

room heating during the summer. It is also advisable to en-

sure the integrated use of renewable energy technologies

such as solar collectors and batteries, air recuperators,

rainwater and melt water collection systems, as well as

biological wastewater treatment and ltration systems [4].

Eective thermal insulation materials should be utilized

to optimize acoustic properties. The indoor air quality

standards include the following criteria: ensuring mini-

mum indoor air quality parameters, monitoring the supply

of outdoor air, and increasing ventilation to prevent wall

wetting and the growth of mold, which has been observed

in some Ukrainian settlements. Additionally, it is essential

to ensure the functioning of reliable water supply system

and install water meters for each dwelling unit.

Color and imagery can be used to change and unify the

surroundings of the container settlement, giving it an iden-

tity and facilitating the orientation of inhabitants in the

space. European settlements show that attention should be

paid to shaping the high-quality internal environment of

container rooms due to visual comfort. Color also allows

to emotionally and visually model the internal environ-

ment, and it positively aects the psychological perception

of the container premises. Furthermore, the placement of

furniture, its design, and the ability for transformation and

multifunctionality will visually enlarge the space. Person-

alizing the space with interior accessories will help refu-

gees feel at home.

Summary

The construction of container settlements is one of the

quick options for solving housing problems that arise as

a result of emergencies. As it can be seen from the above

analysis, they are only a temporary solution. None of the

constructed container settlements is intended for use by

Ukrainian refugees or IDPs for more than four years.

However, the technical characteristics and warranty pe-

riod of the containers allow for their further exploitation

for various social purposes. Unfortunately, sometimes

the poor living conditions in container settlements are

justied by their temporary nature. However, among the

analyzed European settlements built in 2022, there were

examples where the architectural and planning approach

focused on creating fully functional housing (e.g., in Ant-

werp) rather than temporary shelters.

Based on the information about Ukrainian and Europe-

an settlements and the analysis conducted, recommenda-

tions have been developed for the design of container set-

tlements. Spatial, architectural, technological and interior

design solutions are proposed that can ensure a better lev-

el of housing quality, and not only the satisfaction of the

basic needs of inhabitants. It was found that a properly se-

lected urban and pro-ecological approach not only allows

for faster integration of residents with the socio-economic

life of the host communities, but also provides better liv-

ing conditions.

The article should be regarded as a contribution to

further analysis of settlements for IDPs in Ukraine. The

next step will involve studying the impact of architectural

characteristics on the quality of life in container settle-

ments and assessing potential changes in the spatial struc-

ture using parametric tools.

Translated by

Oksana Pekarchuk

114 Oksana Pekarchuk

Abstract

Container settlements built in Ukraine and Western Europe in 2022.

Analysis and design recommendations

Container settlements are used all over the world as temporary housing in crisis situations, which is associated with the possibility to satisfy the

basic needs of people in a short period of time. The aim of the article is to research the main features of the built container settlements for internally

displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine and to determine the advantages and disadvantages of their operation. 12 container settlements built in 2022 with

the support of the Polish government in the Lviv and Kyiv regions were visited for the study. The article contains information on container settlements

that relate to land use, built-up area, number of container units, typology and function of the purpose of buildings and their equipment and control

of these objects. The analysis of container settlements for Ukrainian refugees in Europe and IDPs in Ukraine has allowed for a focus on indicating

successful architectural and urban solutions. The results of the study may be an impulse to improve the quality of the conditions in temporary housing

for IDPs. The determination of eective architectural and urban models used in Europe in the construction of container settlements will help during

the planning, construction and organization of the living environment of new settlements in Ukraine.

Key words: internally displaced persons, refugees, container settlements, container architecture

Streszczenie

Osiedla kontenerowe powstałe w Ukrainie i w Europie Zachodniej w 2022 r.

Analiza i rekomendacje projektowe

Osiedla kontenerowe wykorzystywane są na całym świecie jako tymczasowe mieszkania w sytuacjach kryzysowych, stwarzają możliwość za-

spokojenia podstawowych potrzeb ludzi w krótkim okresie. Celem autorki artykułu było zbadanie głównych cech osad kontenerowych dla osób

wewnętrznie przesiedlonych w Ukrainie oraz ustalenie zalet i wad wynikających z ich działania. W ramach badania odwiedziła ona 12 osiedli

kontenerowych wybudowanych w 2022 r. przy wsparciu polskiego rządu w obwodzie lwowskim i kijowskim. Artykuł zawiera informacje na temat

użytkowania gruntów, wielkości terenu zabudowania, liczby jednostek kontenerowych, typologii i funkcji przeznaczenia budynków i ich wypo-

sażenia oraz kontroli tych obiektów. Analiza osiedli kontenerowych dla ukraińskich uchodźców w Europie i osób wewnętrznie przesiedlonych

w Ukrainie pozwoliła skupić się na wskazaniu udanych rozwiązań architektonicznych i urbanistycznych. Wyniki badania mogą być impulsem do

poprawy jakości warunków w tymczasowych mieszkaniach osób wewnętrznie przesiedlonych. Określenie skutecznych modeli architektonicznych

i urbanistycznych stosowanych w Europie przy budowie osiedli kontenerowych pomoże w planowaniu, budowie i organizacji środowiska życia

nowych osiedli w Ukrainie.

Słowa kluczowe: osoby wewnętrznie przesiedlone, uchodźcy, osiedla kontenerowe, architektura kontenerowa

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