The DMNTR media group, together with general partner A Development, held a roundtable discussion titled “Building the Future: Development in Wartime” at the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, during which representatives of the development and architectural sectors discussed the personnel shortage, rising construction costs, new safety requirements, problems with permitting procedures and approaches to Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. One of the central topics of the event was the announcement of the urban festival SEPTEMBER FEST 2026, which will take place in Kyiv on September 18.
The discussion was attended by A Development founder and CEO Oleksii Baranov, CREDO Development CEO Vitalii Borul, architect and founder of A. Pashenko architects Andrii Pashenko, and A Development chief project architect Yuliia Poliukhovych. The meeting was moderated by lawyer and Kyiv City Council deputy of the VII–VIII convocations Vlad Mykhailenko.
The participants identified the shortage of specialists in construction and architecture as one of the most acute issues. According to Baranov, the personnel shortage became particularly noticeable in the spring of 2026.
“There is a very serious shortage of construction workers. We all felt this problem in the spring of this year. As a company owner, I am looking for people to complete the construction of projects,” the founder of A Development said.
Yuliia Poliukhovych noted that a similar situation had developed among architects: teams are shrinking, while the complexity of the work is increasing because of the need to constantly adapt projects to new construction standards, primarily safety requirements.
“While three or four architects previously worked on a project, now it may be just one,” she noted.
Another challenge has been the significant increase in the cost of construction work. According to Baranov’s estimate, whereas before the full-scale war the cost of work was approximately equal to the cost of materials, in some cases labor now costs two to three times more than the materials themselves. Housing sales are additionally affected by Russian attacks on cities, while war-risk insurance remains expensive for developers.
CREDO Development CEO Vitalii Borul drew attention to the substantial increase in costs caused by new safety requirements. According to him, modern underground shelters with evacuation exits significantly increase the cost of residential projects. He believes that the state should consider mechanisms to compensate developers for part of these expenses, as this concerns the systemic provision of public safety.
The speed of regulatory procedures was a separate topic. Participants noted that delays in adopting secondary legislation and urban-planning decisions can block project implementation for years, even after changes have been made to the primary legislation.
Baranov emphasized that a transparent mechanism for working in Kyiv’s historic center is particularly important.
“It is necessary to create an approach that makes the process transparent and fast while ensuring that what is built will remain relevant years from now,” he said.
Architect Andrii Pashenko separately addressed the future of Ukraine’s reconstruction. In his opinion, a significant part of the social infrastructure after the war will be built using prefab technologies and reusable designs, which will accelerate construction and standardize its quality.
A. Pashenko architects has already developed standardized solutions for kindergartens, schools and administrative service centers under the European Investment Bank’s Ukraine Recovery Programme.
“The revival of Ukraine is not only about projects in the central part of Kyiv. It also concerns Kharkiv, Chernihiv and places where reconstruction will be in demand,” Pashenko emphasized.
The roundtable participants agreed that the war has already changed the very logic of development: safety, building autonomy, energy efficiency, the accessibility of shelters and the quality of public spaces are becoming basic components of a project rather than additional options. At the same time, the industry needs to address personnel and financing issues and simplify the procedures for interaction between businesses, the state and local communities.
The professional discussion will continue at SEPTEMBER FEST 2026, which the DMNTR media group will hold on September 18 at A-STATION in Kyiv, near the Arsenalna metro station. A Development is the general partner of the event.
According to the organizers, the festival is expected to bring together more than 150 speakers and over 5,000 guests. The main topics will include urban development, architecture and development during the war, reconstruction and the revitalization of territories, personnel shortages, the digitalization of construction, BIM technologies, energy independence, the investment attractiveness of regions, design and the quality of the urban environment.
The announced participants in the professional program include Ukrainian developers, investors, architects and government representatives, as well as international experts, including Zaha Hadid Architects design director Christos Passas, British industrial designer Ross Lovegrove and German designer Konstantin Grcic.
The festival will be held in an open-air format with several parallel thematic venues, exhibition zones, professional networking and an evening program.
Registration for SEPTEMBER FEST is available on the event’s official website:
Organizer — DMNTR media group. General partner — A Development.
Interfax-Ukraine and Open4Business are the official media partners of SEPTEMBER FEST 2026.
SEPTEMBER FEST 2026, Ukraine’s largest urban festival dedicated to urban development, contemporary architecture, real estate development, design, culture, and the quality of urban life, will take place on September 18 in Kyiv at the A-STATION venue.
According to the event organizers, the festival will run from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Entry to the A-STATION grounds will be via the Mykilski Gates near the “Arsenalska” metro station.
SEPTEMBER FEST 2026 is expected to attract about 3,000 visitors and over 150 speakers. Invited participants include mayors of Ukrainian cities, chief architects, representatives of real estate development companies and investment funds, architectural firms, designers, government officials, international experts, and specialized media outlets.
The festival’s main themes will include the development of Ukrainian cities, modern approaches to architecture and urban planning, real estate development, investments in real estate and urban infrastructure, the design of public spaces, culture, and the creation of a comfortable urban environment.
The organizers position SEPTEMBER FEST as a professional platform for dialogue among representatives of government, business, and the architectural and real estate development communities, as well as for discussing the future of Ukrainian cities and projects for their revitalization and development.
Basic admission to the festival is free upon prior registration.
SEPTEMBER FEST 2026 is organized by DMNTR, with A Development serving as the general partner.
Open4business is the official media partner of SEPTEMBER FEST 2026.
ARCHITECTURE, DEVELOPMENT, DMNTR, FESTIVAL, KYIV, SEPTEMBER FEST 2026, urban planning
The September Fest 2026 urban festival, dedicated to urban development, contemporary architecture, real estate development, design, culture, and the quality of urban life, will take place on September 18–19 in Kyiv at the A-STATION complex near the “Arsenalska” metro station.
The festival will last two days—from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The main entrance to the event grounds will be through the Mykilski Gates.
According to the organizers, approximately 10,000 people are expected to attend September Fest over the two days, and the professional program features more than 150 speakers.
Invited participants include representatives of central and local authorities, mayors of Ukrainian cities, chief architects, developers, investment funds, architectural firms, designers, international experts, and representatives of specialized media.
One of the festival’s key themes will be discussions on the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, the development of the modern urban environment, attracting investment in real estate and infrastructure projects, as well as new approaches to architecture and urban planning.
A separate component of September Fest will be the VIP program, designed for representatives of state and municipal authorities, mayors, heads of development companies, CEOs, investors, and other professionals in the industry.
Tickets to the VIP area cost EUR250 for one day and EUR500 for two days.
Free registration is available for general admission to the festival. Tickets can be obtained on the September Fest website: www.ubc-ua.info/september-fest.
September Fest 2026 is organized by DMNTR, with A Development serving as the general partner.
Date: September 18–19, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Location: A-STATION, Kyiv, “Arsenalska” metro station, main entrance—Mykils’ki Voryta
Expected attendance: approximately 10,000 visitors
Speakers: over 150
Standard admission: free registration
VIP ticket: EUR 250 – one day, EUR 500 – two days
Additional information:
Tel. 044 461 91 28, 077 777 25 47
Organizer – DMNTR.
General Partner – A Development.
Open4business – Media Partner
ARCHITECTURE, DEVELOPMENT, DMNTR, KYIV, September Fest, urbanism
September Fest 2026, Ukraine’s largest urban festival, will take place on September 18–19 at the A-Station complex near the “Arsenalska” metro station in Kyiv, according to the DMNTR media group, which is organizing the event.
A Development has become the festival’s general partner.
According to the organizers, in 2026, September Fest will be held over two full days for the first time. More than 10,000 guests are expected to attend the event, and over 150 speakers will participate in the discussions.
The festival program includes four parallel discussion panels, presentations of urban, architectural, and investment projects, professional networking, and an evening cultural program.
The main audience for September Fest will consist of mayors, chief city architects, owners and executives of development companies, representatives of investment funds, architectural firms, government agencies, and international organizations.
In 2025, the festival attracted over 3,500 participants in a single day, exceeding its initially projected attendance of 2,500–3,000 people.
Participants in last year’s event included representatives from A Development, “Creator-Bud,” RIEL, SAGA Development, DIM, UDP, Avalon, Taryan Group, “Vlasne Misto,” “Metinvest,” and other Ukrainian companies.
International architects and urban planners also took part in the previous festival, including Christos Passas from Zaha Hadid Architects, Italian architect and designer Carlo Colombo, and architect Hiroki Matsuura.
The Ukrainian professional community was represented by Oleksiy Baranov, founder of A Development; Ihor Huda, founder of “Creator-Bud”; Anton Kolomiytsev, chief architect of Lviv; architect and urban planner Julian Chaplinsky; Dmytro Vasilyev, co-founder of Archimatika; and other experts.
The organizers note that the festival is intended to serve as a platform for discussing the development of Ukrainian cities, urban renewal, attracting investment, implementing real estate development projects, and exploring new formats for cooperation between business, the state, and local authorities.
Festival partners will have the opportunity to present their companies and projects to a professional audience, hold negotiations with representatives from the real estate development, investment, and architectural sectors, and participate in the business and evening programs.
The evening program of September Fest will feature performances by pianist Yevhen Khmara and a jazz band led by Oleksiy Kogan.
The festival will take place on September 18–19 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at A-Station. The main entrance is through the Mykilski Gates.
The event is organized by the DMNTR media group, which has 25 years of experience in hosting professional events for representatives of the architecture, construction, real estate development, and investment sectors.
Detailed information and registration are available on the September Fest website. The organizers’ contact numbers are 044 461 91 28 and 077 777 25 47.
The Interfax-Ukraine agency is the media partner for September Fest 2026.
Open4business – media partner
ARCHITECTURE, KYIV, real estate development, September Fest, urban planning
On Thursday, July 30, Kyiv will host the Ukrainian Investment Congress and the 17th All-Ukrainian Annual Architectural Competition “Interior of the Year 2026.”
The event will take place on the third floor of the “Parkovy” Congress and Exhibition Center at 16a Parkova Road.
The Ukrainian Investment Congress is positioned as a professional platform for investors, developers, representatives of the construction industry, architects, designers, and company executives operating in the Ukrainian real estate market to meet.
According to the organizers, the congress program is expected to attract over 6,000 visitors and more than 100 speakers, feature 15 panel discussions, and include over 50 exhibition booths. The main objectives of the event are to identify partners and investors, present new projects and technologies, develop business contacts, and discuss the prospects of the Ukrainian investment and construction market.
At the same time, the Parkovy Exhibition and Convention Center will host the 17th All-Ukrainian Annual Architecture Competition “Interior of the Year 2026,” organized by the DMNTR media group. The competition brings together interior designers, architects, developers, entrepreneurs, and investors and aims to promote completed architectural and interior design solutions.
The competition features projects for residential interiors of various sizes, private homes, offices, commercial spaces, HoReCa establishments, and public and administrative buildings. Separate categories are dedicated to product design, landscape architecture, lighting, and unbuilt projects and visualizations.
The organizers note that the competition aims to showcase solutions that increase the added value of real estate properties, facilitate their sale, and set new quality standards for residential and commercial spaces.
The event program and registration are available on the website: www.ibc-ua.info/program.
Contact numbers:
+380 77 777 25 47
+380 44 461 91 28
Venue: “Parkovy” Exhibition and Convention Center, 16a Parkova Road, Kyiv, third floor.
Interfax-Ukraine is the information partner.
ARCHITECTURE, CONGRESS, DMNTR, INVESTMENT, KYIV, Parkovy, REAL ESTATE
Rauta has announced that a student team from Kyiv National University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (KNUSA) has won the Steel Freedom 2025 architectural competition with a project using Ruukki’s Primo Skyline 150 metal facade cassettes.
According to the company, KNUSA students successfully combined large-format facade cassettes Primo Skyline 150 with open metal structures of red color, which became the compositional center of the building. The Steel Freedom 2025 finals took place on November 29, and the best student teams from specialized universities of Ukraine took part in it.
The winning team under the number 918, which included KNUSA students, was also awarded in special nominations from Archimatika, AVG Group and “Intergal-Bud”, as well as took a prize in the rating of the international bureau MVRDV, as noted in the materials of the organizers of the competition.
Rauta emphasized that the use of premium ventilated facades Ruukki Primo Skyline with high geometry accuracy and the possibility of perforation opens up additional opportunities for young architects when designing modern energy-efficient buildings.
Rauta is the leader of the Ukrainian steel construction market, a member of the European Construction Industry Association. The company provides design, production and installation solutions in accordance with current EU regulations. The company is licensed to perform construction works with medium and significant impact class (CC2, CC3). According to the data of the Unified State Register, the owner of 100% of the authorized capital of the company is Andriy Ozeychuk.
