Global Macroeconomic Context and the Evolution of Temporary Housing Architecture
The global construction technology market is undergoing a profound structural transformation. Traditional capital construction methods are gradually giving way to innovative approaches, among which modular architecture dominates. According to recent analytical data, the global volume of the modular construction market has reached an all-time high, crossing the mark of $104.64 billion USD in 2024. Leading experts in urbanism and spatial planning view this trending technology as the most effective global tool for overcoming the affordable housing crisis. For Ukraine, which has suffered unprecedented infrastructural destruction and massive internal population displacement, modular construction has evolved from a niche architectural concept into a foundational element of the national recovery strategy.
In the initial stages of the crisis, the concept of temporary housing architecture in Ukraine was purely emergency-driven. The first attempts to provide a roof over the heads of internally displaced persons (IDPs) were based on adapting existing resources. A prime example is the initiative by “Ukrzaliznytsia”, which in June 2022 deployed a temporary settlement in the city of Irpin, retrofitting railway cars for people who had lost their homes to artillery and missile strikes. However, considering Ukraine’s climatic conditions and the need for long-term comfort, engineering approaches quickly adapted. By August 2022, a fully functional modular town was assembled on the territory of the “Dubky” sanatorium in Irpin. This facility demonstrated a new level of spatial organization: four autonomous sections, each containing 22 living rooms, were complemented by integrated dining rooms, sanitary facilities, and children’s sports areas, providing comfortable accommodation for 352 people.
Subsequent stages in the development of temporary housing architecture were characterized by improved material quality and the involvement of international donors. In the cities that suffered the most during the attempted advance on Kyiv (Borodianka, Bucha, Hostomel, Makariv), a massive deployment of eco-friendly modular settlements began. In Bucha, the city council initiated the creation of new generation eco-friendly housing, where the cost of one high-tech house was approximately 10,000 euros. The project planned the installation of 150 such units, attracting both private and institutional investors. This marked a transitional phase from the “temporary shelter” paradigm to the concept of “fully-fledged ecological housing”.
Today, modular towns in Ukraine are transforming into comprehensive socio-economic ecosystems. The most representative in this context is the pilot project in the Myronivka community in the Kyiv region. According to official data, the region has taken in over 233,000 internally displaced persons from the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and other regions. To address their integration, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, local authorities, and charitable foundations (including the “MHP – Gromadi” Foundation) initiated the construction of a town with 200 modular units. The uniqueness of this project lies in the implementation of the “70/30” settlement model: 70% of the housing stock is allocated to the economically active population on the condition of their parallel employment in cooperation with local employers, while 30% is allocated for socially vulnerable categories. Such a symbiosis of architecture and economics confirms that modern modular towns for displaced persons are not just a forced refuge for a few months, but a strategic foundation for demographic stabilization and the revival of the economic potential of communities.