Gold Winner – NEW Neighborhood for Educational Wonder

“NEW – Neighbourhood for Educational Wonder” is the winning proposal of the international competition “Future School for Ukraine”, initiated by the Lithuanian government to support the fast, sustainable reconstruction of schools damaged by the war. Organized by the Central Project Management Agency and the Lithuanian Union of Architects, the project is funded by the Lithuanian Fund for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid and will serve as a replicable model for school construction across Ukraine.

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Gold 🏆 Winner
Global Future Design Awards 2025

NEW Neighborhood for Educational Wonder
Educational Architecture (Concept)

Firm
Scandurra Studio

Architect/Designer
Scandurra Studio

Design Team
Scandurra Studio, Vlad Goldakovsky and Michailo Vustiansky

Location
Ukraine

Country
Italia

Photographer/Copyright
©Scandurra Studio

Website
https://www.scandurrastudio.com/en/portfolio/new/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/scandurrastudio/

Facebook
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Recognized for its adaptability, sustainability, and speed of implementation, “NEW” will be made available to Ukrainian authorities and international partners by mid-2025. It was also honored at the 2025 DNA Paris Design Awards in the Educational and Sports category, celebrating its architectural quality and inclusive design.

Designed by Scandurra Studio (Italy) in collaboration with Mykhailo Vustianskyi (Ukraine), the prototype is supported by DEERNS Italia for energy and systems and CEAS for structural engineering and prefabrication. The design integrates Design for Disassembly principles and prefabricated elements, allowing for fast transport, assembly, and potential disassembly. These features reduce both construction time and carbon emissions.

The school is built on a modular grid system, enabling flexible interior configurations for varied educational needs. From single classrooms to entire campus layouts, the design adjusts to its environment. Tests in two different site contexts confirmed the prototype’s versatility and its ability to meet community-specific needs.

In its base form, the project spans over 10,000 square meters, encompassing educational, recreational, care, and civil protection spaces. It includes hybrid learning zones that encourage interaction across age groups and foster community life. Corridors are reimagined as informal learning areas, maximizing usable space and supporting continuous engagement.

Courtyards and internal gardens—inspired by the traditional hortus conclusus—are central to the project’s spatial identity. These interconnected spaces encourage calm reflection, hands-on environmental education, and seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor learning. Natural light plays a key role, enhancing wellbeing and educational outcomes.

Externally, green façades integrate recycled mineral materials and salvaged aggregates, expressing the project’s circular economy approach and symbolizing the transformation of conflict into hope. The design follows Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principles and meets Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards, ensuring environmental compatibility and energy efficiency. At its core, “NEW” embodies Scandurra Studio’s vision of schools as community laboratories, where architecture becomes a tool for education, creativity, and healing. The project addresses the urgent need to restore Ukraine’s educational infrastructure, while advancing a broader mission: to create learning environments that inspire resilience, connection, and a better future.