Residential districts or modern factories? Kyiv faces a strategic dilemma over how to use thousands of hectares of industrial land. The Think Ukraine study explains why the concept of neo-industrialization is critical for the city’s economic resilience and how the revitalization of industrial zones could transform the quality of life in the capital.
Today, Kyiv’s industrial zones — largely inherited from the Soviet era — have become both a strategic resource for the city and a source of numerous conflicts and challenges.
On the one hand, they occupy tens of thousands of hectares and possess powerful infrastructure that could become the foundation for a new security-oriented economy and the development of high-tech industries, especially under wartime conditions. On the other hand, many industrial zones remain neglected, environmentally hazardous, and at the center of disputes between developers, industrial businesses, environmental groups, and local communities.
This creates a fundamental dilemma: should these areas be transformed into residential neighborhoods and office districts, or should their industrial function be preserved and modernized on a new technological level?
Think Ukraine presents the study “Revitalization of Kyiv’s Industrial Zones: A Neo-Industrial Transition in Wartime,” which argues that Kyiv’s industrial zones should no longer be viewed as a problem, but rather as a strategic asset.
The authors propose moving away from the traditional revitalization model toward a concept of neo-industrialization — preserving industrial functions while upgrading them to a modern technological level.
Kyiv has the opportunity to transform its industrial zones into multifunctional districts that combine manufacturing, housing, offices, and green public spaces. The way this issue is addressed will determine not only the economic resilience of the capital, but also the quality of life of its residents, environmental safety, and the city’s ability to respond to wartime and postwar recovery challenges.
To learn more about the proposed development scenarios and practical steps for transforming the capital, read the full analytical article “Revitalization of Kyiv’s Industrial Zones: A Neo-Industrial Transition in Wartime.”
