The Dnieper is a wide river with a series of green islands. The river, or beter: the nature area, divides the city of Kiev into two separates areas. The ancient city on the left bank and the new city on the right bank. The river and the archipelago is primarily a recreational area for the residents of both districts. In summer the area is intensively used and therefore there are some small facilities present on the islands. Real Estate Investors and developers are keen to develop the green islands. Which is strange because in both districts there is plenty of possibilities to (re) development.

The Department of Urban Planning and Architecture in Kyiv organize together with the architect bureau Zotov&Co an international urban design competition with the aim of a comprehensive strategy for the islands. Urban development is hardly practiced in the Ukraine and it is brave to write such a contest to try and achieve good vision first and then build. The winners will be involved in future plans for the city.

As one of the judges I have a fifty plans assessed. Finally we found three plans that make on a comprehensive way the island accessible, make a smart perseveration and make small scale development in a careful manner possible. It might be a start to a first step towards a structural approach to spatial development of Kyiv.