On May 28, the winner of Ukraine's first international architectural competition for the design project to rebuild the main building of the State Tax University in Irpin, destroyed during hostilities, was announced at a press conference in Kyiv. The winner of the competition was the international architectural company Stantec, whose head office is located in Edmonton, Canada.
497 applicants from 86 countries registered to participate in the competition, from which 49 projects from 18 countries were ultimately submitted. It was among these 49 works that the jury selected the winner, whose project will be used to rebuild the main building of the State Tax University (STU).
Why does the university need rebuilding?
In March 2022, Irpin suffered extensive destruction due to active hostilities and partial occupation of the city by russian military forces. Over half of the buildings of the State Tax University (STU) were damaged, including the complete destruction of its main administrative building. Despite this, the educational process continued thanks to quickly conducted minor repairs, but in the future, the university urgently needs full restoration.
International Competition Announcement
In November 2024, the State Tax University, in cooperation with American partners (representing the architectural community from California, USA), announced an open international architectural competition for the best design project for the new main building.
State Tax University is the first and only university in Ukraine to have independently held such a competition and plans to rebuild its main building in the future based on the winning project.
«The reconstruction of the university's main building is not just a matter of infrastructure. We want it to be a truly modern campus – an innovative and comfortable place for learning, research, and student life. At the same time, it is important for us to attract international experience, so that we rely not only on our own vision, but also on the best global and Ukrainian practices. We are sincerely glad that the Canadian company Stantec won – its approach and vision fully correspond to our aspirations for the future of the university. It is especially pleasant that among the architects of the Stantec team is Yevhen Chumakov, a Ukrainian who was born and studied in Kyiv. We look forward to starting cooperation and implementing this ambitious project together with the Ukrainian partner in Irpin», — emphasized Dmytro Serebryanskyi, acting rector of STU.
The head of the jury, Wendy Hillis, Campus Architect at the University of California, Berkeley (USA), personally announced the winning firm (1st place), and also presented the projects that took 2nd and 3rd places, and spoke about the competition's progress.
"It was an immense pleasure for me to chair the jury of Ukraine's first international architectural competition and to help organize it. It was an exciting process that gathered innovative ideas from all over the world. It is a great honor for me to announce the winning company — Stantec from Canada. Its vision will form the basis for the reconstruction of the main building of the State Tax University. I sincerely believe that this project will inspire and become a modern space for future generations of students in Irpin," shares Wendy Hillis, Head of the Jury and Campus Architect at UC Berkeley (USA).
The jury also included Ukrainian and international experts, including David Lenox, Chief Architect of Stanford University.
About the winning company
Stantec is an international company headquartered in Edmonton, Canada, providing comprehensive solutions in planning, engineering, architecture, interior and landscape design, ecology, surveying, project management, and economics. Stantec specialists implement infrastructure and object projects worldwide, combining innovation with a deep understanding of the local context. Among the company's most famous international and Canadian projects are the expansion of the Panama Canal, the design of Vancouver International Airport, and one of the terminals at Toronto Airport.
"It was very prestigious for Stantec to participate in this competition. Our joint team of architects from Canada, Europe, and the USA gladly responded and eagerly accepted this challenge – to propose a bold and modern design solution that would support the university's recovery and resilience while also giving hope to current and future generations of students," notes Dais Wong, Design Director at Stantec. "It is a great privilege for us to contribute to creating a space that will inspire, 'heal,' and 'dream' of a better future for Ukrainians, through the power of education, community, and design!"
How will the reconstruction take place
Over the next 3–6 months, STU will actively engage in dialogue with the winning company, Stantec, to discuss all details of the administrative building's design project. The reconstruction timeline has not yet been determined, as the stage of developing detailed project and construction documentation must first take place. Only after this will preparations for the direct reconstruction begin.
In addition to administrative functions, the reconstructed building will serve as a space for student organizations and student self-study.
About STU
State Tax University (STU) is one of Ukraine's leading universities, located in Irpin (Kyiv region), and is the basic educational institution of the State Tax Service of Ukraine. It is subordinate to the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine. It provides education to specialists in the fields of economics, taxation, and finance. The university also trains specialists for law enforcement agencies responsible for combating corruption in state institutions. Currently, about 5000 students are studying at STU. Since December 9, 2022, Dmytro Serebryanskyi has held the position of acting rector of STU.
More about the university – on the website
About the International Architectural Competition
The competition was organized at the initiative of DPU in cooperation with partners:
- Center for Innovation, CFI, USA;
- Ministry of Finance of Ukraine;
- Irpin City Council.
More about the competition – on the page.
