In 2025, Uman started working on the idea of creating a mobile tourist information center (TIC). This idea first arose during the development of the city’s Tourism Development Strategy, and later found support as part of the REHERIT 2.0: Common Responsibility for Shared Heritage project.
Students of the Kharkiv School of Architecture joined the development of the spatial solution as part of the First Aid Spatial Kit training program. This educational program is aimed at creating simple, inclusive solutions for public spaces. Throughout July, the young architects explored Uman’s tourism potential, got to know its multicultural heritage, talked to residents and community members, and developed various solutions for a mobile TIC.
As a result, they presented five concepts that show different approaches to how such an object could look and function in the city space. The participants’ work is available for free use by communities and initiatives in the format of instructions. The materials contain brief descriptions of the concepts, drawings, calculations for materials, and step-by-step recommendations for independent use.
The mobile TIC is designed as a multifunctional space. It aims to inform tourists, help residents (rediscover) heritage, and create opportunities for communication and interaction. Its mobility allows it to change locations depending on the needs of the community and events in the city.
All the ideas are based on the criteria of mobility, autonomy, and transitability, which makes them easy to implement and flexible to adapt. These principles form the framework for the future tourist information center in Uman: it should be mobile and at the same time visible in the urban space; autonomous, but with the ability to easily expand its functionality and adapt to different formats — from information structures and exhibition pavilions to an open-air event venue; focused on tourists on the move, but open to the needs of local residents.
- Double U Arch is a series of arch pavilions that work as visual heritage markers and create storytelling routes in urban space.
- Kubix is a modular system that is easily transportable and adaptable to different scenarios: from workshops and fairs to film screenings or public lectures.
- Compass is a landmark amphitheater that combines an informational function with a place for relaxation, dialogue, and city exploration.
- Stork is a flexible structure for creating a space for interaction between tourists, the community, and the city.
- Culture Pod is a mobile pavilion with a platform and an observation deck that can be both a stage for events and a chamber space for exchange.
As part of the workshop, the Cubix concept was embodied in the form of a prototype that was installed in the city for testing. It is the first step towards the realization of a more comprehensive idea — the development of a tourist infrastructure that will not only provide tourist information but also become a space for events, discussions, and cultural interventions.
The workshop was organized in partnership with the Uman City Council as part of the REHERIT 2.0: Shared Responsibility for Common Heritage project, implemented by the Center for Urban History and the Centre for Regional Development of the PPV Economic Development Agency with the financial support of the European Union.
Organizers and partners of the workshop
- Center for Urban History
- Centre for Regional Development of the PPV Economic Development Agency
- Uman City Council
- Kharkiv School of Architecture
“REHERIT 2.0: Common Responsibility for Shared Heritage” is implemented by the Center for Urban History and the Centre for Regional Development of the PPV Economic Development Agency with the financial support of the European Union.
This publication was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of the partners of the REHERIT 2.0 project and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
