Out of the dark apocalypse of World War Two, many European cities laid in ruins by waves of bomber aircraft and after a ground war. The damage included many UK cities, London, Coventry, Birmingham, Manchester. In Europe Warsaw, Leningrad, Stalingrad, Kyiv, Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Cologne, and many others suffered extensive damage. On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948. It became known as the Marshall Plan, named for Secretary of State George Marshall, who in 1947 proposed that the United States provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of post-war Europe.

“Over the next four years, Congress appropriated $13.3 billion for European recovery. This aid provided much needed capital and materials that enabled Europeans to rebuild the continent’s economy. For the United States, the Marshall Plan provided markets for American goods, created reliable trading partners, and supported the development of stable democratic governments in Western Europe.”

See: United States National Archives. (2022). Marshall Plan 1948 Milestone Documents. Retrieved 29 May, 2023

Europe has again witnessed the destruction of the fabric of entire cities with many in the Western Ukraine all but demolished. The Ukraine war continues, and further destruction of infrastructure and housing can be anticipated.

“KYIV, March 23, 2023—A new joint assessment released today by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank Group, the European Commission, and the United Nations, estimates that the cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine has grown to US $411 billion (equivalent of €383 billion). The estimate covers the one-year period from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, to the first anniversary of the war on February 24, 2023.  The cost of reconstruction and recovery is expected to stretch over 10 years and combines both needs for public and private funds.”

Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi said: “Each day that goes by, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is taking a heavy toll on the people of Ukraine and the socio-economic fabric of the country. The Rapid Needs Assessment will help donors channel funds to the priority sectors on the ground. It is important to ensure fast recovery and basic services for the population, namely energy, education and health infrastructure and housing. The EU will continue supporting Ukraine, now a candidate country, with all its tools and instruments at its disposal.”

See: The World Bank. (2023). Updated Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Needs Assessment. Retrieved 30 May. 2023

Many historic buildings and infrastructure have been left as rubble, there is unexploded ordinance, only the original street layouts are discernible.

The reconstruction effort in Ukraine can be compared to that of Eastern Germany and Eastern Europe.

“German reunification did not come cheap. In total it is estimated that up to €2 trillion was spent on the reunification project between 1990 and 2014. That is the equivalent of around £71 billion every year. After decades of Russian occupation East Germany’s infrastructure was degraded.”

See: Enenkel, E. (2021). Centre for Cities What can German reunification teach the UK about levelling up? Retrieved 30 May. 2023

There is unexploded ordinance and hazards in many urban areas in Ukraine and the scale of the task is enormous. With adversity comes opportunity! In Brisbane planning is underway to create an open plaza to the North of the proposed Olympic Stadium at the Gabba. The complexity of creating urban spaces in built up areas is disruptive and expensive. Ukraine now has an opportunity to create open spaces in their cities and towns destroyed by Russian artillery and missiles. Ukraine also has an opportunity to consider planning for integrated transport, infrastructure, and sporting facilities. What better time to create urban underground and underpasses than during the rebuild of Ukraine.

The brutalist architecture of the former Soviet Empire should be avoided in the rebuilt Ukrainian cities. It is essential that the rebuild of Ukraine does not allow Ukraine to look like a suburb of Moscow with Stalinist precast concrete mass produced communist social housing.

(Byrnes, M. (2017). Bloomberg: The Disappearing Mass Housing of the Soviet Union. Retrieved 30 May. 2023)

 

(St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv
A unique photo of how one of the largest shrines of Rus in Kyiv was destroyed during the Soviet era in 1937 by Stalin. It was rebuilt and is a symbol of resistance to Russian cultural imperialism.
Editor RISU. (2021). Religious Information Service of Ukraine. Retrieved 30 May, 2023)

St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv.

A unique photo of how one of the largest shrines of Rus in Kyiv was destroyed during the Soviet era in 1937 by Stalin. It was rebuilt and is a symbol of resistance to Russian cultural imperialism.

Editor RISU. (2021). Religious Information Service of Ukraine. Retrieved 30 May, 2023

Australia should use its foreign aid to provide professional services for the rebuilding of Ukraine. This may include Urban planning, infrastructure planning and building, Architecture for schools, hospitals, and social housing. Demolition and construction services. Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering services. Electrical and Computer services.

Australia can provide environmental services for waste and recovery, the planting of trees and vegetation in devastated areas and in urban settings. Agricultural advice and equipment. Australia could make effective contributions re-establishing Ukraine’s agricultural grain production, storage, and shipment. Australia has excellent relations with Ukraine and have been supportive of the citizens of Ukraine to remain democratic and independent.

After the rebuilding of Germany’s infrastructure in the West, their economy made a remarkable recovery.

Ukraine like Poland once free from the shackles and threat of Russian invasion can become a prosperous contributor to Europe and return to being a food bowl to a hungry world. Damaged historic buildings should be rebuilt as they were from records and photographs with modern technology. As with rebuilt Europe Ukraine may have new infrastructure, power distribution and telecommunications which make an impactful contribution to their economy.

Australian construction professionals have the skills and knowledge to assist in rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure, housing, schools, hospitals, public buildings, roads, water, and waste treatment.

Peace in our time?

Unfortunately, an even bigger challenge for Western Democracies is the rebuilding of Russia’s institutions and economy. One may assume that their current leader will at some time be replaced, and that Russia may re-engage with European nations. Russia’s economy and much of it’s infrastructure also requires a Marshall plan to improve prosperity and co-operation. Could a future Russian administration be offered a Marshall plan economic rebuild in exchange for peaceful co-existence with the democracies of Europe and Asia? Perhaps in exchange for a huge reduction in nuclear arsenals and offensive weapons capabilities Russia, Iran, North Korea and China could re-engage with democratic countries? What has Russia achieved by destroying a neighbouring country? The same query must be asked of China and its aspirations for unification with Taiwan. Once security has returned to Ukraine if democratic institutions can be reinforced with the rule of law, and reduction in corruption they may become an economic powerhouse like Poland.

Perhaps readers of Sourceable would like to contribute to the discourse, what issues should Ukraine consider in urban planning and in terms of infrastructure to rebuild after the devastation of the Russian invasion? How can Australian Construction professionals and businesses assist in the rebuild?

 

 

References – using the Harvard Reference System:

Byrnes, M. (2017). Bloomberg: The Disappearing Mass Housing of the Soviet Union. Retrieved 30 May. 2023, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-08/the-disappearing-mass-housing-of-the-soviet-union

Editor RISU. (2021). Religious Information Service of Ukraine. Retrieved 30 May, 2023, from https://risu.ua/en/a-unique-photo-of-how-one-of-the-largest-shrines-of-russia-in-kyiv-was-destroyed-during-the-soviet-era-displayed-on-the-network_n122841

Enenkel, E. (2021). Centre for Cities What can German reunification teach the UK about levelling up? Retrieved 30 May. 2023, from https://www.centreforcities.org/blog/what-can-german-reunification-teach-the-uk-about-levelling-up/

Liberov, K., Liberova, V  (2022). Marinka Photo after Russian missile and artillery attacks. Retrieved 30 May, 2023, from https://war.ukraine.ua/photos/

The World Bank. (2023). Updated Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Needs Assessment. Retrieved 30 May. 2023, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2023/03/23/updated-ukraine-recovery-and-reconstruction-needs-assessment

United States National Archives. (2022). Marshall Plan 1948 Milestone Documents. Retrieved 29 May, 2023, from https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/marshall-plan#:~:text=On%20April%203%2C%201948%2C%20President,economic%20infrastructure%20of%20postwar%20Europe.