The 86-year-old architect's foundation said Foster spoke Monday in a video call with Igor Terekhov, the mayor of Ukraine's second most populous city. Foster presented him with a plan to rebuild the city, a quarter of whose buildings were destroyed after the invasion on February 24.
Kharkiv, near the border with Russia, has many Art Nouveau buildings. It has been bombed continuously since the beginning of the war, but remains under Ukrainian control.
Foster assured that he wants to "gather the best talent in the world" in terms of architecture, design and engineering and start working "immediately" to "regenerate the city of Kharkov". He said that in the first stage, a plan will be drawn up for a "city of the future" which "will combine the heritage of the glorious past" with ecological buildings and infrastructure.
In excerpts from Terekhoff's speech, the mayor is heard saying in Russian that he "has seen (Foster)'s work and really wants to see this new, progressive style in the city."
According to Terekhov, 25% of the city's buildings have been destroyed. Kharkiv needs new hospitals, schools, nurseries and offices for the booming technology sector. All of these buildings should have anti-aircraft shelters, while apartment buildings should have underground parking lots that can be converted into shelters in case of emergency, he added.
