City approves tallest building despite ban on structures over 25 stories high
When the city approved construction of a 34‑story apartment building late last June, city planners began scrambling to update building codes. The current code, adopted in 1989, prohibits structures taller than 25 stories.
Now that ground has been broken for the 128‑unit apartment building near Lybydska Square, planners say they’ll take a page from Moscow’s building code – literally – to guide them. Moscow’s code authorizes building up to 40 stories tall.
When completed late next year, the housing complex at 2 Druzhby Narodiv, near Lybydska Square, will be the capital’s tallest building. Apartments will range in size from 73 square meters to 103 square meters, and will be sold in “shell and core” condition, so that buyers will be able to design interior walls and fixtures to suit individual needs.
“This will be the first building in Kyiv taller than 25 stories,” said Oleksandr Ovydienko, deputy head of the Department for Architectural‑Construction Systems and Engineering Equipment of Civil Buildings and Structures, which was responsible for inspecting the plans for the building. He said that because the government has not yet adopted standards for the construction of buildings more than 25 stories tall, the building’s developer, Ama, had to obtain special permission from the department to proceed.
There’s more to building a 34‑story building than just adding extra floors to a 25‑story design. As buildings go higher, there are greater demands on the heating, cooling and electrical systems, elevators and the structure itself. The surrounding area is also impacted, as greater pressure is placed on water and sewer lines, according to Valentyna Shpara, who heads the project for Ama.
“Every additional 10 stories of construction requires extra work on fire alarm systems, elevators and technical equipment,” she said.
The building’s elevators include added safety features and need to be imported. That adds to the cost, she said. While the building’s amenities will be expensive, she said, high‑rises are economical because they use less land.
The State Sanitation Services Committee was initially reluctant to give its approval to the tower, said Oleksy Koshovsky, a sanitation specialist with the committee. The agency feared that the building would place too great a burden on the existing sewer system. The committee also restricted the use of balconies and how far windows can be opened.
Kyiv City Architect Valentyn Babushkin said that his department would have standards for taller structures in place by late next year.
“We are working on the standards and rules for constructing skyscrapers now,” he said. The department plans to borrow heavily from Moscow’s high‑rise building regulations, he said.
“Skyscrapers are the city’s future, but they should be in harmony with the historical buildings and be held to the highest standards,” Babushkin said.
Kyivmiskbud is the project’s general contractor. Ground preparation is presently underway, and completion is scheduled for late 2003.
Shpara said her firm is planning to erect a similar building in the Troeshchyna district, but that construction of the second building will have to wait until the building codes have been updated.
