Ivano-Frankivsk is a city with an ever-evolving identity, where the past gracefully merges with the present. Over the last two centuries, the city has been known under numerous names and nationalities. Despite this oft-tumultuous existence, the people and culture of the city have endured, serving as a constant anchor. StoryHaven transforms Melnychuka 14-16 into a space dedicated to chronicling the tales and traditions of Ivano-Frankivsk and preserving the collective memory for future generations.

Our proposed submission splits the project into three primary components, which collectively fulfill the mission of StoryHaven and create an engaging new community hub for the city: Making, Memory, and the Maidan.

Making: Melnychuka 14’s western wing has been converted to studio spaces for artists in residence who have dedicated their lives to preserving artistic heritage of the region as well as those on the vanguard, pushing art and culture forward. The Neo-Classical grandeur of the building is meticulously restored to its former glory, complemented by mezzanines created to give the artists a bright and airy new environment to hone their craft.
Memory: Perhaps the most important component of the proposal, the entirety of Melnychuka 16 is transformed into a memory bank, dedicated to cataloguing the stories of Ivano-Frankivsk. These stories are to be stored in an interactive archive which is open to the public, and complemented by private listening rooms where family and loved ones can listen to recordings in a secluded space.
Maidan: The north wing, along the primary frontage of Melnychuka Street has been transformed into a new Maidan for the city. A community hub where citizens can view the work of the artists in residence and purchase pieces for sale. The second floor of Melnychuka 14’s northern wing has been removed to create soaring double height spaces, and a glass roof has been added to illuminate the space, the load-bearing walls have been preserved and amplified with stone arches to complement the volume of the space. The Maidan also leads out into a new courtyard, connecting the two buildings and adding outdoor community space that can be used when weather permits. At the courtyard’s focal point lies a flat, smooth, stone monument where stories from the memory bank can be projected for community viewing.