18.01.24. We are continuing our series of interviews with the bureau’s employees. This time, we are introducing you to Mykhailo Shevchenko!

Mykhailo Shevchenko is an architect, industrial designer, and lecturer at the Studio and Construction Practice 2023 at the Kharkiv School of Architecture. He has been working in the field for over 10 years, almost 3 of which at Drozdov & Partners.

Why did you decide to become an architect?

Initially, I wasn’t going to enter an architecture program. I was more interested in industrial and product design. However, my parents advised me to go into architecture, so I tried and later got fascinated by it, and I still always find something new in the profession. So I have my parents to thank for that.

Where did you study architecture?

I studied at the Kyiv University of Construction and Architecture – a classic state architectural education. I decided not to pursue the next level of education, and now I regret it. But the peculiarity of our profession is that you have to study continuously, so I continue my studies on my own. And since I started teaching, I’ve been learning even more, and now I also follow architectural schools, so I’m constantly in professional discourse.

What skills did you develop the best?

Thanks to my experience in working design, I have significantly increased my technical skills, so I feel confident in projects of various scales and have good skills in various design schemes.   I work a lot with wood and I have good expertise in the material. 

How many years have you been working in architecture?

I started working while studying at the university – it was considered a common practice. With these first experiences, it’s been more than ten years. During my work, I have changed many directions, worked with different typologies, made working drawings, and tried my hand at industrial design and urbanism. All this experience comes in handy now. I always try to differentiate my activities and not do the same things for a long period of time.

What do you like most about your job?

A lot of things! I really like the flexibility of the profession because it combines many areas – humanitarian and technical, theoretical and practical, and touches many industries. I adore this multidisciplinarity, where different areas reinforce each other and create a quality product together. I like the opportunity to try on different roles and change directions within the same profession. You can design at different scales, do technical things or data collection, and work with urban spaces or interiors. And there is also architectural theory, teaching, and journalism. A lot of areas make this profession one that doesn’t get boring.

What is important in the work of an architect?

Be able to manage the design process because it is primarily about communication between different specialists, the customer, and colleagues. And, of course, to be able to organize your own work. It is also important to be in the context of modern architecture (and not only) and respond to changes and learn new things.

What kind of projects do you enjoy working on the most?

I like to alternate between different projects, so I don’t get bored with a particular typology and start working with a fresh perspective. Although, of course, I have my favorites. I like to work with wood. Designing a small pavilion is my “guilty pleasure.”

What is your favorite project in the bureau?

Today, I have two favorite projects – Bursa Cabins and Virmenska. Both projects are quite unique, they contained a lot of research and interesting discoveries, and I worked in great teams in both of them. In general, I like most of my projects at the bureau, I love our approach to design, it resonates with me.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Offices that work at the intersection of architecture and research, and experiment with materials, technologies, and tectonics inspire me the most. I love wooden architecture, so I follow many offices that explore this material. Moreover, folk architecture has always been a great source of inspiration for me. Other than that, it’s pretty standard – I really like Dutch and Scandinavian architecture.

I have several hobbies that complement architecture well: automotive design, graphic and font design, and cinema. Also teaching – working with students gives me a lot of practice and is very motivating.

What is your favorite stage in architectural design?

I really like the first stages of ideation and research, studying the context and history of the site, and the project’s typology. The phase when you spend a lot of time in the model, testing hypotheses and combining them with research results. Although, in fact, the whole project is interesting to me – gradually putting all the pieces together is very exciting.

What do you like most about working in the bureau?

I really like our methodology of work with a strong emphasis on finding and testing hypotheses through various mediums – mockups (piles of mockups), virtual models, sketches, and our joint discussions as a reliable way to test these hypotheses.

What projects would you like to work on in the future?

I like to alternate between different projects, so it’s hard to say about specific typologies. For me, it’s more a matter of working methods and topics. Now, I’m interested in working with materiality and experimenting with constructs, and it will be interesting to implement these directions in projects of different scales.

What do you think will be important in the future reconstruction of Ukraine?

I think it is important to prioritize the comfort of users. We need to work holistically with urban spaces, not restore individual buildings. It should be a holistic process involving various experts and citizens. 

It is also crucial to reflect on the problems we have now and try to solve them comprehensively – energy efficiency, inclusion, mobility, and many other problematic areas that create a comfortable and safe space.

The technical component is also important: we should implement only the best practices and build with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind. 

It is essential for architects to recognize their role in these new circumstances, not solely focused on design, but rather mediating and sometimes very humanitarian.

Photos: Margo Didichenko, Zlatoslava Kryshtafovych