Says Evgeniy: The Green City is my ongoing project, in which I explore the rapid urbanization of Kiev and the ever-changing physical landscape of the city. Like any capital, Kiev lures people from all over Ukraine: here, in comparison with other cities, wages are way higher and there are more opportunities for everyone, as everything brand new and most fascinating is happening right here. However, as the city’s population rapidly grows, Kiev is facing new urban development challenges, which become more and more obvious over the recent years. Whether it’s the downtown or the outskirts, randomly appearing residential complexes can be found all over Kiev. Pursuing the only goal of maximising the profits, the developer builds houses often disregarding the norms and standards of land use. Residential areas continue to be built in accordance with the Soviet experience of urban development and the ideas of modernist planning. Thus, the territories around the houses remain unused and empty, while isolated inner yards remain the only public space for many.
Evgeniy Stepanets was born in Luhansk (East Ukraine) in 1989. Finished Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University. Currently lives and works in Kyiv as freelance photographer and designer. He is focusing on documentary photography, exploring social issues in modern Ukraine.
Website: instagram.com/evgeniy.stepanets
