LEGO Community in Ukraine: Welcome to Kyiv’s Comfort Town
Best of BrickNerd — Article originally published on March 1, 2022 and updated on Feb 25, 2023.
Image via The Calvert Journal
The events in this article took place in Autumn 2021. The article, by guest writer Jenn Williams, has been in development with BrickNerd since that time and was completed before the escalation of current events. Even as a memory from last year, however, the story of the LEGO community in Ukraine deserves to be told. Jenn’s explorations highlight the connection and inspiration LEGO can bring to all corners of the world. We hope this article illustrates how the international AFOL community is diverse, creative, and overwhelmingly open-hearted.
Finding Community in Ukraine
The cityscape of Kyiv, Ukraine, stretches in repetitious rows of gray, as far as the eye can see. Building after building of bland soviet apartment blocks are peppered only with the blue and yellow of Ukrainian flags hung from loyal citizens’ balconies. Even though it is the height of summer, a stalwart tree offers only the occasional sign of nature in the sea of concrete. One thing is for sure: Kyiv looks nothing like my American hometown.
Fortune took me to Ukraine for three weeks to attend the wedding of a dear loved one. This being our third lengthy stay in this part of the world within ten years - and the birthplace of our children, it has become a second home to us. I’m fortunate to have this beautiful memory. It’s hard to believe it was only a few months back, as such a journey would be impossible today.
While I was half a world away, I reached out to the local LUG community for a more personal connection. The LAN network led me to find that THE LUG (UkrBricks) in Ukraine happened to be in the city I would be visiting for most of the trip: Kyiv. What luck!
This outreach led me to virtually meet LUG ambassador Maksym Mitiakin and to venture across the Dnipro River, to the left bank of the city. I was told that here I would find “Comfort Town”, an entire community of 8,500 apartments completed in 2019 inspired by LEGO.
Creativity in Comfort Town
IMage via Architectural Digest
Comfort Town is a high-end, gated community created by architect archimatika, specifically with LEGO inspiration in mind. The sloped roofs, color-changing monochromatic buildings paint schemes, lack of balconies, and randomly placed windows stand out as a severe departure from soviet construction and leans towards the LEGO architecture of children. I wouldn’t call the architecture “modern”… but, in fact, it reminds me very much of the cities I built in my bedroom, in my childhood LEGO village.
IMage via Architectural Digest
The area is gated and requires a passcode to enter, which is guarded by security. We were allowed to use the code from Town Cafe, in exchange for partaking of their delicacies. One latte and a slice of Napolean cake pastry later, we were ready to explore!
Comfort Town was created as a place that would accept originality, creativity, and diversity in ways that have previously been stifled in this part of the world. However, the inspiration is beyond just visuals. The small community is filled with parks, stores, cafes, playgrounds, and a private school... all inspired by bucolic life in a LEGO city.
Connecting Through LEGO
In a stroke of luck, my local contact Maksym wrote me on exactly the day I planned to visit Comfort Town, and offered to meet up. We met just outside the gates of Comfort Town and formed an instant connection of LEGO over a cup of coffee, followed by a tour. While Maksym does not live in this community, he is no stranger to it and enjoyed the process of watching it as it was built.
Maksym and I shared pictures of our builds and enjoyed conversing about LEGO, AFOLs, our families, Ukraine, and America. He showed me his personal replica of the capital city of Ukraine - a commission piece, and I showed him my own much, much, smaller accomplishments. Regardless of the gap in skills, we were able to connect on an organic level over the love of colorful bricks and imagination.
Maksym became my personal tour guide around Comfort Town, pointing out details that I otherwise would have missed. For example, The windmill in the neighborhood serves as a facade to hide the electrical center.
Beauty was around every corner in Comfort Town. I soaked in the sights for a couple of hours. With each glance, I looked at the scene and could imagine what LEGO parts could be used to re-create reality. You’ve heard of the saying, “I felt like a kid in a candy store”? Well, I felt like a minifig in a LEGO city!
It's strange to think that I might find inspiration in post-soviet architecture, but Comfort Town inspired LEGO Jenn to keep building, connecting, to seek beauty, and to continue to discover the uniqueness in the world.
IMage via Architectural Digest
Update as of February 25, 2023: At the time of publishing, Maksym continues to live in the Kyiv region where shelling has slowed to the point that he can sometimes enjoy building LEGO again. His family (including a newborn) has been evacuated to the EU where they have been living for almost a year. They long for the day when they can reunite.
Jenn reached out to the architect of Comfort Town who is currently living there and reported that while the structures have been affected by blackouts and some damage, the complex has remained safe with repaired walls and fresh paint. Jenn is planning on reuniting with Maksym this summer and supporting several families in need. If you would like to contribute to the effort, please consider donating via the Williams Farm Foundation.
The LEGO Foundation and the Ole Kirk Foundation donated $16.5 million to emergency relief efforts in Ukraine. If you'd like to assist, please consider donating to any of the following organizations:
Build and Photo by Dave Schefcik
Have you ever connected over LEGO across borders? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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