Pokrova
Location
Lviv Oblast, Pidbirtsi
Status
under construction
Total area
37 355 м2
Start of design
2025
Start of construction
2026
Client
Salesian Congregation of the UGCC
Services:
- collection of initial data
- pre-design works
- general design
When the Salesian Congregation of the UGCC approached us with the idea for a new complex for FC Pokrova and FC Pokrova AMP, it became clear: this was about much more than just sports infrastructure. At the core of this project is a far broader concept: to create a space where professional sports, veteran rehabilitation, education, and community life form a single, unified environment rather than existing in isolation from one another.
The complex in Pidbirtsi, near Lviv, is situated on a site of approximately seven hectares and combines football, rehabilitation, community, and spiritual functions. It features full-size football pitches, training infrastructure, a medical and rehabilitation building, public spaces, and an environment tailored for the daily life of the academy and the local community.
Site layout plan
Football pitch layout
First phase of development
Second phase of development
Third phase of development
Forth phase of development
It was essential for us that this space not be perceived as a closed sports facility. On the contrary, the complex was designed to become an extension of the Pidbirtsi environment—open and vibrant. That is why, alongside the sports infrastructure, we introduced public pathways, playgrounds, recreational zones, and open spaces accessible to local residents.
The concept development began with research. We analyzed the structure of modern football academies, the logistics of hosting official tournaments, and the specific requirements of rehabilitation spaces for veterans and amputee football players. This allowed us to shape a system where different life scenarios do not conflict, but function in parallel—naturally and seamlessly.
One of the key challenges was managing the flow of people. On match days, the site can simultaneously accommodate spectators, professional athletes, academy students, veterans undergoing rehabilitation, and members of the community. Therefore, the complex’s layout is built on strict zoning and a well-thought-out system of transport and pedestrian routes, avoiding chaos and creating a logical, intuitive environment.
The architectural language of the complex is also born out of sports. All buildings are unified by a shared facade mesh motif—an allusion to a football goal net. Across different volumes, it changes scale and proportions, adapting to the function of each specific structure, while simultaneously forming a cohesive architectural identity for the entire complex. Rather than serving as a mere decorative element, this solution establishes a recognizable identity for the site.
Indoor sports complex
Double-sided grandstand
Multi-level parking and shelter
The rehabilitation aspect became a vital part of the project. The space was developed with the understanding that architecture can function not just as infrastructure, but as an environment for support and recovery. This is why the concept incorporates landscaped zones, open spaces for relaxation, sports and rehabilitation functions, and quieter, more intimate areas within the grounds.
The project’s spiritual and social dimension, rooted in the very philosophy of the Salesian Congregation of the UGCC, formed another essential layer. Here, sport is viewed not merely as a professional discipline, but as a tool for supporting, developing, and restoring individuals. For this reason, alongside the sports and rehabilitation infrastructure, the complex incorporates a chapel, an assembly hall, public spaces, and an environment for the student community of Campus Pokrova. All of this shapes a more profound spatial model—one designed not just for training or rehabilitation, but for building community, interaction, and a sense of support. Architecture here serves not as a backdrop for functions, but as an environment that unifies sports, education, recovery, and human connections into a single cohesive system.
Rehabilitation building and academy residential block
Indoor arena
Ultimately, this project became a story for us about much more than just football. It is about a new type of sports architecture in Ukraine—one that is open, inclusive, and socially oriented. A space where professional sports blend with rehabilitation, community life, and everyday human scenarios, and where architecture becomes a tool for creating connections between them.
