Cultural and сivic projects: the balbek bureau approach

From revitalizing industrial zones to transforming shipping containers into exhibition spaces, the balbek bureau team embraces collaboration with cultural projects. Our goal is to create spaces that foster urban development and become vital hubs for local communities.

Breathing New Life into Old Spaces
We actively participate in open competitions for civic and cultural projects. This is how we began working with the Jam Factory Art Center, a contemporary art space located in the revitalized buildings of the former jam factory. Our studio won the competition for the best interior design concept. Together with the client, we reimagined an abandoned building, respecting its historical context while giving it a new purpose.

A Multimedia Experience
Designing cultural projects goes beyond interiors. Our team carefully crafts scenarios for audience interaction with the space. For instance, the multimedia exhibition "Chornobyl. Journey" , commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, aimed to help people reinterpret the tragedy and spark discussions about the Exclusion Zone's future. Using immersive technologies such as VR, we narrated the Chernobyl story in a modern way, "transporting" visitors to the heart of the events.

No Limits to Space
Cultural projects don’t always require permanent locations. Creative events often find a home in unconventional places. For example, we designed the MOT cultural space, the "Module of Temporality," constructed from 27 metal shipping containers. Our imagination isn’t confined to enclosed spaces — we are ready to design exhibitions, galleries, or performance venues in open-air settings, unconventional natural locations, or even on water.

Do you have an ambitious cultural project in mind and need a team to bring it to life? Send us a request — we’ll be happy to explore your ideas and offer our vision.