From Workshop to Opening: The Story of the “Echo” Space

Echo: A Therapeutic Garden Created by Teenagers Opens in Lviv with the Support of Fix Union

A new public space called “Echo” has opened on the grounds of the surgical building of the Second Medical Association of Lviv — a therapeutic garden designed for patients, their families, and healthcare staff. What makes this project truly special is that it was conceived and implemented by Lviv teenagers participating in the urban education program “The City Has Me”, who guided the initiative from identifying a local challenge to creating a fully functioning public space.

For the Fix Union team, this project holds particular significance. In March 2026, the teenagers visited our production facility, where they worked side by side with our specialists to manufacture the outdoor furniture that now forms part of the completed space. Today, those benches have found their place on the hospital grounds and will serve people every day as part of a calm and welcoming environment.

The journey from idea to implementation took nearly a year. The participants first explored the area surrounding the hospital, spoke with doctors, patients, and local residents, and identified the need for a comfortable outdoor space. They later presented their concept at Lviv Urban Forum 2025, where it received second place. Following this achievement, the team secured funding through the “Poruch” (Together) grant program of the Lviv Youth Fund and moved forward with implementation.

Particular attention was given to accessibility and comfort. The teenagers designed the furniture themselves, carefully considering the needs of hospital visitors, including women staying in the maternity ward. The project was completed with the creation of a rain garden and additional landscaping elements.

“When you see your ideas become something physical, it feels completely different. You can literally feel your work,” says Anastasiia Huryna, a graduate of the urban movement program and co-author of the Echo project.

For Fix Union, participation in this initiative was not only an opportunity to share manufacturing expertise but also a chance to show young people how urban spaces are created. During the workshop, participants experienced the full woodworking process, including material calibration, sanding, manual finishing, protective treatment with outdoor wood oils, and final assembly.

“It is important for us to support educational initiatives like this because we are committed to promoting professions connected with manufacturing, design, and placemaking. We want young people to understand how outdoor furniture is created and how it shapes the urban environment,” said Pavlo Straz, Director of Fix Union.

One of the most meaningful moments during the opening ceremony was receiving a certificate of appreciation from the participants of the program. The recognition was awarded to Fix Union for supporting the project and helping bring the idea to life. For our team, this appreciation carries special value because we strongly believe that positive change in cities begins with active people who are willing to take responsibility for their communities.

We are genuinely inspired by such talented, conscious, and proactive young people. Initiatives like Echo demonstrate that teenagers are capable not only of generating ideas but also of successfully transforming them into real projects that improve public spaces and create value for local communities.

Another rewarding outcome of this collaboration is that one of the project participants will begin an internship at Fix Union in the coming weeks. For us, this is proof that initiatives like this do more than improve urban spaces — they also help young people discover professions, gain practical experience, and take their first steps toward future careers.

The Echo project was implemented by participants of the “The City Has Me” urban movement together with the Second Medical Association of Lviv, with financial support from the “Poruch” grant program of the Lviv Youth Fund. We are proud to have been part of this story and to have helped transform a meaningful idea into a real place that will serve people for years to come.