ESTDEV’s housing project for Ukrainian foster families wins “Best Development of the Year” in Woodhouse Estonia’s annual awards

The award recognises the collaboration between Estonia and Ukraine in an initiative led by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) in partnership with KMT Prefab OÜ, a leading Estonian prefabricated house manufacturer, and Ukrainian general contractor Alexander & I.   

The jury praised the project as a “work of symbolic importance”, highlighting how Estonian timber construction can offer high-quality, factory-built housing solutions quickly and efficiently in regions affected by conflict.  

“Rebuilding Ukraine is not only a construction challenge but also a symbolic and moral step,” said Annika Kadaja, CEO of Woodhouse Estonia. “The group homes produced for Ukraine showcase the potential of factory-built timber construction. These homes are manufactured in just a few months, yet are sustainable and dignified, offering both practical support and hope for the future in war-torn Ukraine.”  

“This project was born thanks to close cooperation between Estonian and Ukrainian partners,” said Tarmo Needo, ESTDEV’s programme manager for Infrastructure Development. “Our goal was to demonstrate the speed and quality of Estonian prefabricated construction. Most importantly, three large Ukrainian families displaced by the war now have safe, dignified homes once again.”  

The standard design of the winning housing project was selected during an architectural competition organised by the Ministry of Culture, the Union of Estonian Architects and ESTDEV.  

The winning design, HATA, was created by Estonian architectural firm DAGOpen and Ukrainian design studio Byro with architects Anna Solts, Oksana Buziak, Jaan Kuusemets and Oleksii Pakhomov. The design combines the best of Estonian architecture and construction practices, featuring 212 square metres of living space with seven bedrooms and four bathrooms. The buildings' wooden elements were produced in Estonia and then transported to Ukraine and assembled on site.  

This year’s overall winner is a seven-story modular apartment building in Norway, developed by Kodumaja AS. This groundbreaking building is believed to be among the first in Europe with an entirely wood-frame modular load-bearing structure, from the ground floor to the roof, without the use of solid wood or concrete elements.  

The Prefab House of the Year 2025 Awards underscore Estonia’s growing leadership in innovative timber construction and its commitment to using architectural expertise to create lasting social impact across borders.