The city is the people
If the heart of a city lies in its history, then its soul resides in its people.
Our source of inspiration is the inhabitants of cities.
about us.
Urban Factory was established as a platform for city projects, bringing together specialists from diverse fields and countries. Our mission is to create innovative solutions for social, economic, and urban challenges through a blend of strategic planning, urban policy development, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Founded in Rostov-on-Don, Urban Factory has grown into an international agency with intercontinental experience. Our interdisciplinary team of professionals works with towns, cities, and regions, focusing on urban development, transport planning, and urban research to shape vibrant, sustainable cities.
The foundation of Urban Factory lies in the extensive experience of its founder, Mikhail Veklenko, who worked for over a decade in real estate and development before launching the agency. From resettlement and redevelopment projects in Rostov-on-Don to managing the reconstruction of architectural heritage sites, his work set the stage for Urban Factory’s current expertise in urban and strategic development.
Since 2020, our headquarters have been based in Zagreb, Croatia. Today, Urban Factory operates as a collaboration of creative planners, designers, and researchers who believe that quality design, strategic thinking, and bold vision are key tools for building healthy, thriving cities.
Our departments.
Engagement & Events Department
Strategic Planning & Mobility Department
Urban Design & Architecture Department.
We build platforms for dialogue and collaboration, organizing diverse public and professional events such as forums, conferences, and round tables on both local and international scales.
We specialize in creating comprehensive urban policies, transport systems, multimodal transport strategies, and socio-economic plans. Our work also involves research in urban mobility and development to guide the future of cities and regions.
We deliver cutting-edge designs for public spaces, urban environments, and forms, including projects in landscape architecture, urban furniture, and architectural innovation.
The city is the people
If the heart of a city lies in its history, then its soul resides in its people.
Our source of inspiration is the inhabitants of cities.
about us.
Urban Factory was established as a platform for city projects, bringing together specialists from diverse fields and countries. Our mission is to create innovative solutions for social, economic, and urban challenges through a blend of strategic planning, urban policy development, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Founded in Rostov-on-Don, Urban Factory has grown into an international agency with intercontinental experience. Our interdisciplinary team of professionals works with towns, cities, and regions, focusing on urban development, transport planning, and urban research to shape vibrant, sustainable cities.
The foundation of Urban Factory lies in the extensive experience of its founder, Mikhail Veklenko, who worked for over a decade in real estate and development before launching the agency. From resettlement and redevelopment projects in Rostov-on-Don to managing the reconstruction of architectural heritage sites, his work set the stage for Urban Factory’s current expertise in urban and strategic development.
Since 2020, our headquarters have been based in Zagreb, Croatia. Today, Urban Factory operates as a collaboration of creative planners, designers, and researchers who believe that quality design, strategic thinking, and bold vision are key tools for building healthy, thriving cities.
Project Collaborators: Driving Change Together.
Urban Factory thrives on collaboration. Over the years, we've worked with an extraordinary network of experts, visionaries, and specialists from various fields. These collaborators brought their unique perspectives to our projects, shaping impactful solutions for urban challenges. While many of them have moved forward in their careers, their contributions remain central to our achievements.
Mikhail Veklenko
Marina Khrustaleva
Prof. Mikael Sarkisyants
Prof. Circe Monteiro
CEO in Urban Factory (Zagreb, Croatia)
economist, urbanist, founder of Urban Factory
specialist in cultural heritage (Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Editorial Team Member in My Liveable City (USA)
architect, urban planning, Professor at the Don State Technical University (Rostov-on-Don, Russia)
Professor Circe Monteiro is the Head of the Research Institute INCITI. Professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco. (Recife, Brazil)
Nikolay Protsenko
contributor, independent translator (Belgrade, Serbia)
Daria Rud
Qualitative sociologist interested in humanity (Zagreb, Croatia)
Grisha Krasnov
media producer (Rostov-on-Don, Russia)
Alexey Karachinsky
architect (Koh Phangan, Thailand)
Bárbara Maranhao
architect, GR, PR, social projects (Recife, Brazil)
cultural managment, PR, GR
Pedro Guedes
architect, urban planning, mobility (Recife, Brazil)
Milton Botler
architect, urban planning, mobility (Recife, Brazil)
Julia Litvinova
architect (Rostov-on-Don, Russia)
Engagement & Events Department.
Urban festival Rostov. The beginning of the Urban Factory.
2013 Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
