🔗 Share this article Protecting the Capital's Architectural Legacy: An Urban Center Reconstructing Itself Under the Threat of War. Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her recently completed front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “croissant”, a playful reference to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peacock,” she stated, appreciating its tree limb-inspired ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who marked the occasion with a couple of lively pavement parties. It was also an demonstration of opposition in the face of a foreign power, she elaborated: “We are trying to live like normal people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way. We have no fear of living in our country. I had the option to depart, relocating to a foreign land. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our dedication to our homeland.” “We are trying to live like everyday people despite the war. It’s about organizing our life in the most positive way.” Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear strange at a period when missile strikes frequently hit the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, bombing campaigns have been notably increased. After each attack, workers cover blown-out windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings. Within the Explosions, a Campaign for History Amid the bombs, a collective of activists has been working to conserve the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was originally the home of a prosperous fur dealer. Its outer walls is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers. “These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare in the present day,” Danylenko noted. The mansion was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings close by showcase analogous art nouveau characteristics, including asymmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a turret on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure. Dual Dangers to Legacy But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who demolish historically significant buildings, unethical officials and a governing class unconcerned or resistant to the city’s rich architectural history. The harsh winter climate adds another challenge. “Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was friends with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov stated that the concept for the capital harks back to a previous decade. The mayor has refuted these claims, stating they come from political rivals. Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once defended older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been lost. The lengthy conflict meant that the entire society was facing economic hardship, he added, including judicial figures who mysteriously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and state bodies,” he remarked. Destruction and Abandonment One notorious example of destruction is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had committed to preserve its attractive brick facade. Shortly following the onset of major hostilities, excavators demolished it. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new shopping and business centre, monitored by a stern security guard. Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers demolished old properties while claiming they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A former political system also wrought immense damage on the capital, redesigning its central boulevard after the second world war so it could accommodate large-scale parades. Carrying the Torch One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his crucial preservation work. There were originally 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many erected for the city’s wealthy entrepreneurs. Only 80 of their authentic doors are still in existence, she said. “It was not external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now little will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique ivy-draped house built in 1910, which serves as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and original-style railings; inside is a vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left.” The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not appreciate the past? “Sadly they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to move towards the west. But we are still some distance away from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking lingered, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added. Resilience in Action Some buildings are falling apart because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she conceded. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are trying to save all this past and splendour.” In the face of war and development pressures, these activists continue their work, one door at a time, believing that to rebuild a city’s heart, you must first save its history.
Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her recently completed front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “croissant”, a playful reference to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peacock,” she stated, appreciating its tree limb-inspired ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who marked the occasion with a couple of lively pavement parties. It was also an demonstration of opposition in the face of a foreign power, she elaborated: “We are trying to live like normal people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way. We have no fear of living in our country. I had the option to depart, relocating to a foreign land. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our dedication to our homeland.” “We are trying to live like everyday people despite the war. It’s about organizing our life in the most positive way.” Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear strange at a period when missile strikes frequently hit the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, bombing campaigns have been notably increased. After each attack, workers cover blown-out windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings. Within the Explosions, a Campaign for History Amid the bombs, a collective of activists has been working to conserve the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was originally the home of a prosperous fur dealer. Its outer walls is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers. “These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare in the present day,” Danylenko noted. The mansion was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings close by showcase analogous art nouveau characteristics, including asymmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a turret on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure. Dual Dangers to Legacy But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who demolish historically significant buildings, unethical officials and a governing class unconcerned or resistant to the city’s rich architectural history. The harsh winter climate adds another challenge. “Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was friends with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov stated that the concept for the capital harks back to a previous decade. The mayor has refuted these claims, stating they come from political rivals. Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once defended older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been lost. The lengthy conflict meant that the entire society was facing economic hardship, he added, including judicial figures who mysteriously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and state bodies,” he remarked. Destruction and Abandonment One notorious example of destruction is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had committed to preserve its attractive brick facade. Shortly following the onset of major hostilities, excavators demolished it. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new shopping and business centre, monitored by a stern security guard. Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers demolished old properties while claiming they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A former political system also wrought immense damage on the capital, redesigning its central boulevard after the second world war so it could accommodate large-scale parades. Carrying the Torch One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his crucial preservation work. There were originally 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many erected for the city’s wealthy entrepreneurs. Only 80 of their authentic doors are still in existence, she said. “It was not external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now little will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique ivy-draped house built in 1910, which serves as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and original-style railings; inside is a vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left.” The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not appreciate the past? “Sadly they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to move towards the west. But we are still some distance away from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking lingered, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added. Resilience in Action Some buildings are falling apart because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she conceded. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are trying to save all this past and splendour.” In the face of war and development pressures, these activists continue their work, one door at a time, believing that to rebuild a city’s heart, you must first save its history.