Protecting Kyiv's Architectural Legacy: An Urban Center Rebuilding Its Foundations Under the Threat of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “croissant”, a lighthearted tribute to its curved shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peacock,” she remarked, admiring its branch-like features. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who commemorated the work with two impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an demonstration of resistance against a neighboring state, she elaborated: “Our aim is to live like everyday people in spite of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the most positive way. We’re not afraid of staying in our country. The possibility to emigrate existed, moving away to another European nation. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance represents our dedication to our homeland.”

“We are trying to live like ordinary people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the optimal way.”

Safeguarding Kyiv’s built legacy seems strange at a moment when aerial assaults regularly target the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the onset of the current year, bombing campaigns have been notably increased. After each strike, workers board up broken windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Among the Conflict, a Fight for Identity

Amid the bombs, a group of activists has been working to save the city’s decaying mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was erected in 1906 and was initially the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its facade is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce today,” Danylenko stated. The residence was designed by a designer of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings close by showcase similar art nouveau elements, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a projection on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Multiple Challenges to History

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who raze listed buildings, dishonest officials and a governing class indifferent or opposed to the city’s vast architectural history. The harsh winter climate presents another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We don’t have real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s mayor was allied with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov stated that the vision for the capital is reminiscent of a different time. The mayor rejects these claims, attributing them from political rivals.

Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once defended older properties were now engaged in combat or had been killed. The ongoing conflict meant that everyone was facing economic hardship, he added, including those in the legal system who mysteriously ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he contended.

Demolition and Neglect

One egregious example of destruction is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had agreed to preserve its charming brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the onset of major hostilities, heavy machinery razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new retail and office development, monitored by a unfriendly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also wrought immense damage on the capital, redesigning its primary street after the second world war so it could facilitate large-scale parades.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most notable champions of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while fighting in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his crucial preservation work. There were initially 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s wealthy industrialists. Only 80 of their period doors survived, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now little will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character vine-clad house built in 1910, which functions as the headquarters of her cultural organization and doubles as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and period-correct railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now not a thing will be left.”

The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not value the past? “Unfortunately they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to go to the west. But we are still some distance away from such cultural awareness,” he said. Previous ways of thinking persisted, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Resilience in Preservation

Some buildings are crumbling because of institutional abandonment. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons made their home among its smashed windows; debris lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she admitted. “This activity is a coping mechanism for us. We are striving to save all this history and aesthetic value.”

In the face of war and development pressures, these citizens continue their work, one door at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first protect its history.