Preserving the Capital's Architectural Legacy: An Urban Center Rebuilding Its Foundations Under the Threat of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her recently completed front door. The restoration team had given the moniker its ornate transom window the “crescent roll”, a playful reference to its arched shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peacock,” she commented, appreciating its tree limb-inspired ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who marked the occasion with two neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an expression of resistance towards a foreign power, she elaborated: “Our aim is to live like normal people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way. We have no fear of staying in Ukraine. I could have left, starting anew to Italy. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance shows our commitment to our homeland.”

“Our aim is to live like everyday people in spite of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the optimal way.”

Protecting Kyiv’s historic buildings seems paradoxical at a period when aerial assaults frequently hit the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, bombing campaigns have been notably increased. After each attack, workers cover shattered windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Among the Explosions, a Battle for History

In the midst of war, a group of activists has been attempting to conserve the city’s decaying mansions, built in a distinctive style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was erected in 1906 and was originally the home of a prosperous fur dealer. Its outer walls is decorated with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon nowadays,” Danylenko stated. The building was designed by a designer of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase similar art nouveau elements, including a lack of symmetry – with a medieval spire on one side and a small tower on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Multiple Dangers to History

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who knock down listed buildings, corrupt officials and a political leadership apathetic or resistant to the city’s rich architectural history. The bitter winter climate presents another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s mayor was allied with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov further alleged that the plan for the capital harks back to a previous decade. The mayor rejects these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once defended older properties were now engaged in combat or had been killed. The lengthy conflict meant that all citizens was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who curiously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see decline of our society and public institutions,” he remarked.

Loss and Neglect

One egregious example of destruction is in the waterside 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. Shortly following the 2022 invasion, excavators tore it down. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new retail and office development, observed by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also caused immense damage on the capital, redesigning its primary street after the second world war so it could accommodate military vehicles.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable champions of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his crucial preservation work. There were at one time 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s wealthy business magnates. Only 80 of their original doors remain, she said.

“It was not external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could last another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now not a thing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad house built in 1910, which acts as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new vermilion portal and original-style railings; inside is a vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left.”

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not cherish the past? “Sadly they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still a way off from civilization,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking persisted, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Hope in Restoration

Some buildings are crumbling because of official neglect. Chudna showed a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons made their home among its smashed windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Often we don’t win,” she acknowledged. “This activity is therapy for us. We are striving to save all this past and splendour.”

In the face of destruction and neglect, these activists continue their work, one door at a time, believing that to preserve a city’s soul, you must first cherish its stones.