Preserving the Capital's Architectural Legacy: A City Reconstructing Its Foundations Under the Threat of War.

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her newly installed front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “crescent roll”, a lighthearted tribute to its curved shape. “I think it’s more of a peafowl,” she commented, admiring its twig-detailed features. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who celebrated with two lively pavement parties.

It was also an demonstration of opposition in the face of an invading force, she explained: “Our aim is to live like normal people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the most positive way. We’re not afraid of living in Ukraine. I could have left, starting anew to Italy. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like everyday people despite the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way.”

Safeguarding Kyiv’s built legacy seems paradoxical at a time when aerial assaults routinely fall the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been significantly intensified. After each attack, workers board up blown-out windows with plywood and try, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Within the Explosions, a Campaign for History

Amid the bombs, a collective of activists has been attempting to save the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a playful style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the historic Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was first the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its exterior is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as 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 in the vicinity exhibit comparable art nouveau elements, including a lack of symmetry – with a medieval spire on one side and a projection on the other. One much-loved house in the area features two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure.

Several Threats to Heritage

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish protected buildings, corrupt officials and a governing class unconcerned or hostile to the city’s profound architectural history. The harsh winter climate imposes another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was closely associated with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov further alleged that the plan for the capital is reminiscent of a bygone era. 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 serving in the military or had been killed. The lengthy conflict meant that everyone was facing financial problems, he added, including judicial figures who curiously ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and governing institutions,” he remarked.

Destruction and Abandonment

One glaring demolition site is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had committed to preserve its charming brick facade. Shortly following the onset of major hostilities, diggers demolished it. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while claiming they were doing “scientific study”, he said. A previous regime also wrought immense damage on the capital, redesigning its primary street after the second world war so it could allow for large-scale parades.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable champions of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was fell in 2022 while engaged in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his crucial preservation work. There were initially 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s prosperous business magnates. Only 80 of their authentic doors remain, she said.

“It was not foreign rockets that destroyed them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could last another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful ivy-draped house built in 1910, which serves 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 vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now not a thing will be left.”

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not cherish the past? “Unfortunately they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to go to the west. But we are still a way off from civilization,” he said. Soviet-era ways of thinking remained, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Therapy in Action

Some buildings are collapsing because of official neglect. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons made their home among its broken windows; refuse lay under a fairytale tower. “Frequently we don’t win,” she acknowledged. “Preservation work is therapy for us. We are trying to save all this past and splendour.”

In the face of conflict and neglect, these volunteers continue their work, one door at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first cherish its history.