Protecting the Capital's Architectural Legacy: A City Reconstructing Itself in the Shadow of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its graceful transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its arched shape. “I think it’s more of a showy bird,” she remarked, admiring its twig-detailed ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who commemorated the work with two lively pavement parties.

It was also an act of opposition against a foreign power, she explained: “We strive to live like ordinary people in spite of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the most positive way. Fear does not drive us of living in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, moving away to another European nation. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our dedication to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like ordinary people in spite of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy could be considered strange at a period when missile strikes routinely fall the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, bombing campaigns have been significantly intensified. After each attack, workers board up shattered windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Among the Bombs, a Campaign for Identity

Despite the violence, a band of activists has been striving to preserve the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a distinctive style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the downtown Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was initially the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its outer walls is decorated with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare in the present day,” Danylenko noted. The building was designed by a designer of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings nearby display similar art nouveau features, including a lack of symmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a turret on the other. One popular house in the area features two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Multiple Challenges to Legacy

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who knock down historically significant buildings, unethical officials and a governing class unconcerned or resistant to the city’s rich architectural history. The bitter winter climate imposes another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where wealth dictates. We are missing genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s leadership was allied with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov added that the concept for the capital is reminiscent of a bygone era. 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 lost. The lengthy conflict meant that everyone was facing economic hardship, he added, including those in the legal system who curiously ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see decline of our society and public institutions,” he remarked.

Destruction and Disregard

One glaring demolition site is in the waterside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to 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, heavy machinery demolished it. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a surly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also wrought immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could allow for military vehicles.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was killed in 2022 while engaged in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were continuing his crucial preservation work. There were originally 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s prosperous industrialists. Only 80 of their authentic doors remain, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that got rid of them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now little will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad 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 vermilion portal and authentic railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could last 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 appreciate the past? “Sadly they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still not yet close from that standard,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking remained, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Resilience in Restoration

Some buildings are falling apart because of institutional abandonment. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Many times we don’t win,” she acknowledged. “Restoration is therapy for us. We are attempting to save all this history and aesthetic value.”

In the face of war and commercial interests, these volunteers continue their work, one facade at a time, believing that to save a city’s heart, you must first save its walls.