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

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her freshly fitted front door. Local helpers had affectionately dubbed its ornate transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its bowed shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peafowl,” she stated, appreciating its branch-like ornamentation. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who marked the occasion with two lively pavement parties.

It was also an act of opposition against an invading force, she elaborated: “Our aim is to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way. We have no fear of remaining in our homeland. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to Italy. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance represents our dedication to our homeland.”

“Our aim is to live like normal people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the optimal way.”

Protecting Kyiv’s historic buildings may appear strange at a moment when aerial assaults frequently hit the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been notably increased. After each assault, workers board up shattered windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Amid the Conflict, a Campaign for Identity

Despite the violence, a group of activists has been attempting to save the city’s decaying mansions, built in a playful style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the downtown Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was originally the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its exterior is decorated with horse chestnut leaves and intricate camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare today,” Danylenko noted. The building was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings close by display analogous art nouveau characteristics, including asymmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a small tower on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Several Threats to Heritage

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish historically significant buildings, dishonest officials and a administrative body 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 are missing 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 destroy important houses. Perov stated that the plan for the capital is reminiscent of a bygone era. The mayor denies these claims, attributing them from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once protected older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been lost. The protracted conflict meant that the entire society was facing financial problems, he added, including judicial figures who curiously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see decline of our society and state bodies,” he remarked.

Loss and Neglect

One glaring location of loss is in the waterside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had pledged to preserve its charming brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the 2022 invasion, heavy machinery tore it down. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new commercial complex, monitored by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining coloured 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 primary street after the second world war so it could accommodate official processions.

Carrying the Torch

One of Kyiv’s most notable advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his vital preservation work. There were at one time 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s successful entrepreneurs. Only 80 of their authentic doors survived, she said.

“It was not aerial bombardments that got rid of them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character 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 authentic railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now little will be left.”

The building’s resident, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “quite special and a little bit cold”. Why do many citizens not cherish the past? “Sadly they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still some distance away from such cultural awareness,” he said. Soviet-era ways of thinking persisted, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Therapy in Action

Some buildings are falling apart because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons nested among its smashed windows; rubbish lay under a storybook tower. “Many times we don’t win,” she conceded. “Preservation work is a form of healing for us. We are striving to save all this history and splendour.”

In the face of destruction and development pressures, these activists continue their work, one facade at a time, arguing that to save a city’s soul, you must first save its history.