Protecting the Capital's Architectural Legacy: An Urban Center Reconstructing Itself in the Shadow of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her recently completed front door. Volunteers had playfully nicknamed its elegant transom window the “crescent roll”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peacock,” she stated, admiring its twig-detailed features. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who marked the occasion with a couple of impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an expression of resistance against a neighboring state, she clarified: “We are trying to live like ordinary people despite the war. It’s about organizing our life in the optimal way. We have no fear of remaining in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to another European nation. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our dedication to our homeland.”

“We are trying to live like everyday people in spite of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the best possible way.”

Safeguarding Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear paradoxical at a moment when drone attacks regularly target the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, aerial raids have been significantly intensified. After each assault, workers seal broken windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Among the Bombs, a Battle for History

Despite the violence, a collective of activists has been working to conserve the city’s crumbling 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 affluent fur dealer. Its facade is decorated with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce today,” Danylenko stated. The residence was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings nearby exhibit similar art nouveau elements, including asymmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a small tower 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.

Multiple Dangers to Heritage

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who demolish historically significant buildings, corrupt officials and a governing class apathetic or hostile to the city’s profound architectural history. The severe winter climate presents another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing 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 destroy important houses. Perov further alleged that the vision for the capital is reminiscent of a bygone era. The mayor has refuted these claims, attributing them from political rivals.

Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once championed older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been lost. The ongoing conflict meant that all citizens was facing monetary strain, he added, including those in the legal system who mysteriously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he argued.

Loss and Abandonment

One notorious location of loss is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had committed to preserve its attractive brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, heavy machinery razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new shopping and business centre, observed by a unfriendly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A 20th-century empire also wrought immense damage on the capital, reconstructing its primary street after the second world war so it could allow for military vehicles.

Carrying the Torch

One of Kyiv’s most renowned champions of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while fighting in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his important preservation work. There were initially 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful business magnates. Only 80 of their authentic doors are still in existence, she said.

“It wasn’t aerial bombardments that destroyed them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now nothing will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful ivy-draped house built in 1910, which acts 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 go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now little will be left.”

The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “quite special and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not appreciate the past? “Unfortunately they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to go to the west. But we are still some distance away from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking lingered, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Therapy in Action

Some buildings are crumbling because of institutional abandonment. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its smashed windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we are unsuccessful,” she acknowledged. “Preservation work is therapy for us. We are trying to save all this past and beauty.”

In the face of conflict and commercial interests, these activists continue their work, one facade at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first protect its walls.