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

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her freshly fitted front door. Local helpers had given the moniker its ornate transom window the “croissant”, a playful reference to its bowed shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peafowl,” she remarked, gazing at its tree limb-inspired details. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who marked the occasion with two lively pavement parties.

It was also an act of resistance in the face of an invading force, she clarified: “We are trying to live like normal people despite the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. Fear does not drive us of staying in our homeland. I had the option to depart, relocating to another European nation. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance shows our allegiance to our homeland.”

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

Protecting Kyiv’s built legacy could be considered unusual at a moment when drone attacks regularly target the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been dramatically stepped up. After each assault, workers board up shattered windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Among the Conflict, a Campaign for Beauty

Despite the violence, a collective of activists has been working to save the city’s decaying 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 originally the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its outer walls is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce nowadays,” Danylenko said. The building was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby display comparable art nouveau features, including an irregular shape – with a medieval spire on one side and a projection on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Dual Threats to History

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who knock down historically significant buildings, unethical officials and a administrative body apathetic or hostile to the city’s profound architectural history. The bitter winter climate presents another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He asserted the city’s leadership was friends with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov further alleged that the concept for the capital comes straight out of a previous decade. The mayor denies these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once championed older properties were now serving in the military or had been lost. The protracted conflict meant that the entire society was facing economic hardship, he added, including those in the legal system who inexplicably ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see deterioration of our society and public institutions,” he remarked.

Destruction and Disregard

One notorious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had agreed to preserve its charming brick facade. A day after the 2022 invasion, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new shopping and business centre, observed by a surly 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 “scientific study”, he said. A 20th-century empire also wrought immense damage on the capital, redesigning its primary street after the second world war so it could accommodate military vehicles.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most prominent advocates of historic buildings, a heritage expert, 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 originally 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s prosperous industrialists. Only 80 of their authentic doors are still in existence, she said.

“It was not foreign rockets that eliminated them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique ivy-draped house built in 1910, which functions 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 historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now not a thing will be left.”

The building’s occupant, 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 integrate with the west. But we are still not yet close from civilization,” he said. Soviet-era ways of thinking lingered, with people unwilling to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Resilience in Restoration

Some buildings are crumbling because of official neglect. Chudna showed a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its smashed windows; refuse lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she acknowledged. “Preservation work is a form of healing for us. We are striving to save all this past and beauty.”

In the face of conflict and neglect, these activists continue their work, one facade at a time, believing that to rebuild a city’s heart, you must first protect its history.