Protecting the Capital's Architectural Legacy: A City Rebuilding Its Foundations Under the Threat of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her recently completed front door. Local helpers had playfully nicknamed its graceful transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peafowl,” she remarked, admiring its tree limb-inspired details. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who commemorated the work with two neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an act of defiance against a neighboring state, she clarified: “Our aim is to live like normal people in spite of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way. We have no fear of staying in our homeland. I had the option to depart, relocating to another European nation. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our dedication to our homeland.”

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

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy seems unusual at a time when drone attacks routinely fall the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the onset of the current year, bombing campaigns have been significantly intensified. After each assault, workers seal blown-out windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Within the Conflict, a Campaign for Identity

Despite the violence, a band of activists has been striving to save the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a whimsical 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 wealthy fur dealer. Its facade is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon nowadays,” Danylenko stated. The residence was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase comparable art nouveau features, including an irregular shape – with a pointed turret on one side and a turret on the other. One much-loved house in the area features two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Several Dangers to History

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish protected buildings, dishonest officials and a administrative body indifferent or hostile to the city’s profound architectural history. The bitter winter climate presents another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s mayor was friends with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov added that the vision for the capital harks back to a previous decade. The mayor has refuted 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 lengthy conflict meant that the entire society was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who curiously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and public institutions,” he remarked.

Demolition and Abandonment

One egregious demolition site is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had committed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, heavy machinery demolished it. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new commercial complex, 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 demolished old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also inflicted immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its primary street after the second world war so it could accommodate military vehicles.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most notable champions of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was killed in 2022 while fighting in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were continuing his important preservation work. There were initially 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s wealthy business magnates. Only 80 of their authentic doors remain, she said.

“It was not external attacks that destroyed them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now nothing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character creeper-covered house built in 1910, which functions as the headquarters of her cultural organization and operates as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door 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 not a thing will be left.”

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many citizens not value the past? “Sadly they do not have 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 that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Therapy in Action

Some buildings are falling apart because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; debris lay under a fairytale tower. “Many times we are unsuccessful,” she admitted. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are trying to save all this history and splendour.”

In the face of conflict and development pressures, these volunteers continue their work, one building at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first save its walls.