Preserving the Capital's Architectural Legacy: A City Rebuilding Itself in the Shadow of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. Local helpers had given the moniker its graceful transom window the “pastry”, a playful reference to its arched shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a showy bird,” she remarked, admiring its twig-detailed details. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who celebrated with several neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an act of opposition against an invading force, she clarified: “We are trying to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the optimal way. Fear does not drive us of staying in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, moving away to Italy. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance shows our dedication to our homeland.”

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

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy may appear paradoxical at a moment when aerial assaults regularly target the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been notably increased. After each attack, workers seal broken windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Amid the Explosions, a Fight for Beauty

Amid the bombs, a collective of activists has been attempting to preserve the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a distinctive style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the historic Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was originally the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its exterior is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon nowadays,” Danylenko said. The residence was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby display comparable art nouveau characteristics, including asymmetry – with a medieval spire on one side and a turret on the other. One much-loved house in the area boasts two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Several Threats to Legacy

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish listed buildings, corrupt officials and a governing class apathetic or resistant to the city’s rich architectural history. The harsh winter climate imposes another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We lack genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s mayor was closely associated with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov further alleged that the vision for the capital is reminiscent of a previous decade. The mayor has refuted these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

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

Destruction and Neglect

One egregious example of destruction is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had pledged to preserve its attractive brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, heavy machinery demolished it. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new shopping and business centre, observed by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers demolished old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A 20th-century empire also inflicted immense damage on the capital, reconstructing its primary street after the second world war so it could accommodate large-scale parades.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most renowned advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was fell in 2022 while fighting in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his important preservation work. There were initially 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their original doors are still in existence, she said.

“It was not aerial bombardments that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful 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 vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors.

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

The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not appreciate the past? “Regrettably they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to go to the west. But we are still not yet close from civilization,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Resilience in Preservation

Some buildings are collapsing because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had collapsed; pigeons nested among its shattered windows; refuse lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she conceded. “Preservation work is therapy for us. We are attempting to save all this past and beauty.”

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