Protecting the Capital's Architectural Legacy: A City Reconstructing Itself in the Shadow of War.

Lesia Danylenko showed off with satisfaction her recently completed front door. Local helpers had affectionately dubbed its ornate transom window the “pastry”, a playful reference to its curved shape. “I think it’s more of a peacock,” she remarked, appreciating its twig-detailed details. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who commemorated the work with two neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an expression of defiance in the face of a neighboring state, she explained: “Our aim is to live like normal people in spite of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way. We’re not afraid of staying in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to Italy. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance represents our dedication to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like normal people in spite of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the most positive way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear paradoxical at a time when aerial assaults frequently hit the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been notably increased. After each assault, workers cover shattered windows with plywood and try, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Among the Explosions, a Fight for History

In the midst of war, a band of activists has been striving to save the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a distinctive style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the downtown Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was first the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its exterior is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare nowadays,” Danylenko stated. The building was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings close by display analogous art nouveau elements, including asymmetry – with a medieval spire on one side and a projection on the other. One popular house in the area displays two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Multiple Dangers to Heritage

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who knock down historically significant buildings, dishonest officials and a governing class apathetic or hostile to the city’s vast architectural history. The bitter winter climate adds another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We don’t have genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was closely associated with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov stated that the plan for the capital is reminiscent of a previous decade. The mayor rejects these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once protected older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been lost. The ongoing conflict meant that the entire society was facing economic hardship, he added, including those in the legal system who inexplicably ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he remarked.

Demolition and Abandonment

One egregious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had agreed to preserve its attractive brick facade. Shortly following the full-scale invasion, excavators demolished it. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new retail and office development, monitored by a surly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while stating they were doing “scientific study”, he said. A former political system also caused immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its primary street after the second world war so it could allow for large-scale parades.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most prominent defenders of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was fell 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 originally 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful business magnates. Only 80 of their period doors survived, she said.

“It was not foreign rockets that destroyed them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could last another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now nothing will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad 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 period-correct railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing 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 value the past? “Regrettably they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to move towards the west. But we are still not yet close from such cultural awareness,” he said. Soviet-era ways of thinking lingered, with people unwilling to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Resilience in Restoration

Some buildings are collapsing because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had collapsed; pigeons roosted among its broken windows; rubbish lay under a fairytale tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she admitted. “Preservation work is therapy for us. We are striving to save all this history and splendour.”

In the face of war and development pressures, these volunteers continue their work, one building at a time, arguing that to preserve a city’s identity, you must first cherish its walls.