Safeguarding the Capital's Architectural Legacy: A City Rebuilding Itself Amidst the Onslaught of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her newly installed front door. The restoration team had playfully nicknamed its ornate transom window the “crescent roll”, a whimsical nod to its arched shape. “I think it’s more of a peafowl,” she stated, admiring its tree limb-inspired details. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who commemorated the work with two neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an act of defiance against a foreign power, she explained: “We are trying to live like everyday people in spite of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way. Fear does not drive us of remaining in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to another European nation. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance shows our commitment to our homeland.”

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

Safeguarding Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear unusual at a moment when aerial assaults routinely fall the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the onset of the current year, offensive operations have been dramatically stepped up. After each assault, workers seal blown-out windows with plywood and try, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Amid the Explosions, a Fight for Identity

In the midst of war, a band of activists has been striving to conserve 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 first the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its exterior is decorated with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce today,” Danylenko said. The building was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity showcase similar art nouveau elements, including a lack of symmetry – with a gothic tower on one side and a projection on the other. One much-loved house in the area features two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Dual Challenges to Legacy

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who raze protected buildings, corrupt officials and a political leadership unconcerned or opposed to the city’s vast architectural history. The harsh winter climate presents another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where wealth dictates. We are missing substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was friends with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov added that the concept for the capital harks back to a previous decade. The mayor rejects these claims, saying they originate from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once protected older properties were now serving in the military or had been fallen. The protracted conflict meant that all citizens was facing monetary strain, he added, including judicial figures who mysteriously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he contended.

Destruction and Neglect

One egregious example of destruction is in the waterside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had committed to preserve its attractive brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new shopping and business centre, monitored 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 levelled old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also caused 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 prominent champions of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was killed in 2022 while engaged in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his vital preservation work. There were initially 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s wealthy business magnates. Only 80 of their authentic doors survived, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that got rid of them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could last another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character vine-clad house built in 1910, which acts as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new vermilion portal and period-correct railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could last another 20 years. If we fail to protect 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 appreciate the past? “Unfortunately they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to go to the west. But we are still not yet close from that standard,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking persisted, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Therapy in Action

Some buildings are collapsing because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; debris lay under a whimsical tower. “Many times we are unsuccessful,” she admitted. “Preservation work is therapy for us. We are striving to save all this heritage and aesthetic value.”

In the face of conflict and commercial interests, these citizens continue their work, one facade at a time, stating that to save a city’s identity, you must first cherish its history.