Preserving the Capital's Architectural Legacy: An Urban Center Rebuilding Itself Under the Threat of War.

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her freshly fitted front door. Local helpers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its arched shape. “I think it’s more of a peacock,” she commented, appreciating its branch-like features. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who marked the occasion with two neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an expression of defiance in the face of an invading force, she elaborated: “We are trying to live like normal people in spite of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way. We have no fear of remaining in our country. I had the option to depart, relocating to Italy. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance shows our dedication to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like ordinary people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy seems unusual at a period when missile strikes 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 strike, workers board up broken windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Within the Bombs, a Battle for History

Despite the violence, a band of activists has been attempting to preserve the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a distinctive style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was initially the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its outer walls is decorated with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko said. The mansion was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase analogous art nouveau features, including an irregular shape – with a medieval spire on one side and a turret on the other. One much-loved house in the area features two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure.

Dual Challenges to Legacy

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who demolish listed buildings, unethical officials and a political leadership apathetic or resistant to the city’s vast architectural history. The severe winter climate adds another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s leadership was allied with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov added that the vision for the capital is reminiscent of 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 the entire society was facing financial problems, he added, including judicial figures who curiously ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see decline of our society and public institutions,” he argued.

Demolition and Neglect

One egregious location of loss is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had pledged to preserve its attractive brick facade. Shortly following the onset of major hostilities, excavators razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new retail and office development, 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 claiming they were doing “scientific study”, he said. A 20th-century empire also inflicted immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could accommodate official processions.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was killed in 2022 while fighting in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his important preservation work. There were at one time 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s successful business magnates. Only 80 of their period doors remain, she said.

“It was not external attacks that got rid of them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad house built in 1910, which serves 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 historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now nothing will be left.”

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “quite special and a little bit cold”. Why do many citizens not cherish the past? “Unfortunately they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still a way off from civilization,” he said. Previous 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 official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its smashed windows; debris lay under a fairytale tower. “Many times we are unsuccessful,” she admitted. “Restoration is a form of healing for us. We are attempting to save all this heritage and splendour.”

In the face of destruction and neglect, these volunteers continue their work, one facade at a time, arguing that to save a city’s identity, you must first cherish its walls.