Factories from the pre-revolutionary period, built in various styles, on Rizdviana St, no. 6, 9, 10, 13, 17, and 19, some of them empty today. © O. Remizova, K. Bozhko, 2010-2021.
Processes of Ruinisation and Revitalisation

Kharkiv Industrial Architecture in the Modernist Era

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52200/docomomo.74.06

Keywords:

Modernism, Ukraine, Kharkiv industrial architecture, deterioration of architectural monuments, revitalization, authenticity of the city

Abstract

The formation of Kharkiv’s image as an industrial city in the late 19th-early 20th centuries was accompanied by ups and downs, which were caused by changes in the political status of the city. The aim of this article is to trace the processes of formation, ruination, and revitalization of Kharkiv’s industrial architecture during the period of Modernism and their reflection in the authentic features of the city; to outline possible ways to rehabilitate the iconic industrial territories and structures. The method of historical and genetic analysis applied in the study showed that during the industrialization period of 1919-1934, there was a sharp change not only in the ideological program and strategy of the state, but also in the stylistics of industrial construction towards Avant-garde Constructivism, and then towards historicism, which were later replaced by the neutral features of Modernism. The analysis revealed several breakdowns in the search for authentic features of the city of Kharkiv, which are now expressed in a combination of artistic features of the Avant-garde and historical styles. With the achievement of Ukrainian independence and the restructuring of the entire industrial complex from state to private ownership in the 1990s, the process of degradation and decline of Kharkiv’s industrial infrastructure began, necessitating a reevaluation of the significance and utilization of valuable historical buildings. In addition, Russia’s military invasion in 2022-2025 makes the risk of losing modernist industrial architecture monuments in Kharkiv very real. The article discusses several strategic directions for revitalizing deteriorating industrial territories and constructions, which represent historical and cultural value and contribute to the authenticity of these districts. It develops the possibility of selecting and combining the proposed directions for revitalizing iconic industrial territories and structures.

How to Cite

Remizova, O., & Bozhko, K. (2025). Processes of Ruinisation and Revitalisation: Kharkiv Industrial Architecture in the Modernist Era. Docomomo Journal, (74), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.52200/docomomo.74.06

Published

2025-11-26

Issue

No. 74 (2025): Imperfect Modernism

Section

Essays

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Copyright (c) 2025 Olena Remizova, Kyrylo Bozhko

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Author Biographies

Olena Remizova, O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv

is an architect, Doctor of Architecture, Professor of the Department of Fundamentals of Architectural Design of O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv (Ukraine). She is the author of the monograph “The Compositional Languages and Logic of Architecture”, the textbook “Artistic methods of architectural composition”, and numerous scientific articles about the theory and history of artistic activity in the 20th century in Ukraine. Research interests: the theory and history of architectural activities, as well as methods of revitalization of the urban environment and the formation of national identity.

Kyrylo Bozhko , O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv

is Master of Architecture, postgraduate student of O. M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv (Ukraine). He has experience in architectural design and city planning as a participant in the work of the Kharkiv Open Institute. Several scientific publications. Research interests: Renovation strategies for degrading industrial territories in the historical area of the city, with the example of Кharkiv center.

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