Demolition or adaptation?: post-industrial buildings in Ukraine

Abstract

Three case studies are presented that assess the post-industrial development of industrial sites in Ukraine. The comparative analysis is based on (1) the geographical location on the territory of the country (Ivano-Frankivsk, Poltava, Kharkiv), (2) the functional transformation of the buildings (from the initial functions to new ones), and (3) the impact on the further development of the urban environment (in urban planning, economic, environmental and social security directions). These sites are considered as post-Soviet architectural heritage, which have been overlooked by the society and positioned as dissonant and controversial. The stereotypical perceptions concerning industrial sites are examined in order to rethink their status in the future. The research shows that the question of industrial heritage is manifold and cannot be solved without understanding the complexity and uniqueness of each individual case.