Isupova M. Architectural-semantic transformations of the Western Ukraine cities in the postwar years (1945-1950s)

The dissertation is devoted to the study of Western Ukraine urban and architectural transformations in the 1945-1950s and to the establishment of these transformations semantic aspects. The study reveals the basic principles of Rivne, Lutsk, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk urban ensembles transformation in the postwar years, buildings comparative, typological, stylistic, compositional and morphological analysis of the period under the study, identified features of the building decoration system, established the specifics of 1945-1950s. The first section "Historiography, source base and research methods of architectural - semantic transformations of Western Ukraine cities in the postwar years (1945 - 1950s)" analyzes and systematizes scientific publications, archival sources and materials on the subject of research, as well as the methodological base is established. The second section "Western Ukraine cities - regional centers spatial development in the 1945 - 1950s" devoted to the study of Rivne, Lutsk, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk transformations at the level of urban structures. The losses caused due to the Second World War in the selected cities, changes in the ethnic composition of the population due to the shift of borders are analyzed. The principles according to which there was a reformatting of urban spaces in the 1945-1950s are established. The general plans of the studied cities developed in the 1945-1950s are analyzed, the process of changing architectural urban accents is considered, the specifics of visualization of socialist ideologues by architectural means and ways of integration of new dominants - ensembles of central squares into a historically formed city are determined. In the third section " Typology of objects and features of urban development in 1945-1950s" a typology of architectural objects built in the cities of Rivne, Lutsk, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk is established. Specific compositional and planning features, generally characteristic of the architecture of the Soviet neohistoricism style, and their embodiment in specific buildings on the territory of the studied cities are determined. Subsection 3.1 "Compositional and planning structure of public buildings" is devoted to the study of the characteristics of public buildings of the 1945-1950s - cultural and entertainment institutions, office buildings, railway stations, 11 educational institutions, etc. It is established that most public buildings, various in functional purpose, were built according to standard designs. In subsection 3.2 "Characteristics of residential architecture" features of apartment houses are analyzed. Residential buildings of the 1945-1950s on the territory of the studied cities are classified by number of storeys - low-rise (1-2 storeys) and medium-storey (3-5 storeys), rarely - multi-storey (more than 5 storeys); by design - built on individual projects, and the implementation of typical projects; according to the architectural solution - "ceremonial" and "nonceremonial". In subsection 3.3 "Buildings architectural morphology" morphological analysis of architectural objects facades of the studied period is provided. Specific features inherent in the architectural objects of the 1945-1950s are established. In the fourth section "Semantic features of architectural and sculptural decoration of the research objects" the specifics of Soviet neo-historicism style buildings decoration system are described. Subsection 4.1 "Compositional structure of building decoration systems" states that along with the compositional principles of construction of architectural volumes, the style of Soviet neo-historicism has developed a characteristic system of building decoration. For the majority of Soviet cities of the 1945-1950s, including the studied cities of Western Ukraine, the common features of the compositional principles of building decoration systems are generally inherent. Subsection 4.2 "Typology and motifs of architectural decor" analyzes and classifies the ornamentation of buildings of the 1945-1950s. In architectural decor, such types of ornaments are used as ribbon, rosette, ornamented insert. Ribbon ornaments were usually placed on pilasters, friezes; sockets - individually or in a group on the plane of the wall, or grouped in a line along the cornice, frieze; ornamented inserts were placed on the plane of the wall or complemented architectural details (sandrics, parapets, etc.). Subsection 4.3 "Typology and motifs of sculptural decor" analyzes the sculptural elements used in the architecture of the 1945-1950s, and establishes its semantic aspects. Sculptural decor is classified by shape - round sculpture and relief; by motives - socialist-realist and thematic; the object of the image is a person or a group, a still life, sometimes an animalistic sculptural decor. The conclusions present the generalized results of this study.