Candidate of Architecture, Associate Professor of the Department of Architecture of Buildings and Design of Educational and Research Institute of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Land Management of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” Nataliia Novoselchuk is participating in the international project “Preservation of Architectural Heritage during the War: The Ukrainian Model”.
The project was launched in Ukraine on 27 January and is the result of cooperation between The Heritage Management Organisation (HERITΛGE), Kharkiv School of Architecture, Skeiron and is supported by the US Embassy in Ukraine. The initiative is aimed at protecting Ukrainian architectural heritage through careful monument documentation, the development of new restoration technologies, and the involvement of young architects in the process of preserving and restoring historic buildings, especially in the context of post-war reconstruction.
The project brought together 10 participants – scientists in the field of heritage conservation and representatives of Ukrainian higher education institutions – and offered a unique opportunity to learn from leading international and Ukrainian experts.
This initiative will enable specialists to develop practical skills and gain new relevant knowledge on the following issues:
- Introduction to innovative teaching methods that integrate conservation and 3D scanning into the curriculum;
- mastering practical skills in heritage conservation, including 3D scanning and deformation monitoring;
- contribute to the development of architectural education in Ukraine for future heritage architects.
The training modules cover the basics of photogrammetry, image-based 3D modelling, ground laser scanning, and publishing spatial data and 3D models online, with an emphasis on integrating documentation with spatial information through GIS using open source software. The programme also includes deformation and geodetic monitoring along with a combination of lectures, workshops and fieldwork.
During the first week of her participation in the project, which was held online, Nataliia Novoselchuk had the opportunity to attend a class taught by Dr Cornelis Stal, a specialist in geodesy and geomatics (HERITΛGE, HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Belgium): “Photogrammetry and 3D modelling based on images”. The class covered the basics of photography and photogrammetry, the workflow of creating 3D models, results and applications in heritage documentation.
The second week of the internship was conducted by Dr Guy Joraev, a specialist in cultural heritage management (HERITΛGE, University College London), and was dedicated to the study of tools for mapping and spatial data analysis, with a focus on open data for heritage sites and inventory systems for restoration.
The third week of the training was an intensive one-week offline session in Lviv with participants, Kharkiv School of Architecture, experts from the Institute of Geodesy of Lviv Polytechnic National University and Skeiron LLC. The participants gained important practical skills during the fieldwork, which took place on the territory of the Potocki Palace, one of the most prominent architectural monuments of the late 19th century in Ukraine and a true architectural gem of Lviv.
The first session in Lviv, “Methods and Tools for Heritage Monitoring”, was conducted by the Director of the Institute of Geodesy of Lviv Polytechnic National University, Doctor of Technical Sciences Ihor Savchyn. The participants got acquainted with modern technologies and approaches to the preservation of architectural monuments, conducted field work and worked out the practical application of the methods learned on a real architectural object – the Potocki Palace.
During the second session, “Interpreting the Monitoring Results”, the participants analysed the data obtained during the fieldwork and drew conclusions about the condition of the architectural objects. The session was led by the Head of the Department of Higher Geodesy and Astronomy at Lviv Polytechnic National University, Doctor of Technical Sciences Bohdan Dzhuman.
The third session was led by Yurii Prepodobnyi, co-founder of the Skeiron Company, which is engaged in the digitalisation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage. After the start of the full-scale invasion, Skeiron initiated the SaveUkrainianHeritage project, which aims to 3D scan as many cultural monuments as possible throughout Ukraine, which will allow preserving historical memory, architectural and artistic heritage for future generations of Ukrainians.
The final chord of the internship for Poltava Polytechnic scientist Nataliia Novoselchuk was an excursion to Kharkiv School of Architecture. It is the first private higher education institution in Ukraine that offers bachelor’s and master’s programmes in architecture and urbanism, uses the international system of studio education, cooperates with the leading European architectural schools as well as invited practitioners. During the tour, the participants got acquainted with modern teaching methods, visited innovative educational spaces, a model workshop, a library and computer classes.
At the end of the Lviv internship, the participants took part in a panel discussion “Architectural Education for the Needs of the Country in Time of War: Teaching to Protect and Restore the Architectural Heritage of Ukraine”. Professor Oleh Rybchynskyi (Lviv Polytechnic, Institute of Architecture and Conservation), Tetiana Bulakova (Head of the Department of Historic Environment Protection, Lviv City Council), and Yurii Prepodobnyi (Skerion LLC, expert in 3D scanning and heritage digital documentation) were invited to the panel discussion. This event is part of the project “Architectural Heritage Preservation in Times of War: The Ukrainian Model”.
The discussion raised the following key issues:
⦁ how architectural education is changing in response to the challenges of war;
⦁ how future professionals should prepare to work with damaged historical objects;
⦁ what technologies, approaches and methods are the most effective.
The week-long intensive in Lviv was full of new acquaintances and unforgettable impressions, communication with leading experts in the field of heritage preservation, like-minded colleagues, new knowledge, exchange of experience and a charge of energy.
During the internship, which will last until the end of June 2025, participants will not only learn innovative teaching methods on heritage conservation, but will also be immersed in an international academic environment, participate in fieldwork, panel discussions, and research projects. The scientists will be able to pass on their experience and skills, as well as a deep understanding of the problem of preserving historical and architectural heritage, to students of architectural specialities during their studies.
Programme participant Nataliia Novoselchuk expresses her gratitude to National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” and Mobility Coordinator Anna Pavelieva for the high-quality and fast-organised participation in this programme
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