MORPHOLOGY OF WOODEN ARCHITECTURE IN THE ECCLESIASTICAL BRICK BUILDINGS OF VOLODYMYR POKROVSKY IN SLOBODA UKRAINE

The revival of national identity was reflected in the Ukrainian architectural Style Moderne during the cultural renaissance of the early twentieth century. Kharkiv architectural and artistic centre, which was one of the avant-gardes of the style, had been dynamically active in the construction of ecclesiastical buildings. In Sloboda Ukraine, architectural construction was not only the result studying world-renowned architectural prototypes, but also the appeal of the national Ukrainian traditions. At the time, the pioneer in the construction of the new sacred buildings in Sloboda Ukraine was the Kharkiv diocesan architect and artist Volodymyr Pokrovsky (1863–1924). His previous diverse professional experience in Poland (the Kingdom of Poland at the time) proved a solid foundation for creation of the notable sacred spaces in Kharkiv Diocese from 1906 until 1918. His virtuoso work with historical material as well as peculiarity in selected styles, led him to design exemplary ecclesiastical buildings in the style of the Ukrainian Style Moderne across the Kharkiv Governorate. The most vivid features of the style can be found in the church project of 1907, which was one of the first architectural designs completed in his role as the Kharkiv diocesan architect. The research explores various morphological features of wooden architecture, reflected in his ecclesiastical brick buildings in Sloboda Ukraine during the cultural renaissance of the early twentieth century. In particular, the author highlights four major features, which are correlated to the wooden ecclesiastical architecture: the most commonly applied three-part spatial composition, spatial transformation of nave from quadrangle to octagon, massive baroque edged cupola with collar-type interceptions and hexagonal trapezium-like windows. Alongside this research, the author studies the current conditions and levels of preservation of the buildings discussed in this paper, including tracing their rankings in the National Heritage List