THE INFLUENCE OF IVAN LEVYNSKYI ON THE FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE LVIV ARCHITECTURAL SCHOOL AT THE END OF 19TH AND THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURIES

Ivan Levynskyi is an outstanding representative of cultural and scientific life in Halychyna at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. He is one of the representatives of the Lviv Architectural School, which formed a direction, with pronounced tendencies of using folk traditions. Gradually he created a peculiar kind of direction in European architecture – the Ukrainian architectural style. The facades of the best houses of this period in Lviv are an example of a compositional combination of building construction and ornament, and the sculptural, ceramic, metal decors, proportionally and rhythmically correspond to the architecture. The ideological foundations of I. Levynskyi are marked by the desire for rational and constructive decisions, for the harmony of architecture with nature. As a teacher and lecturer, I. Levynskyi enjoyed the respect of students. Under the guidance of the professor, they formed themselves as professionals, as they passed the practice in his design and construction firm.

The year 2019 in Lviv is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the death of the famous engineer, builder, Ukrainian architect, teacher, entrepreneur and public figure Ivan Levynskyi. In accordance with the decision of the Executive Committee of the Lviv City Council №147 of 22 February 2019 “Announcement of 2019 in Lviv by the year of Ivan Levynskyi”, the City Administration of the Historical Environment and the Development Department jointly had to form and implement measures to commemorate the anniversary date and popularize historical monuments, which were built under authorship of the great architect. During this year, 18 other institutions of the city joined these cultural and artistic events, including the Department of Urban Planning of the Lviv City Council, the State Archives of the Lviv Oblast, the Institute of Architecture of Lviv Polytechnic National University, the Lviv National Academy of Arts, and others.

Oles Noha, a scientist and researcher of I. Levynskyi’s works, published the monographs “Ivan Levynskyi: an artist, architect, industrialist, teacher, public figure” and “Ivan Levynskyi: architect, entrepreneur, philanthropist”. Articles in scientific publications are published by a number of scientists, A. Kos and L. Onishchenko publish an edition “The Legacy of the Great Construction. Professor of Lviv Polytechnic Ivan Levynskyi (1851–1919)”. This publication is illustrated with the photographs of buildings erected by his architectural company. In 2011, I. Zhuk presented the book “Levynskyi’s Lviv: the City and the Builder”. The architectural heritage of I. Levynskyi is described in  the scientific publications, in encyclopedic publications, bio-bibliography and other publications.

Today, the name of Ivan Levynskyi is known only to a narrow circle of specialists, and in the early twentieth century it was called one of the first in the industrial and creative circles. One hundred years separate the contemporaries from this prominent architect, which is a good reason to reflect on the importance of his heritage. Paying homage to Ivan Levynskyi is an opportunity to express his gratitude to him for his extraordinary talent. To study in detail the teaching of the disciplines at the Polytechnic School, to open archival documents and to analyze the composition of the curricula and the timetable of their teaching. To cover I. Levynskyi’s cooperation with students, their practice at his factory, as well as cooperation with other educators and architects in the construction of Lviv buildings.