Long referred to as the “Pearl of the South,” the Black Sea Ukrainian coast city of Odessa has a particular architectural style and aesthetic. Over two evenings, author, architect and expert cultural historian Valentin Pilyavskiy will explore in-depth the architecture and urban planning of Odessa. Beginning with Khadjibey-Odessa in the context of the Northern Black Sea Region’s history, we will explore the early years, ethnic communities and urban planning; the Age of Classicism: foreign and local architects, “exemplary” designs; Romanticism and Historicism of the mid-19th century; Architecture of Choice in 1870-1890s; the Industrial revolution and the city expansion at the beginning of the 20th century (Art Deco and Art Nouveau local interpretations); Odessa during the Great War, fall of the empire and following urban crisis; Search for the New Architecture (1920-1930s); WWII and reconstruction (1940-1950s); Expansion of the 1970s and early 1980s; the first decade of Ukrainian independence: privatization, corruption and construction boom; and a short summary and Odessa perspectives as seen from abroad.
