It seems that our city is ashamed of the texture of its old brickwork and wants to hide it under a layer of cement, often covering it with bright paint and destroying the lion’s share of its decorative elements and stucco moldings.

The photo shows the “transformation” of buildings on Hrekivska Street; the same fate befell many buildings on Kontorska and Moskalivska Streets… However, the building on Hrekivska Street was “lucky,” since the second floor was still inhabited and wasn’t demolished; instead, the windows on the abandoned first floor were bricked up and “chipped away.” Many buildings on this street that are completely abandoned are simply demolished, and the 2015 Google Street View images now hold historical value.

Hrekivska Street, 15:

A phenomenon known as “JPEG-ization of architecture” is taking place, in which, after each renovation, buildings lose details, much like JPEG images that are constantly downloaded and re-uploaded to the internet, and with each upload, they lose detail and eventually turn into a blurry mess.

The result is houses that some people call “shoe boxes,” as if they were built just a couple of years ago.