FACTORS IN THE FORMATION OF RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS IN KHARKIV: A HISTORICAL AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF THE 18TH–19TH CENTURIES (GUBERNIAL PERIOD)

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of residential districts in the city of Kharkiv during its transformation into a gubernial center in the second half of the 18th and the first half of the 19th century. The research focuses on how administrative, political, and infrastructural shifts affected urban morphology, spatial planning, and the structure of housing development. The study uses a multidisciplinary approach, combining historical cartography, architectural analysis, and urban morphology to examine the transformation of Kharkiv from a fortified border settlement into a planned administrative city.
Special attention is given to the implementation of imperial urban planning standards, the transition from irregular to regular city layouts, and the formation of key urban axes. These transformations led to the emergence of three major housing typologies: suburban homestead structures, dense central townhouses, and elite administrative buildings. The article demonstrates how the implementation of regular planning principles — including block zoning, alignment of facades, and standardized typologies — helped structure urban housing space, enabling greater functional clarity and social stratification.
A significant part of the analysis is dedicated to the role of professional architectural activity. The rise of state-controlled architectural institutions and the appointment of gubernial architects contributed to the systematization of planning practices. The adaptation of standardized projects to local conditions fostered a balance between imperial strategy and regional specificity. These processes are illustrated through archival cartographic comparisons and morphological mapping of residential areas.
The introduction of railway infrastructure in the late gubernial period is discussed as a catalyst for spatial decentralization and the expansion of working-class housing districts. New residential zones developed around stations and industrial sites, marking the transition from administrative to industrial urban logic.
Ultimately, the article concludes that Kharkiv’s gubernial period established a fundamental morphological framework for the city's modern development. It set the stage for the emergence of spatially organized, typologically diverse, and socially stratified residential areas, deeply rooted in both imperial planning logic and local urban conditions.