METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO DEFINING AUTHENTICITY PARAMETERS IN THE CONTEXT OF DERZHPROM NOMINATION FOR THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST

Abstract

The article examines the challenges of defining and verifying the authenticity of modernist architecture in the context of UNESCO World Heritage requirements. Attention is focused on the State Industry Building (Derzhprom) in Kharkiv, which has been on the UNESCO Tentative List since 2017 but still lacks a completed nomination dossier. The aim of the research is to identify methodological tools capable of comprehensively addressing both the material and intangible characteristics of the site and contributing to the preparation of its nomination. Methods. The study analyses and tests three approaches to authenticity assessment: «Matrix for Authenticity», «Nara Grid», and «QAAM». Hypothetical modelling made it possible to adapt these methodologies to the conditions of Derzhprom and to reveal the key «pillars» of its authenticity. Results and conclusions. The study outlines the vulnerable factors that require careful restoration strategies and management decisions. The findings substantiate that Derzhprom’s authenticity is multidimensional, encompassing social memory, symbolic status, and cultural as well as industrial context. In this respect, the use of criterion (vi) is considered appropriate, as it allows intangible values to be integrated into the nomination dossier. The article emphasizes the importance of further professional discussions on the interpretation of modernist authenticity and proposes to regard Derzhprom as a test case for updating methodologies of evaluating contemporary heritage. The obtained results have applied significance for nomination practice and for fostering broader academic and public debate on authenticity criteria.