Learning from Chernobyl: Reverse Colonialism and Feral Architectures

This article revolves around the concept of reverse colonialism and uses the fascinating example of Pripyat as a case study. Pripyat was deeply affected by the devastating Chornobyl nuclear accident in 1986. Following the disaster, the disappearance of its human inhabitants facilitated the transformation of this city into what the authors of this research refer to as anthropo-calyptic landscapes-scenarios where architectures abandoned by humans are colonized by what is known in the field of ecology as novel ecosystems. This process, which allows wild flora and fauna to conquer urban space, results in the emergence of feral architectures-abandoned buildings reclaimed by nature-. By exploring the process of reverse colonialism, the article critically delves into the concept of abiotic restoration, conventional practice in abandoned architecture restoration projects.