Ecoweek Prishtina 2014
As a non-governmental NGO with the mission to...
As a non-governmental NGO with...
Minimax CITY Complex
During the last decade, Prishtina experienced a big...
During the last decade, Prisht...
“ Opinion
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Prishtina: Modernism Delayed
By ONUP™
by Eliza Hoxha and Ilir Gjinolli The processes of...
by Eliza Hoxha and Ilir Gjinol...
“ Opinion
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Urbanizmi si lexim i qytetit
By ONUP™
nga Enesa Xheladini Qyteti i Prizrenit ka ardhur në jetë...
nga Enesa Xheladini Qyteti i ...
“Fleksibiliteti” eBook
"Fleksibiliteti tek objektet e banimit", nga Blerim Lutolli Objektet...
"Fleksibiliteti tek objektet e...
Prishtina Architecture Week 2014
The second edition of Prishtina ARCHITECTURE WEEK came to a successful end after its six days run held between 30th June and 6th July. In which one of the most famous world architects, Sir Peter Cook read a charming lecture about his works and his approach to architecture.
Kosova Pavilion at 14′ Venice Biennale
After a very characteristic exhibit on the 13’ Architecture Biennale in Venice, Kosova’s Pavilion was entitled as one of the most photographed pavilion among the national pavilions. Now returning for the second time to the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale, local architect Gezim Pacarizi has been chosen to curate this year’s Pavilion.
Pacarizi responds to Rem Koolhas theme with the project “Visibility (Imposed Modernism)”, unveiling a circular tower built by traditional chairs, reflecting on the cultural qualities and socio-economic challenges of our country, specifically the old city of Prizren.
The full brief and more information by the author, after the break…
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Muzeu imagjinar dhe arkitektura e përçudnuar e kryeqytetit
By ONUP™
nga Anyla Berisha Më tërhoqi jashtë mase vëmendjen një...
nga Anyla Berisha Më tërhoqi ...
“ Opinion
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LE CORBUSIERI SHQIPTARË
By ONUP™
nga Ernest Ferizi Në pamundësinë që të kontribuonim në mënyrë...
nga Ernest Ferizi Në pamundës...
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Për faltoren e UP-së
By ONUP™
nga Getoar Mjeku Nji ndërtesë gogol n’oborrin e universitetit...
nga Getoar Mjeku Nji ndërtesë...
Paçarizi, curator of the Kosova Pavilion
Famous Kosovar architect, Gëzim Paçarizi, shall be the...
Famous Kosovar architect, Gëzi...
Gjilan – Welcome to urban Wellness!
Welcome to URBAN Wellness! by architects Estudio Lunar has been selected as the only runner up for the Europan 12 Kosovo. The jury of Europan decided to not choose any winner and only one runner-up to work for the future of Gjilan.
Ron Arad adviser to Kosova Pavilion
Ron Arad, one of the most influential designers of our time, has been appointed special adviser of Kosova’s Pavilion for the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale. The decision for his selection was made by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Memli Krasniqi.
Kosova at the 14th Venice Biennale
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of Kosova has announced that Kosova once again will be part of the Venice Architecture Biennale. Responding to this year’s director Rem Koolhaas’ theme, titled “Fundamentals”, Minister Krasniqi has appointed an Advisory Board, which will propose 3 to 5 potential candidates for curating this edition’s Pavilion of Kosova.
Kosovar students, competition winners
The annual students competition “Society for all ages” organized by UN-HABITAT and ICCC (International Council for Caring Communities), have announced the winners of its 2014 edition. Among the winners of the principal awards of the competition, second entry winners were Kosovar students, Dafine Shllaku and Laura Shllaku, with their project proposal for the development of an integrated community.
Best of ONUP 2013
It’s December, and we want to thank all of our visitors, contributors and partners on collaborating with us on increasing awareness of the architectural culture in Kosovo, followed by publications of local projects, architect profiles, and various architectural events!
Over the past 12 months we’ve introduced some awesome projects accomplished by the architectural practices in Kosovo, thus we would like to present a Top 10 of the most popular projects of 2013 assembled by the reactions and the shares of our visitors.
Until 2014, we wish you a Happy New Year full of love and lots of inspiration. Thank you!
PAW 2013: day 4 – Anne Guiney
Anne Guiney, executive director of The Institute for Urban Design – New York was part of Prishtina Architecture Week 2013. Giving a lecture to the PAW audience about how changes in zoning and Urban policies are impacting New York City urban developments.
PAW 2013: day 4 – Lulzim Kabashi
So we’re back with another Prishtina Architecture Week 2013 lecture. Presenting Lulzim Kabashi, the Kosovan-born architect from Ivanisin. Kabashi. Arhitekti practice, headquartered in Croatia. Kabashi walked the audience through their studio design projects, and the new developing project of “The New Prishtina” – West Zone regulatory plan.
Model School by Urban Plus
Prishtina capital is starting to flow and projects keep up going, with once again Urban Plus on the spotlight. Bringing a big focus on reusable and adaptable structures with the Green School project, Urban Plus is yet again laying their ambition of creating a school that raises the level of educational facilities in Kosova, providing a beautiful environment for the cultivation of culture, knowledge, art and ethics.
EUROPAN 12 GJILAN RESULTS!
EUROPAN KOSOVA has just published the results for Europan 12 Competition, taking site in Gjilan. Out of 35 projects submitted by young architects that we’re in the look of a more innovative result of urban solutions, with the theme “The Adaptable City”.
The jury of international architects has unanimously announced their verdict of no first prize winner, announcing the runner up entry with code XX634 and a special mention to the entry with code AH655.
PAW 2013: day 3 – Enric Ruiz Geli
Prishtina Architecture Week 2013 hosted a lecture by the respected architect Enric Ruiz-Geli, the founder of Cloud 9. Presenting his practice works, Enric Ruiz-Geli explained to the Kosovarian audience their office commitment to the use of new technological development and the perfomative dimension of architecture, creating smart structures mimicking nature. A great example of his work is Media –TIC an innovative building project with a net-like steel structure, awarder by WAF 2011 World’s Building of the Year.
PAW 2013: day 3 – Bostjan Vuga
Bostjan Vuga together with Jurij Sadar is the co-founder of SADAR + VUGA, one of the most prominent practices from the eastern Europe. Participating in many projects in Kosova, such as the redevelopment proposal Arberia Park and being awarded the second prize winner to the Prishtina Central Mosque international competition, Bostjan Vuga came back giving a lecture during the Prishtina Architecture Week 2013.
DON Café concept by Innarch
INNARCH designed the DON Café interiors in Prishtina, Peja and Belgrade around organically shaped wooden elements. The repeated wooden profiles establish the character of the interiors.
PAW 2013: day 3 – Aaron Levy
Aaron Levy is the founding Executive Director of Slought Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia that engages the public in dialogue about cultural and socio-political change. As part of Prishtina Architecture Week 2013, Aaron Levy gave an inspiring presentation exploring the relationship between architecture and its publics.
2013 WIN Award for HAMAM Jazz Lounge
During the awards ceremony at the Saatchi Gallery London, on 28 November 2013, World Interiors News Annual Awards 2013 have announced the 2013 winners of the bars category, awarding London/Prishtina based firm 4M Group for their design excellence on Hamam Jazz Lounge.
PAW 2013: day 2 – Bujar Nrecaj
Watch Bujar Nrecaj of BNArchitects giving a lecture during Prishtina Architecture Week 2013, talking about his own architectural studio and the ideas he is applying since his return to Kosovo. This 60 minutes video lecture tours viewers through his intention of creating a meaningful, powerful and simple architecture, along with his effort of recreating and reinterpreting the urban built environment.
PAW 2013: day 2 – Asa Bruno
Above is the video lecture of Asa Bruno, the directing architect at Ron Arad Architects which highlights their unique philosophy that challenges the relationship between form and function. The video is part of Prishtina Architecture Week 2013, organized from the 1’st to the 6’th of July unfolding theories from around the world with its lectures and events.
PAW 2013: day 1 – Arbnor Murati
Kosovan architect Arbnor Murati director of the “swiss-kosovan” based practice MORKOTE, on his lecture during Prishtina Architecture Week 2013 gave an insight into their past and current works of his practice. Sharing his design challenges and the success story on winning the prestigious international competition of the Campusuniversity USI/SUPSI, Lugano.
Green Habitat by Maden Group
Another project commended by the young architects at Maden Group, reflecting the idea of creating a high standard residential and recreational building with a green character, providing thus qualitative and innovative values to the urban life.
As a whole, the building is 2B+P+12 and includes 21,820 square meters, shaped through sustainable development and modern projecting, and divided into two separate units: that of living and that of common spaces. Architects’ description and more images after the break.
Dynamic City Prishtina
Taking place at the Kosovo’s National Museum in Prishtina, on Sunday 10th of November starting from 18:00, Archis Intervention_Prishtina will be presenting their workshop works of the theme “Dynamic City Prishtina”. As a collaboration of Archis Interventions, SEE, Kai Vöckler / Archis Interventions, Prishtina, Florina Jerliu, Visar Geci, Vlora Navakazi and Wilfried Hackenbroich. The exhibition reflects typologies facilitating exchanges and relationships among youth, history, national identity, education, and economy.
Snøhetta Lecture and Workshop
Rethink Space foundation recently announced their upcoming lecture and workshop of Snøhetta Studio, an award-winning international architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design firm based in Oslo Norway, which will be giving a lecture to the audience of Prishtina, at the Modelarium of FCEA Dept. of Architecture, during September 18th – 19th.
Further lecture information and the posters after the break.
Europan 12 Kosova Exhibit
Earlier this year, we publicized the Europan 12 Kosova Competetion taking site in Gjilan with the theme “The Adaptable City”, tempting young architects on improving the cultural life in the city and provide new facilities for municipal administration, and changing the image of the center with new civic buildings and public spaces.
EUROPAN KOSOVA invites you into emerging architect’s universe, on the EUROPAN KOSOVA 12 exhibit, which will be on display at the City Gallery (Theater Building) in Gjilan on the 6th of September, presenting and analyzing innovattive design strategies of Gjilan’s city center, provided by more than 35 international and national participants.
Hamam Jazz Bar shortlisted for “Best Bar Design of the World”
World Architecture News Competition has chosen Hamam Jazz Bar Prishtina as one of the “Top Best Bar Designs in the World”, putting it together on a list with competitors from Paris, Barcelona, London, NYC, Dubai, Shanghai, Hong Kong, etc.
An extensive group of excellent designers and architects were part of the judges’ panel, which achieved to put a short list of entries based on different categories, among which in the category of bars competing with hundreds of top-quality entries from around the world, Hamam has achieved to attract their attention and be shortlisted together with other projects from companies like Pinkeye, Minarc or ATP Sphere GmbH.
“ Opinion
Prishtina Used To Have Two Rivers
By ONUP™
by Attila Beksac
Prishtina seems too hasty these days. The city, which is the youngest capital of both Balkans and Europe has lots of problems to solve while ‘turbo-urbanism’ has taken effect in whole its distritcs .
It can be said, this experience that Prishtina has been tasting since the end of Kosovo War is familiar and has taken its roots from the ex-memories of territory’s rich historical cities. ‘Identity crisis’ seems obviously the most suitable topic to call this developments.
Raiffeisen Bank Headquarters?
A few years ago, we featured Treuscher architecture practice proposal for the new headquarters of Raiffeisen Bank. Now, we are here with another HQ proposal, this time by kub-a, another Austrian practice architecture proposal of whatever this mysterious project may be! Sited in Hemshir the district of new high-rises, the project site is at the cross-section of Tirana and Kosta Novakoviq Street.
More images and architects’ description after the break.
Besa Group HQ by archlab
Besa Group HQ and apartments tower, designed by the young local architects of archlab, is an under construction project planned to be finished with the end of this year.
Situated in Prishtina, in Kalabria district, this ten storey (G+9) building is a mixed-use building which will house Besa Group HQ offices and residential apartments on the above floors. The area where the building is situated borders Dardania, a highly inhabited district in Prishtina, where the tangent street to the block “Lidhja e Pejës” plays a strategic importance by connecting two different areas of the city. On the other hand, the block targeted by the project is dense, comprising mostly of residential buildings and apartments which have been built recently.
Urban Plus open studios
Last week during Prishtina Architecture Week, Urban Plus held an open studio session welcoming students and freelancers of the profession to their working environments, to see what’s been happening by looking around the studios and talking to each of the staff personally about their work. Check for more photos after the break.
An EU home for Kosovars
Most of us might of noticed the cartoon-colored sidewalk concrete protectors on the narrow street by the Swiss Diamond Hotel, or the colored sidewalk across from the Prishtina`s newly built Cathedral, and wondered whether this street art was vandalism or legal art pieces. Fortunately, these art pieces were the winners of an EU-funded project called Culture for All. Managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by ARS PROGETTI SpA (Italy) in July 2012, this competition called young artists and artists’ groups from all over Kosovo to participate in a visual arts prize competition for street art, mural paintings, applied arts, photography and/or installations in urban space. On September of 2012 the jury declared the winner artists, among which was Senat Haliti, an architect from the old city of Prizren who authored the “EU Pavilion”.
Prishtina Architecture Week: Day 6
After a numerous events in Prishtina Archtitecture Week which included many interesting lectures, screenings and exhibitions, this year’s edition of Prishtina Architecture Week ended with different exhibitions and an architectural tour in Prishtina. This time, the open studio was held in Përparim Rama’s 4M office in Prishtina.
Prishtina Architecture Week: Day 5
The fifth day of Prishtina Architecture Week, started as usual with the workshops underway, trailed up with the exhibitions held at the Modelarium of FCEA Department of Architecture and at Kosovo’s Academy of Science and Arts. Continuing to the open studio of one of the biggest architectural practices in Prishtina – ANARCH.
The voice of majority!
Yesterday, July 4th, the Architects Association of Kosova held an emergency meeting at the amphitheater of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of Kosova. This meeting was called in Prishtina upon the disapointment that a large number of architects, engineers and planners had on the 2011-2014 leadership of this association. According to them, besides the fact that this association has collected membership money each and every year, there hasnt been one single activity organized by them since late 2011, not even membership confirmations via emial or mail (association’s website confirms these allegations).
Prishtina Architecture Week: Day 4
On its fourth day, the Prishtina Architecture week stayed true to the planned schedule, starting with workshops, exhibits, open studios, and closing the day with lectures and screenings.
The Prishtina based architecture company ArchiEdu presented Graphisoft ArchiCad 17 to the audience, showing the program’s new platform and advanced features which make it a more reliable tool for architects to use.
Prishtina Architecture Week: Day 3
The third day of Prishtina Architecture Week followed with a rich programme including exhibitions and lectures. Today’s event started off with workshops in the morning, following through different exhibitions and a presentation by Kosovo Architecture Association.
Prishtina Architecture Week: Day 2
The Prishtina Architecture Week moved into its second and busiest day yet.
It started off with exhibits, student reviews, open studio in the morning and afternoon and concluded with lectures and screening late this evening at Modelarium – FCAE Department of Architecture. The “prime time” of today`s events started with the lecture of Bujar Nrecaj from bnarchitects on his firm`s past and present projects.
Prishtina Architecture Week: Day 1
The inaugural of Prishtina Architecture Week took place this afternoon to a capacity crowd at Modelarium – FCAE Department of Architecture. Ila Beka & Louise Lemoine engaged in with “Koolhaas Houselife” – a documentary from the Living Architecture Series, following after by an inspiring conversation touching on cinematographic architecture. Part of today’s event as well was the “swiss-kosovan” based practice MORKOTE, chaired by Arbnor Murati which gave an insight into their past and current workings of his practice.
Prishtina Architecture Week
Staring from July 1st through the 6th, the city of Prishtina is hosting the “Prishtina Architecture Week”, the first of its kind in Kosova in an effort of exchanging experiences, methodologies, architectural and urban experiments and theories form around the world.
RIERA Residential Complex by LESNA
Located close to the new roundabout that is being built in the direction of the road exiting Prishtina towards Skopje, the RIERA complex is the latest project by Lesna Construction to join a busy under construction area of capital of Kosovo.
CMPR: OODA + AND-re
Here’s another proposal from the many entries of the Central Mosque of Prishtina International Competiton, by Portuguese practice OODA studio in collaboration with AND-re. This proposal illustrates the glowing strength of the Islamic religious architecture embraced in architecture and the instant significance to the current state of architectural philosophy in Kosovo. Project description from the architects, after the break…
Gjakova University Campus Entry
The proposal submitted by Dafina Muriqi, Shpat Pozhegu and Besmir Hasi is one of the total two submissions for the “Campus Design Competition of the University of Gjakova”. Although the competition was cancelled in absence of more than three participants, the proposal of these young architects deserves to be part of our website architectural proposals. More details about the project, after the break…