gjilan (ko

LOCATION gjilAn POPULATION ciTy 86,500 inHAb. conurbATion 135,000 inHAb. STRATEGIC SITE 12.5 HA SITE OF PROJECT 1.95 HA + 19,539 m2

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IntErvIEW

of the Site’S repreSentative IlIr gjInollI, architect, preSiDent of europan koSovo

presentation of the site within the context of the city development and in terms of strategy

gjilan city centre is the historical heart of the city, which was almost completely transformed after the World War ii. Most of its cultural heritage was destroyed under the communist regime, during the 1990s transition period and in the 1999 war. the urban site contains almost all the city’s public amenities, including a theatre, a new library building under construction, the stadium, the city hall and municipal building, a hotel and the business area along the main street. the site currently contains the court building, police station, municipal administration and the hotel, which is privately owned. there is a large public space, more dedicated to car traffic than pedestrians, and a small river in the northern boundary links the buildings. opening and channelling the riverbed will turn the river into an urban asset open to public use. the municipality is currently implementing a long term regeneration of the riverbanks, which will be become a 4 km long strip of public space, incorporating the city centre. the winning europan 12 project for the gjilan site takes a long-term view of the transformation of the city centre area, and will form the basis for a review of the current zoning plan.

How can the site be integrated in the issue of the adaptable city and how do you consider this issue?

Making the site adaptable means that changes in the use of the facilities and public spaces will be possible during the implementation process. the goal is to transform the existing fabric and content, to achieve a diversity of public spaces with cultural facilities, civic services, housing, commercial functions and social facilities.

At the time of sustainable development coupled to an economic crisis, have you already defined a specific strategy for the urban development of the site?

the new cultural centre will have to accommodate facilities for different cultural activities, both formal and informal, performances and exhibitions. besides theatre performances, the theatre will host a range of cultural events. the cultural centre, with a concert hall, dance hall and cinema,and a small art gallery, will enhance the quality of cultural life in the city. considering current capital investment in kosovo, it is clear that the municipality would not be able to finance the transformation of the site, notably the culture centre, Municipal centre and public space. the wining proposal will be used in applying for eu Municipal Social and economic infrastructure projects. given that the project arises from an eu competition, there is a good chance that the proposal might be accepted by the eu office. the new municipal hall will accommodate all municipal departments. the strategy for the Municipal centre is that the municipality intends to use public-private partnership agreements, under which the municipality rents the premises from the private partner for a certain period. alternatively, negotiations may lead to other arrangements, such as granting building land to the private partner.

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joAn AloMAr (eS) conxA gEné (eS) jAvIEr IñIgo (eS) cArMEn lArgAcHA (eS) IñAKI llorEns (eS) juAn MArcos rodrIguEz (eS) architectS - urban plannerS

Welcome to urban wellness!

team point of view our proposal offers an urban vision for a totally new, healthy image for gjilan city centre, changing the character of its central spine and creating a new central Square of culture, dominated by new buildings that will make gjilan an urban model in its area. With the addition of new functions and increasing programme density in bulevardi i pavarësisë – Dëshmorët e kombit, this strip of gjilan will become an even stronger and more attractive urban core. the whole collective space is made up of “pixels” that spread and colonise these spaces with different ambiences, linking them together to create a single larger, coherent spatial entity. our proposal seeks to create alternative routes and dissuasive parking. our goal is to reduce car intensity to a minimum on the study site by moving it away from the axis.

jury point of view this project provides a phased proposal for city development. like other projects, it deals with public space as well as proposing 3 buildings in line with the municipal brief. the traffic is organized to allow public transport, bicycles and pedestrian to move through the axis while car traffic is diverted away from the main square. the axis is treated as a single strip of functions where the main square encompasses multifunctional activities within the three proposed buildings. the public space is enhanced with elements of vegetation.

phaSing / general conceptS of aDaptability

good old times

team point of view the study site is divided into 5 islands, each free of cars at the centre. they are classified into 3 groups representing different phases, which allows us to control implementation to reflect the economic situation and general need. the work to recapture the river consists of a peaceful green walking route, which starts from the sports facilities and finishes in the new city, acting as a lung for the new city centre. a variable section system is developed as a guide, allowing us to build all along the river. the aim is to humanise the area and its surroundings, with a continuous pavement and adaptable platforms that create different public locations. the architectonic proposal seeks to match the scale and shape of the traditional urban fabric.

jury point of view the project handles the space by means of smaller structures. What is distinctive about this project is that it is breaks up the space by creating smaller public spaces. this is achieved through the design of small structures for settlement around the operational area, with all the functions spread along the axis. the main square contains 3 types of building.

backyarDS froM the riverSiDe 08911 baDalona, Spain t. +34 678511506 frrn89@gMail.coM WWW.vilaDoMatarchitecture.coM t. +34 666148541 eDlhn8@gMail.coM WWW.hoyarq.WorDpreSS.coM

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urban furniture - aDaptable SySteM (Market/ Meeting/ reSting)