Thesis brochure in English

MASTERS THESIS BROCHURE:

SEEKING IDENTITY IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA’S SOCIALIST ARCHITECTURE RE-PURPOSING OF THE ABANDONED YUGOSLAV WWII MONUMENT, THE HOME OF REVOLUTION IN NIKŠIĆ, MONTENEGRO

BY: SUNČICA MILOŠEVIĆ

The complete thesis document can be found at the following web link: http://issuu.com/suncica/docs/home_of_revolution Sunčica Milošević Copyright 2013

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INTRO The Home of Revolution, structure which overpowers both physically and psychologically the small Montenegrin city, Nikšić, is an edifice which was intended to be the most functional and most grandiose of WWII monuments of the former Yugoslavia. With its alien, enormous and perhaps no longer interesting, concrete form, the Home of Revolution was conceptualized to arise emotions of awe, to acknowledge the horrifying period of struggle against fascism and nazism, to showcase architectural wisdom and ambition of the Yugoslav dream and to be the center of its arts and culture.

According to this brutalist object, the city of Nikšić, and largely the republic of Montenegro would be recognized and identified upon not only the Yugoslav, but wider European stage.

However, unlike the thousands of federally sponsored and primarily sculptural WWII monuments across the former nation, this particular monument was to house a complete cultural program and function that the then, economically strong and growing industrial city of Nikšić, desperately required. Though, no one had anticipated the unraveling political events that initiated with Tito’s passing in 1980.

In place of a people’s collective revolution, reigned the antibureaucratic revolution with deep economic and political crisis which slowly led to a complete suspension of the project's construction. Since then, the Home of Revolution has been patiently awaiting its fate, abandoned, violated and decaying for the past 25 years.

Proposed is a fictional projection of events that depict transitional psychological stages of society, a society whose mentality evolves into a risen state of pride and acceptance where the monument becomes part of the everyday life. It becomes part of a society which no longer feels anger or shame towards its past and its unrealized, failed utopian dream.

The cultural shifts are directly reflected upon formal architecture and are layered through time as a direct opposition to the past ideology’s single-handed imposition of an architectural style which was irrelative toward the existing culture and context.

Thus, the site, through the acts of the people, not only evolves into a state of acceptance but truly becomes the home of revolution, occupied by daily activities and a new fostering of high arts and culture. This process will enable the fragmented notion of national identity to undergo a journey of self-discovery and maturity through re-evaluation of rooted values. The past will aid the wounded society to re-identify with its new evolving culture and physical environment.

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PSYCOLOGICAL PHASES Utilizing collage technique, both as an idea and a tool, expressed is a sequence of 7 carefully chosen psychological phases. Their purpose is to tell a story and create a fictional reality whose chapters, or layers, overlap and juxtapose themselves into a synthesized, complex design form that addresses an eclectic resolution of partial destruction, preservation and repurposing of the existing monument.

Their sequence into a collage of gestures demonstrates a method of direct contradiction toward the previously applied absolutist, singlehanded architectural approach upon not only this structure and its hierarchy of spaces, but the majority of the city’s new construction during its socialist ideology and identity defining period. Such approach led to alien architecture forms - exemplified with the Home of Revolution monument and has failed to account for social and cultural growth and change.

Thus my wish was to remove myself as the Architect with an absolute gesture and allow for temporal adaptations and evolution of this monument to happen through these fictional revolutionary acts of the people which express their changing attitudes toward their political past.

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It is my belief that during the past socialist period, architectural style dictated for a culturally abstract, alienated, and strongly present style which represented the newly born political ideology. It was a mirror of a new nation, Yugoslavia. Thus, it is no coincidence that this monument physically and aesthetically dominates its city and that its form is reminiscent of an Egyptian sphinx with its triangular, pyramidal forms in brutalist, exposed concrete.

Likewise, it is no coincidence that the people who live in NikĹĄicĚ , can no longer identify with its style and overpowering presence, and that this long abandoned object continues to decay and mirror a new reality, that of a failed, broken and violated ideology and nation.

For these reasons, as a direct democratic approach toward this monstrous edifice, I chose the collage technique, a layering technique which allows for expression of multiple ideas and concepts. By default, it creates a process which is not just about the end result, but also about the journey, the spontaneous, disconnected story toward the end result. Ideas which may seem disharmonious, came together into their own whole, creating a meaningful harmony, a state of pride and acceptance of the new Home of Revolution.

The seven phases (aspiration, neglect, violence, shame, repentance, elevation and pride) create a fictional projection of events which depict transitional psychological stages of society - a society whose mentality evolves into a rising state of acceptance where the monument becomes part of the everyday life and high culture, part of a society which no longer feels anger or shame towards its past. The seven phases are first demonstrated through two-dimensional digital collages, which are then translated into three-dimensional physical models. Then the accumulated result is portrayed through a set of two dimensional collage plan and section drawings and a final physical model.

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Aspiration reflects the ideological drive associated with the newly developed Yugoslav identity. This collage depicts the past, uniform mentality of a hard working culture and a society of grand promises.

Monument's alien, abstract form is reminiscent of the Egyptian sphinx which the citizens blindly sponsored with their salaries into an irreversible river of vacuuming construction costs, something which would, in turn, overpower and curse their city into an abandoned necropolis.

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1. _ASPIRATION

n: a strong desire to achieve something high or great. n: an object of such desire.

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2. _NEGLECT n:

n:

to give little attention or respect to, disregard. to leave undone or unattended especially through carelessness.

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The second phase is one of Neglect. This phase is the current, physically abandoned and dilapidated state which reflects the passiveness and the turned back of the society. The monument patiently sits in the city center, standing like a giant rock upon which everyone stumbles and has to walk around.

Society learned to ignore it by habit while the past's ideology and anger are frozen and tucked someplace deep in subconscious.

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The phase of Violence is manifested as an act of societal rebellion that is caused by a period of societal neglect and abandonment. For me it represents an act of nonacceptance and discontent with the current state of this structure and its site. The act is portrayed as a physical force against the monument parallel to the physical force upon the Berlin Wall where the society takes action into their own hands and expresses their suppressed feelings and expired patience.

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3. _VIOLENCE

n: an exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse. n: intense, turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force.

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4. _SHAME n:

n:

a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety. the susceptibility to such emotion.

The phase Shame illustrates societal concealment of the past and of the previous, violent and destructive gestures. Shame becomes a response to violated social and cultural values. The monument and its history are concealed and burried under a mask of an open field with happy and playful children, as if nothing has ever been here. This, for me, is a psychological state where one is ashamed of their past and chooses to erase its existence.

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Next comes the phase of Repentance. This is illustrated as an act of exposure, undressing, an act of transparency and digging into the ruins of the previously concealed past. In this phase, I imagined a society which reviews their past actions with a sense of regret and nostalgia toward some lost values. In an attempt to restitute the wrong, which is an important element of psychological healing, significant parts of the monument are revealed, some are left in their rustic forms while others are repurposed into practical functions.

Following the phase of repentance, is the phase of Elevation. This is a phase of rebuilding and new construction over the rustic decay of the existing monument and its site. To me, this phase represents a physical and psychological rising out of the past.

I imagined construction of new volumes, such as the new jewel-box theater. Upon the former "spine," or the former Marxist library, and education spaces I imagined a new retail center along with a public market. The existing "temporary" boutiques that outline the edges of the site would be replaced by contemporary pavilions of mixed use with a purpose of celebrating this micro economy which has symbolically been eatting away the gated edges of this autocratic, alien and slowly sinking ship. These eclectic program choices directly portray a free economy and an uncensored artistic expression that in form and material would now occupy the void spaces and the exterior shells of this socialist monument.

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Pride - the final phase - is a collage depicting the final design concept. This image portrays an elevated society that is finally at a state of content and acceptance.

The accumulation of all of the overlapping gestures, or phases, provides for a landscape that creates a new social identity, one that is truly created through years of interventions and cultural changes within its society.

The monument, as a result, is swallowed up, corroded, exposed, re-purposed into a multiple, messy, yet harmonious composition which minimizes the original monument’s volume, respects its history, and serves as the new, true home of revolution and a mirror of a new, current day society.

5. _REPENTANCE n:

the action or process of regret especially for misdeeds or moral shortcomings.

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6. _ELEVATION

n: the height to which something is elevated, lifted. a: being morally or intellectually on a high plane.

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_neglect

Following the two dimensional exploration of addressed phases, using technique of digital collage, the five phases following the state of Neglect - which is representative of the current state, existing monument - were physically modeled and applied upon the original model of the Home of Revolution. These physical and somewhat spontaneous explorations led toward final design gestures and programing in the design phase of the project. The blue color in these diagrammed models illustrates the changes in remaining volumes of the monument through the evolution of phases.

_violence

The Violence diagram was achieved through literal, though selective burning and destruction of the site edges and the building perimeter. Due to the preassigned and politically motivated program of the central library "spine" and its triangular youth center in the east end, I chose to partially destroy this wing and completely destruct the youth center into what would later become a memorial void.

Shame model applies literal concealment of the damaged and partially destroyed perimeter. It aims to bury the shameful past gesture and to band aid the violated building fragments.

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_shame

_repentence

_elevation

Repentence model re-exposes some previously “buried� or concealed elements such as the void caused by the demolished youth center and the triangular ruin walls of the library and its educational "spine."

The Elevation model applies some new, contemporary volumes within the voids of the existing concrete structure. Steel mesh material is symbolic of new, contemporary materiality against the aged qualities of the already existing components. The idea is to propose a new "jewel box" theater within the rustic shell and new market/ social spaces for people to enjoy and visit on a daily basis along the monument's currently forbidden, gated perimeter.

The juxtaposition of the high arts culture of the formal theater and the culture of the common everyday activities such as the market spaces and retail will provide for a wholesome, mixed culture that is not only constantly stimulated but is permitted to explore and contemplate the symbolic ruins of their past, satisfy nostalgic curiosities and embrace the contemporary, developed current.

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7. _PRIDE

n: the quality or state of being proud. n: delight or elation arising from some act, possession, or relationship.

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sky deck

retail arcade

The final model demonstrates a complex transition of planes - one is constantly being submerged into the site, elevated out and exposed to climbing slopes. This indooroutdoor juxtaposition is thematically bonded with series of sloped overhangs and arcades. The goal was that through this formal theme, the enormous height and volume of the Home of Revolution can appear visually reduced and earthed so that its domination over the urban fabric is toned down and its spaces are more approachable.

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restaurant/night club

cafe

pyramid ruins

The idea is to keep the majority of the program informal - such as through indoor and outdoor cafes, retail, open market spaces, small business pavilions.

The sloping roof and site surfaces are open to becoming free, casual hang-out places much like the Opera House at Oslo. Meanwhile, the central, signature, sphinx-like form of the already planned theater would be re-purposed into a new jewel-box theater with its new square shaped, glowing and glazed prism contrasting the aged, sliced up shell of the existing concrete.

amphitheater

art gallery

The demolished youth center is designed into a void, semi-private garden which offers contemplation and meditation spaces away from the traffic and busy retail promenade. This negative form, through its absence, leaves a memory if its once intended spaces for the young communist pioneers, and was inspired by the 9/11 Memorial in New York.

sloped gardens

sunken garden

The educational ‘spine’ which held the two major building components together (those of the original theater and the youth center) is now re-purposed into a glazed market space on its ground story while its upper level is treated as a multi purpose space in ruins. The supporting triangular concrete walls are left exposed as a resemblance of the past aesthetic.

The ruined walls are maintained in a somewhat designed labyrinth whose original door openings would now be encased in contemporary steel frames so that those who wish to explore and play can follow their sequence. These open, casual spaces can serve for an occasional flea market or an outdoor foods market during nice weather and weekends.

library ruins

market

amphitheater

sunken garden

The site also hosts a sloping amphitheater, another cascading slope of steps and grassed areas which can also serve for the function of gathering and outdoor performance. Below them are the old ruins - some of which would serve as an existing state museum for curious visitors to explore these mythical basement labyrinths and supposed atomic shelters. The remainder would serve for arcaded parking spaces and a shopping mall.

theater

library ruins

The odd form rooftop would be re-purposed into an already planned restaurant and a night club which would offer visitors a great panoramic view of the city and excitement to celebrate life amidst a deceased ideology of the past, censored regime.

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_master plan

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NIGHT CLUB

DINING

EXHIBITION GALA SPACE

C

ROOFTOP PLAZA

ROOFTOP BEER GARDEN

BALCONIES IN RUIN

RESTAURANT THEATER

PYRAMIDS IN RUIN

CAFE

SU

BOUTIQUES

ORCHESTRA BURIED BASEMENTS

ART GALERY SPACE STEPPED RUIN PLATFORM BURIED RUIN SUNKEN PROMENADE

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DEMOLISHED YOUTH CENTER

CONTROL ROOM LIBRARY IN RUINS PROMENADE / OUT DOOR MARKET THEATER PLAZA

UNKEN FOYER COLONNADE RUINS/ BELOW GROUND RETAIL & ACCESS TO SUNKEN GARDEN

FRESH MARKET/GROCERY RETAIL VOID GARDEN

_ew section

EXPOSED RUIN OVERHEAD

THEATER

THEATER BALCONIES

RETAIL PROMENADE GLASS PLAZA ORCHESTRA BURIED RUINS MUSEUM

_ns section 29

ROOFTOP BEER GARDEN

PYRAMIDS IN RUIN

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CAFE

NIGHT CLUB

DINING

EXHIBITION GALA SPACE

CONTROL

ROOFTOP PLAZA

BALCONIES IN RUIN

RESTAURANT THEATER

SUNKEN F

BOUTIQUES

ORCHESTRA BURIED BASEMENTS

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CONTROL ROOM LIBRARY IN RUINS PROMENADE / OUT DOOR MARKET THEATER PLAZA

SUNKEN FOYER COLONNADE RUINS/ BELOW GROUND RETAIL & ACCESS TO SUNKEN GARDEN

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FR

DEMOLISHED YOUTH CENTER

RESH MARKET/GROCERY RETAIL VOID GARDEN

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STEPPED RUIN PLATFORM BURIED RUIN SUNKEN PROMENADE

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EXPOSED RUIN OVERHEAD

ART GALERY SPACE THEATER

THEATER BALCONIES

RETAIL PROMENADE GLASS PLAZA ORCHESTRA BURIED RUINS MUSEUM

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[Architecture] is a story.. it is a story that is told through its heart materials, but it is also a story of an effort and struggle against improbabilities." ... "It's not something that has a good ending or a bad ending. It's actually a story in which our acts themselves are pushing the story in a particular way."

- Daniel Libeskind 36

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SUNČICA MILOŠEVIĆ B.S.ARCH. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, 2009 M.ARCH. UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, 2013