Rediscovering public space in the inner ring of Skopje

Abstract

The interventions topic first came to mind when I discovered there was a dark alley within one of the neoclassical façades along Macedonia street leading to a courtyard behind. It turned out that there were many courtyards like this dispersed throughout the city, providing potential for public space alternatives for the city of Skopje. The studio Methods and Analysis advocates the research process consisting of contextual, conceptual, and disciplinary analysis that results in a fully-fledged architectural intervention. Contextual analysis was conducted through observation of Skopje and interviews. The conceptual analysis investigated the literature research, from which I formulated the design aim to stimulate social interactions within the courtyards. The disciplinary analysis consisted of precedent studies, resulting in a set of instruments of architectural elements: basin, wall, leveling, and playground. The design of the courtyards implemented these instruments to mediate between resolving the issues found in the current situation and the surroundings. The interventions selected three courtyards within the inner ring of Skopje and proposed an urban strategy inspired by the theory of an urban mind map to integrate the dispersed courtyards within a complex environment. The design position to simulate social interactions in public space so as to provide people a sense of home and further unite the city.
Finally, reflecting on the graduation project, I obtained a new perception of architecture, became more critical of the reasons behind an intervention, and use an unconventional approach to figure out a problem. I learned how to conduct research through observation, theory, and precedents and combine the results into a set of instruments to be applied in the design of the interventions in order to achieve the design aim.