Europan 12 | Gjilan - Annalisa Pilati, Gianpaola Spirito, Giulio Forte, Massimiliano Matera

Gjilan is characterized by a radical transformation today. This change evolved from an industrial economy to a new model of economy, based on high quality life and on the attention on themes such as education, research and innovation. The strategic position of Gjilan, located between Serbia and Macedonia, and the two important roads M25-2 Preshevo-Pristina and M25-3 Bujanovc Ferizaj make it an important interchange node. This position defines its urban structure, composed along two crossing axes. The design process begins by measuring this fluid space (system) through a series of urban sections. The result of this study is a continue variation in which the different public spaces do not have a relationship between each other, and in many cases are characterized by not having any relationship with human scale. This axis is characterized by an irregular shape, disproportion and a series of small squares and episodic gardens. Currently a identifier role of the road axes lacks. Structured and conceived only as a crossing space and not as a “place where to stay”, although the existence of activities, services, and a small park in the southern part that offers to the inhabitants adequate quality of life.

Concept_Bubbles Frame!

These features led us to compare the Gjilan’s axes with the Las Vegas’ Strip and to emphasize the contradiction between the anomaly and the disproportion of the road and its fronts with the surrounding context. Like in Las Vegas, where just behind the strip, there is the desert, even the Boulevard Idriz Seferi, juxtaposes the relevant road section (24 to 88m), with the main services of the city, to the historical/typical small-scale fabric that has characterized Gjilan.

Ex-tra Strip

Resilience, sustainability, adaptability strategies intend to transform the Gjilan’s principal axes in a spatial and configurative structure of the future city development and connectional/relational element that link together the future public multifunctional buildings, the Mirusha river (under construction/transformation) and the public spaces. This last element structures, connects, brings together and gives identity to the project area and links this one with the city surrounding.

Masterplan

STRATEGIES AND ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT: _ RESILIENCE: “CULTURAL STRIP”; _ RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY: “CENTRAL PARK”; _SUSTAINABILITY: “GREEN STRIP” + LIGHT MOBILITY; _ADAPTABILITY: “FRAME OF BUBBLES”; _ADAPTABILITY AND URBAN REGENERATION: “THE NEW BUILDINGS”.

Project

The project interprets the adaptability in two ways. In a functional sense, through flexible and temporary spaces characterized by different uses, that alternate and are otherwise accessible in different hours of the day or different seasons in order to meet the needs of a diverse audience. In a temporary sense, the project interprets the adaptability through the different phases and scenarios which is necessary for a urban project that transforms an area of 12.5 ha whose change should happen gradually over a period of time necessary for its implementation without interrupting the life that takes place in a strategic and central location such as Gjilan.