We cannot escape from the built space, it irrevocably shapes us

Architectural engineer Jovana Radević realizes the "Trail of Stone" project, with the aim of promoting the architectural heritage of Stara Varoš and Drač in Podgorica. In an interview for "Vijesti", he announces a workshop in the Mediterranean Garden in Gorica on October 8, talks about the importance of space and its condition in the city, about architecture and society...

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Photo: Jovana Radević
Photo: Jovana Radević
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

The Old Town and Durres are the only remains of the architectural heritage in the center of Podgorica that have survived the bombings and earthquakes since the Second World War. Precisely with the aim of promoting and pointing out the significance of the architectural heritage of Stara Varoš and Durrës, an often forgotten part of the cultural heritage, the master of architectural engineering Jovana Radević realizes the project "Tragom kamen".

Although she initially believed that she would deal with only one segment of Podgorica's history and that architecture would be the only focus of the project she was working on, she was mistaken, and in an interview with "Vijesti" she explains why.

"The moment I realized that stone was brought from Duklja and built into certain parts of the Old Town, and that stone from the old buildings of the Old Town and Durres was built into some buildings from the socialist period, and that even today there are houses that are built with stone and from Duklja and from Stara Varoš and from Durres, I realized that the topic of my research is metamorphosis", reveals Radević.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

The architect further believes that the current problems with the aggressive and inadequate urbanization of the Old Town occur for two main reasons - the first is the systematic neglect of this topic by the competent institutions in terms of protection, and the second is the fact that neither her nor the residents of other parts of Podgorica understand the value and the potential hidden in them.

On the other hand, she adds, the majority of people who do not live in Durres or its surroundings, often have not even passed through this settlement and do not know what it hides, with the exception, perhaps, of Jusovača.

In an interview with "Vijesti", Radević states that generationally we have not been taught to think about space, which is why he considers the "Trace of the Stone" project to be his own step forward to bring the topic of space and architectural heritage closer to people who are not from the architectural profession.

Radević
Radevićphoto: Private archive

The first part of the project is a closed workshop called "Space-and-ja", which will be held in cooperation with the teaching staff of the High School of Construction and Geodesy "Inž. Marko Radević". On this occasion, he will talk with second, third and fourth graders about the idea of ​​emotions in space and create an emotional map of the city. He considers this extremely important, because the younger generations will one day inherit our cities, so it is important that at least they begin to raise awareness of the complex issue of space before they start handling it.

This workshop will be an introduction to the second part of the project - a public lecture with a discussion that will be held in the Mediterranean Garden in Gorica on Tuesday, October 19 at XNUMX p.m.

The event is intended for everyone who wants to see the panoramas of Podgorica that were erased by bombing and earthquakes, to learn more about Depedogen, Milćen, the walls that surrounded the Old Town and the gates through which you entered that part of the city, bridges and religious buildings that were demolished and similarly, says Radević, who obtained her degree and knowledge at the Department of Architecture and Urbanism at the Faculty of Technical Sciences of the University of Novi Sad.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

Her goal, she says, is to start a public discussion about the Old Town and Durrës, and to hear what their residents think about the way in which decisions are made about the transformations of those parts of the city, but also to see how to improve the current situation and potentially protect the area in the future. devastation.

Radević extends a special invitation for the workshop to the residents of Stara Varoš and Durrës, because their personal and family stories give these areas a special dimension. As such, they should be the first line of defense of these areas against devastation, she emphasizes.

What is the architectural heritage of the Old Town and Durres and why is it important to preserve it?

In the context of architecture, these parts of the city are a testimony of a cultural layer of Podgorica, which is reflected in the specific spatial organization, construction method, materials used, purpose of buildings, their typology and the like. They teach us about the construction system that was characteristic of the period between the 15th and 19th centuries.

The residential buildings in these parts of the city are buildings that were built by their users with their own hands and available tools based on knowledge acquired over generations, in contrast to today's industrialized architecture, which is the result of the project of various types of engineers (architects, builders, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers , surveyors...) and the performance skills of educated masters.

In addition to being a testimony of a part of our city's history, it has a huge touristic and therefore economic potential that is being neglected for unclear reasons. Every city that has an old city center tries to make that center the epicenter of the tourist offer, but for some reason the inhabitants of the Old Town and Durrës are left to their own devices without systematic investments and studious consideration of their development. There are a handful of examples of positive practices in the environment and in the world, as close examples I would single out Stari Bar and Mostar.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

It seems that the knowledge and focus of our people, when it comes to history, is usually related to more recent times, because apart from the professional public, we do not have enough knowledge about what today's cities and settlements looked like. With your research, you focused on the much deeper roots of our origin. How did you come up with the idea to investigate the architectural heritage that has been in this area for so long?

Initially, when I started working on the project, I believed that I would deal with only one segment of our city's history and that architecture would be its only focus. The moment I realized that stone from Duklja (founded in the 1st century) was brought in and built into certain buildings of the Old Town, and that stone from the old buildings of the Old Town and Durres was built into some buildings from the socialist period, and that even today there are houses that are built with stone from Duklja, Stara Varoša and Durres, I realized that the topic of my research is metamorphosis.

Daily politics as the focus of our society has put a specific blindfold on our eyes (not to mention a cataract) that prevents us from seeing that we are the sum of layers, not just one layer. And because of this inability to identify with our multi-layered history, our society can identify with the symbol of ouroboros - the snake swallowing its own tail. Ouroboros is essentially a symbol of eternity, but in our case I would say that we eat ourselves through our own forgetfulness and ignorance.

When we have Medun from the end of the 10th or the beginning of the XNUMXrd century BC and Duklja from the XNUMXst century BC, about XNUMX kilometers from the city center, we must be aware that cultural stratification is our only given. What he persistently promotes to us is the untold beauty of this multi-layeredness, and it is precisely this that I want to share with others.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

What would you single out as an important lesson about the way of life of the people who inhabited these areas?

The main lesson taught us by the architectural heritage from pre-industrial eras, including this one in the territory of the old core of Podgorica, is the relationship to nature. Buildings that were built before the modernization of construction processes never fight against nature, nor do they try to tame it. They adapt to it and because of this process of adaptation, they are always rewarded - the buildings are long-lasting, high-quality, healthy for users and always respond to local circumstances - climate, orientation, available materials, type of terrain... This is something that today's people forget.

Why do you think that, for example, there are no old houses with flat roofs in Žabljak? Because the first person to try it there ended up homeless when it snowed. But today's man simply likes to fight for the sake of some imposed aesthetics, so Podgorica, for example, still builds buildings with glass facades, regardless of the summer temperatures.

Jovana Radević
photo: Private archive

What specifics in construction in this area do you consider important and what do they teach us?

I would highlight the use of natural materials - stone, wood and earth. The load-bearing walls that made up the street facade were stone, up to 70 cm thick. The main binding agent during the construction of stone houses was lime mortar (a combination of lime, sand and water), which made the buildings resistant to mold and, with its vapor permeability, allowed the buildings to breathe due to the unhindered circulation of water vapor, as well as to control the humidity in the rooms themselves. .

I invite the readers to come to the lecture and find out what the mud walls that appeared in the interior looked like. As far as the wider context is concerned, I would single out the fact that almost every house behind the high walls had its own yard full of greenery, which I believe formed a micro-climate and cooled the space on hot summer days. In addition to the use of local materials, as a main lesson from the point of view of the profession, I would draw passive energy systems that enable heating in winter and cooling of rooms in summer.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

When you talk about architecture, you often, for this time and industry, use atypical associations - emotions, feeling, thinking, bioclimatic design - how difficult is it to break through such associations with living space into the mainstream, in a period when the association with profit dominates?

I think only time can bring these issues back into focus, as is the case with all issues of true quality in any profession that have been pushed to the back burner by fast-paced lifestyles, the desire for profit, and the abnormally fast flow of information. On the other hand, I believe that these issues come into focus when people become aware of them. That's why I strive to share my knowledge, in order to reach as many people as possible, and this is a process that cannot be accelerated and cannot be forced.

It seems to me that the general absence of ideals spills over into all aspects of our existence, so the packaging has become more important than the thing itself. This is why I think that quality is a matter of education over time.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

You once said that bad architecture kills... In what way?

Bad architecture kills with time. If I took a gun and shot a person - I would end up in prison, but if my architecture is the source of her frustration on a daily (even unconscious!) level, I certainly kill her over time, because I negatively affect her mental and emotional state, but, no one they will never point a finger at me.

From the perspective of art, we can turn off the radio and TV, we can leave the gallery or theater, bad literature is the easiest to put away, but we cannot escape from the built space - we are simply condemned to it. We shape it, and it then irrevocably shapes us and all future generations. The easiest way to explain it to you are the tenants of flat A under Ljubović, for whom the construction of flats B, C and D, in addition to the quality of life, also devastated the value of real estate.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

Where do you see the role of architects in the fight to preserve architectural heritage?

I believe that the role of architects in that process is crucial. I see architects as translators of a specific language for people who don't speak it, but understand it deeply and unconsciously. It's up to us to educate the public about the things that matter, because that's what we were taught.

Svetlana Kana Radević has taken a very clear attitude towards heritage through the Podgorica hotel project - she has designed a building that does not impose its characteristics and does not try to dominate the space, but adapts to it, trying to be imperceptible. And in that subtlety it shines with beauty. In one of the interviews, she stated that "Architecture is not an adventure of space and materials. It is also an ethical act, you make all decisions for man, in the name of man. In the past, an architect worked for an individual, today he works for society"... Hence, our role is very clear.

Jovana Radević
photo: Private archive

Natural materials make the environment healthier

"Natural materials, stone, brick and wood, allow our vision to penetrate their surfaces, and for us to convince ourselves of the authenticity of the materials. Natural materials show their age, as well as the history of their origin and the history of human use. All matter exists in the continuum of time: the patina of wear adds to building materials the experience of time that enriches them" - this is how Juhani Palazma defined the advantages of natural materials. What advantages do you see in working with natural materials, as someone who works with them?

The use of natural materials makes the user's environment healthier. Both lime and mud plasters create more airy rooms and control air humidity, which is extremely important for the health of our lungs. Apart from the above, I would say that their main advantage is that they are not toxic, as synthetic materials can be.

Also, aware that we will not exist forever, I am always reassured by the fact that the objects I build will be naturally recycled when no one lives in them anymore - they will return to where they came from, minimally polluting the nature they are surrounded by. A special level of natural pollution occurs during the production and transportation of synthetic materials, which is avoided (to some extent or completely) by the use of natural materials. It is clear that there are things that will have to be synthetic in nature, but our aspiration to reduce their share can greatly improve the quality of our lives.

Finally, the use of natural materials inevitably introduces a tactile experience of space into the story. A house with stone or walls covered with mud plaster invites you to touch it with its texture, which is not the case when using concrete or plasterboard.

Jovana Radević interview
photo: Jovana Radević

Beneficiary in the shadow of the investor

Despite the rapid development of technology and the construction industry, it seems that we are never further from, as Le Corbusier defined it, human-scale architecture. Where, on the example of Stara varoši and Durres, can we see architecture on a human scale?

We moved away from humanity when we moved away from man and closer to profit. Then the final user remained in the shadow of the investor. In societies that care about the individual, the investor is heavily controlled by the state. Unfortunately, we live in a different reality. As far as the Old Town and Durres are concerned, human scale is commonplace because people built these buildings for themselves. I find it there in the first place near the rivers on which these parts of the city were built - man as a being inseparable from water.

In the context of the buildings themselves, I recognize it in their number of floors, the use of materials, the presence of internal courtyards, the fact that the streets are designed for pedestrians, not for cars (which is why today we have to cling to houses and fences when a car comes by). I also see humanity in the presence of sacred buildings, wells and public fountains - as gathering places.

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