29th Session of the International Summer School of Architecture
Faculty of Architecture | Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje
Homage to Togetherness
The Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, is just one year before the 30th anniversary of the International Summer School of Architecture. The International Summer School of Architecture was continuously organized for 28 sessions, 28 years in a row. [It was organized even under very sensitive conditions during military conflict back in 2001.] It has hosted more than 800 students and more than 100 architects from all around the world, among which Alexander Brodsky, Sami Rintala, Peter Wilson, Michiel Riedijk and Juliette Bekkering, just to name a few (www.ssarch.arh.ukim.edu.mk). It represented an extracurricular summer activity in form of a unique process of learning architecture through international and creative exchange between tutors and students on a relevant topic.
This year, we faced a big challenge deciding to organize the 29th Session of the Summer School of Architecture in an alternative format. We made that decision based upon a principle that we cannot trade the authentic experience of the temporary collective between the students and tutors at the foot of the beautiful architectural and natural scenery of the Macedonian village of Lazaropole for the recommendations for social distancing and the discomfort of possible risks. However, we made a decision to try this alternative format due to our sincere commitment to underline an important message for the students in this challenging time - the architecture remembers its essential role to represent authentic spatial relations between people and their activities of enjoyment in the public sphere, as our Summer School of Architecture does, a role that wasn’t put aside throughout whole architectural history and a role that architecture is giving up just temporarily.
The alternative format of the 29th Session of the Summer School of Architecture will take place in the period between 16th July and 1st September, starting with the launching of international student competition. The competition will be followed by multiple educative activities that should broaden the student perception on the matter of the ways architecture situates togetherness. This content will appear on the website of the Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje, and its accompanying social media profiles, in form of synchronous and asynchronous addresses, and an illustrative interactive “Atlas of Togetherness”. (www.arh.ukim.edu.mk) (@arh.ukim.edu.mk) (#ssarch2020 #afsukim #homagetotogetherness #internationalcompetition #atlasoftogetherness)
PLEASE FIND THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND THE CALENDAR OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AND ITS ACCOMPANYING ACTIVITIES HERE.
togetherness noun the state of being close to another person or other people
The Covid-19 outbreak completely changed the landscape of the everyday throughout the whole world. We have seen striking images of the most famous and beautiful cities completely emptied of human life. We have seen surreal images of booming nature and felt as surplus in the world that is our home. We have started to recognize what is already named “a visual landscape of Covid-19” consisted of sanitarian and disciplinarian techniques that impose new orders of everyday functioning - the “two-metre rule” is the new architect that draws queues and grids on public space layouts. We have become faceless figures that practice distancing.
The Student Architectural Competition The Last Resort - Remembering Spatial Patterns of Togetherness aims to motivate an inverse imaginative response to this new visual landscape as an action of inner rebellion that we must not forget the intrinsic character of architecture - to bring together, to connect! What we want to provoke and compile is homage to togetherness!
We invite students to remember, to explore, to learn, to think of spatial patterns that promote the socially interactive, the inclusive, the integrative, the playful, the empathetic, the interstitial. The students are expected to design small-scale, low-tech projects based on the abovementioned intentions.
The word “resort” has a double meaning, one being “a place where people can go on vacation to relax or for an activity they enjoy” and the other (especially when used with ‘the last’) is “the fact of doing something in a particular situation because there is no other way of achieving something.” This collective imaginative resort, compiled of every student’s individual, small-scale project based on their own idea of togetherness at the end of the competition, will represent an important message that architecture can resist, rather than reflect, this temporal external reality of social distancing.
So, we really hope that our small-scale architecture will resonate the big-scale truth and hope for architecture as homage to togetherness.
Thank you to all who will take part in this challenge!
Competition Type Student | Architectural | International | Open Ideas |
Official language The official language of the competition is English
Registration Each participant (individual or team) should fill in the Registration Form and send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than 27th July 2020.
Fees The competition is free of charge
Download
Competition Task Program and Location
Competition Rules and Regulations
Prizes
The international jury will award first, second and third prize.
1st Prize
The first prize is in the amount of annual tuition fee for all team members and admission in next year’s Summer School of Architecture Session without application and participation fee, which covers the expenses for a one-week stay (accommodation and meals) in Kalin Hotel in Lazaropole, the venue of the 30th session of the Summer School in 2021 (for the domestic students of Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje)
2nd Prize
The second prize is in the amount of semestral tuition fees for all team members and admission in next year’s Summer School of Architecture Session without application and participation fee, which covers the expenses for a one-week stay (accommodation and meals) in Kalin Hotel in Lazaropole, the venue of the 30th session of the Summer School in 2021 (for the domestic students of Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje)
3rd Prize
The third prize is admission in next year’s Summer School of Architecture Session for all team members, without application and participation fee, which covers the expenses for a one-week stay (accommodation and meals) in Kalin Hotel in Lazaropole, the venue of the 30th session of the Summer School in 2021 (for the domestic students of Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje)
For the awarded students from other faculties of architecture from North Macedonia, the prize is admission in next year’s Summer School of Architecture Session for all team members, without application and participation fee, which covers the expenses for a one-week stay (accommodation and meals) in Kalin Hotel in Lazaropole, the venue of the 30th session of the Summer School in 2021
For awarded international students, the prize is admission in next year’s Summer School of Architecture Session for all team members, without application and participation fee, which covers the expenses for a one-week stay (accommodation and meals) in Kalin Hotel in Lazaropole, the venue of the 30th session of the Summer School in 2021, and covered travel expenses in the amount of 300 euros from a European destination
The Summer School of Architecture is worth 2 ECTS credits.
All proposals will be subjected to а critique review.
All proposals will be subjected to publishing.
All proposals will be subjected to public exhibition.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
During the whole contest, until submission deadline - competitors can address any question to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
, with the designated subject of the email: QUESTION. The organizers of the competition will individually answer the competitors by e-mail and will weekly publish updates in this FAQ section.
Calendar
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16.07.2020 |
Launching of the International Architectural Competition “Homage to Togetherness” Open Call for Registration |
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16.07.2020 |
Launching of the Initiative “Atlas of Togetherness” |
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27.07.2020 |
Deadline for submitting the Registration Form |
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28.07.2020 |
Opening Webinar Virtual Opening of the 29th Session Summer School of Architecture |
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17.08.2020 |
Deadline for submitting the Competition Works |
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17.08.2020 28.08.2020 |
Two Sessions of the Jury Committee |
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01.09.2020 |
Closing Webinar What Did We Learn About Architecture of Togetherness? |
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TBD |
Awards Ceremony Public Exhibition Promotion of the Booklet “Homage to Togetherness” |
Competition Entries
awards | recognitions | reviews
Click on the images to see the whole project!
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1ST PRIZE A03T30 Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Tamara Ivanova, Angela Petrovska Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje; Politecnico di Milano Year of Studies > fourth City > Skopje Country > North Macedonia |
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OPEN AIR HOUSE In the words of its authors, they conceptualized an “open-air house” that represents the concept of a home found outside, as a symbol of togetherness. The design is based upon a quadrant divided in 16 fields (2m x 2m) that absorbs the translation of the elements of traditional house in a public pavilion-type architecture consisted of rooms, “chardak” and the covering of the roof. The “chardak” area as a common space is positioned in the middle part and opened for entrance on two sides, west and east, following the direction of the existing street. It functions as an open central hall, an important spatial knot that connects the rooms configurationally and enables intertwining of all inhabitants’ daily activities as an inclusive spot of getting together. The rooms provide space for uniting small groups of people in the open-air while also having a sheltering function. The space is equipped with less-defined, evocative elements that spark (in users) various ideas for appropriation. The whole is materialized as a modular wooden structure, completely opened on two sides to frame the visual fields towards the existing “piazza” in front of Kalin Hotel on the east and the public faucet, the traditional houses and the church of St. George on the west side, and partially closed on the south and north side towards the existing residential houses and the street. The south and north facades are characterized with the pattern of horizontally and vertically interwoven rope that is inspired by northern and southern mountain silhouette as seen from the village. Although this literal analogy is questionable, the Jury however thinks that the effect of “low-tech” hand-crafted porous membranes made out of ropes is creative solution. The presentation of the project is conducted as complete and mature technical illustration and 3d visualizations with meticulously chosen color pallet, scenario montages and contextual relevance of the design. |
| 2ND PRIZE
JCNTH7 Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Aleksandra Cvetkovska Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje Year of Studies > second City > Skopje Country > North Macedonia |
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SEE-THROUGH REDDISH WOODEN STRUCTURE This project focuses on the rituals of eating and playing as natural instigators of socialization and inherent patterns of togetherness. It consists out of climbing platforms - a structure that calls for an active exploration of the space and offers a free choice of meeting points and an eating stall which, through the actions of its users, is turned into a big dining room and kitchen for the entire local center of Lazaropole. The roof of the eating stall functions as an additional deck, conceived as an elevated porch of the local houses. It is meant to encourage various interactions through age-old activities that bond people together like preparing and sharing a meal, playing and enjoying the vista of one’s hometown. The association that comes to mind when looking at this project is a children's playground. The authors elaborate their idea very well, saying that they are inspired by a playground’s capacity for informal socialization. The project is based upon the formal strategy of manipulating the stepping platforms, which are combined into a see-through wooden structure that does not have the ambition to represent a solid architectural object, but a hybrid element that triggers different situations/scenarios of togetherness. These stepping platforms extend and transform in order to enable the programmatic essence of climbing, seating, eating and enjoying the beautiful vista of the village church with the surrounding houses through a tripartite, yet indivisible composition of an eating stall, a porch and a tower. The architectural representations consisted of the reddish structure that stands out in the contrast of the yellow grass and the black and white scenography of events of togetherness are both provocative and evocative, leaving space to simultaneously contemplate the architectural idea independently and in the context of the topic on togetherness. However, the Jury discussed the shortcomings of the architectural articulation of the idea related to the scale and the detailing of the proposed solution, presuming that the authors are very young students. |
| 3RD PRIZE
Ld9894 Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Lidija Pranjić, Dylan Jacco Quinten Gubbels Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana Year of Studies > EM Arhitektura (2. stopnja) 3rd year, MAG Urbanizem (2. stopnja) 1st year City > Ljubljana Country > Slovenia |
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THE OASIS OF PEACE AND TOGETHERNESS
The project is evaluated as a very realistic one, based upon “down to earth” rational decisions that lead towards strong sensibility in accordance with the everyday-ness value of the location site. It is a design proposal for of new public space instead of pavilion structure that accentuates the directions of walking and viewing focuses on the axis of west-east, where instead of using the main street in the full sun, an alternative of green islands titled “oasis of peace and togetherness” is created. The design is based upon a formal strategy of twisted curve between the existing bakery and the public faucet along which new urban elements with various programmatic possibilities are inserted. The scale of the proposed urban elements varies between the scale of urban equipment and the scale of architectural object. They form inconspicuousborder lines on the north and south to provide a safe and green pedestrian zone in-between the existing street and the residential houses. The programme consists out of a plaza in the east side and a grill cove in the west. It is a casual place, for coming, sitting and eating together whilst enjoying the sun or the shade of the trees. The narrative that follows the drawings is consistent to this concept of casualness and everyday-ness: “During the day, people can sit down with fresh baked bread from the existing bakery, bordering the east side of the area…” The authors plan to have fruit trees on the eastern edge of the location site that will provide free fruits for all the visitors in the future. The architectural representation is simple, consistent to the standpoints it communicates and technically mature. |
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TOP #5 HONORABLE MENTION ML820J Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Lucas Escudero Arnés, Martina Blázquez Polaina Institution/School of Architecture > La Salle Campus Barcelona - Ramon Llull Year of Studies > third City > Barcelona Country > Spain |
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SOCIAL FOREST Inspired by etymological definition of Lazaropole meaning “large area without forest”, the authors came up with an idea of “planting” a social forest out of a vernacular-like single module that was further architecturally developed in a growing scenario. The basic module is 2.5/2.5 meters, with two variations of diagonally cut basic modules that through a set of sliding panels can create ever-changing passages, openings and closures of spaces when assembled. The planned program is very ambitious, and distributed in three zones, of which the first one is dedicated to artistic practices (exhibitions, museum and library activities), the second one to open area activities (traditional dances, open cinema, open air dining) and the third one to educative activities (nature school/kindergarten, workshops etc.) The Jury however questions if the programmatic scenarios are architecturally articulated enough. The Jury highly appreciates the overall composition according to the location site, the formal outcome of “regular irregularity” and the scale of the proposed structure. The permeability of open and closed spaces that enables casual coexistence of nature, people and architecture is praiseworthy quality. The Jury also underlines the technical maturity of the architectural representation. |
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TOP #5 HONORABLE MENTION 3946aj Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID >Tarif Araf, Jakiat Jitu Institution/School of Architecture > Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Year of Studies > fourth City >Dhaka Country >Bangladesh
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TO-GATHER “In our togetherness, castles are built.” - authors state in their panels a famous Irish proverb. The project is conceptualized around a spatial grid - planks and railings and modules – purple elements that resemble newly designed scaffolding that can be easily manipulated by its users in order to support multiple programmatic scenarios in a centric configuration. It is inspired, in the words of its authors, by Lazaropole’s historical story on togetherness about the Church of St. George that was built with participation of every citizen. All of the Jury members praised both the project’s idea and its representation. Although the juxtaposition of contemporaneity and the tradition is a prevailing theme in the visual presentation, an idea about further and more sensitive usage of this “scaffolding” was discussed by some of the Jury members: instead of pretentious display of orthodox icons as contemporary exhibition, the “scaffolding” itself could be wrapped around some real artifacts from Lazaropole to enable a close-up examination and an authentic experience of traditional values in situ. This discussion therefore questioned the definite position of the structure within the location site and the centric configuration that actually limits other unforeseen possibilities. Despite the scaffolding idea being exhausted in many recent architectural projects, it is however a very curious architectural product, a frame for opening the context of architecture and Lazaropole towards contemporary collaborative and participative artistic practices. |
| TOP #10
HONORABLE MENTION teamarch111 Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Eva Kosteska, Viktorija Mojsovska Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje Year of Studies > third City > Skopje Country > North Macedonia |
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THE TREE HOUSE DREAM The project is based upon authors’ personal association on togetherness, assemblage of six/twelve single tree houses. The tree house is an epitome of childhood, both as dreamy imaginative construction when longed, and as safe shelter architecturally well-defined when possessed. As singular tree house, it associates children’s freedom of creative imagination and adventures, a coexistence with nature and closeness to the sky, and first independence from the adult world. What does this image of multiplied tree houses represent when put in the middle of our pandemic adult world? Is it a direct reflection of authors’ inner longing for “stepping on a break”, for slowing down, for reconnecting with nature, for giving time to creativity and space for coexistence in peace and serenity? Almost as a childhood dream. It is so desirable and at the same time as impossible as the trees these houses grow around (that are non-existent). Yet again it can be so simple and possible as the act of planting the trees over the years and building of the tree houses together, while waiting for the better world to arise. The Jury underlines the technical maturity of the architectural representation. |
| TOP #10
HONORABLE MENTION HEARTHESS56
Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Bojana Stankovska, Pale Janeva Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje Year of Studies > second, pre-graduate City > Skopje Country > North Macedonia
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THE ZIG ZAG AGORA The project follows the existing conditions of the location site as the need for seasonal parking and keeping residential houses’ open views on the south edge of the location site. It then marks a strong center with a public fireplace, a beginning of the future “agora” and further formalizes it through a linear gesture that asserts the perimeter of the site. The linear gesture opens on the north side to form a “portal” and is structured by zig-zag wooden elements that grow into rhomboids on east and west side of the agora. The Jury highly evaluates the singularity of the concept that through a single gesture unites the programmatic possibilities (camping around fire, traditional dances and other cultural activities in the center, exhibitions in the perimeter, watching the stars at night etc.) and the strong formal identity that creates a new mezzanine in the village of Lazaropole where you see and are observed by others. The Jury underlines the technical maturity of the architectural representations, but discussed the incompatibility between the 2d and 3d representations of the project, with the latter being characterized as uncritical excess. The Jury also highly evaluates the convincing depiction and possibility for experiencing the festive energy of a village fare. |
| TOP #10
HONORABLE MENTION BING4301
Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Jordan Lazoroski, Oliver Dalcheski
Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje
Year of Studies > pre-graduate City > Skopje Country > North Macedonia
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STRUCTURALIST INTUITION The project represents interesting ambition to test the formal outcome out of combining axial lines that encourage movements through the location and basic geometric shapes/typologies in the intersecting points of the axes that situate different types of interaction (intimate/private interaction, semi-private and public interaction). The solution is inspired by authors’ observations on how different types of communities manifest different forms of informal gatherings, for which the Jury believes should be further elaborated. There is particular conflict between the ambition to invent a formal structure that situates particular types of interactions and the elaboration of the programme as functional outcome of different furniture typologies that enable eating, playing chess, sitting on a bench etc. However, the 3d visualizations speak of a very vibrantly imagined situation of togetherness with great possibilities enabled by the structural elements consisting out of primary and secondary axis, geometric typologies that intersect them, secluded areas along the secondary axis, exposed areas along the primary axis, rhythm of frames as stop-points, the circle as geometry of the collective etc. Despite the shortcoming of the elaboration, the Jury underlines the great intuition behind this concept and praises the authors’ committed work. |
| TOP #10 HONORABLE MENTION MO2SFT Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Maja Petrevska, Mila Gavrilovska Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje Year of Studies > second City > Skopje Country > North Macedonia |
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NOSTALGIC FAMILIARITY RE:INVENTING MEMORIES “Even though togetherness is related to physical closeness, that is one of the least important definitions of togetherness.” – authors state bravely in the elaboration of their idea. The authors propose a reinvention of the pattern of togetherness by implementing the notion of freedom (to silently doing nothing together), silence, light and scent as conceptual elements of the new architectural situation of togetherness. Togetherness is as simple and as complex as the form of a circle, they claim, so the design represents a simple gesture of encircling and further uses the nature to finish it, in a kind of a process oriented approach that almost ritually gives homage to one situation of togetherness. Authors add small trees around the open pavilion to intensify the game of shadows and light, and they also add lavender plants to stimulate an unconscious association between the smell of lavender and the notion of togetherness, to build memory on togetherness through a scent. How does togetherness smell like as a persistent memory is a curious question that is asked through this project. However, the Jury questioned the choice of the lavender as the scent of togetherness and its relation to the Lazaropole genius loci. The Jury highly evaluates the unique sensibility regarding the notion of togetherness, expressed also through the aquarellist representations. |
| TOP #10
HONORABLE MENTION HOUSE7 Name and Surname of the Participant/s behind the TeamID > Kalina Trajanovska, Giuseppina Verduci Institution/School of Architecture > Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje Faculty of Architecture at Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria Year of Studies > forth, pre-graduate City > Skopje; Reggio Calabria Country > North Macedonia, Italy |
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LAZAROPOLE GET-TOGETHER PAVILLION/A TRADITIONAL COMPLEX FOR RETHINKING OUR UNIVERSAL VALUES The project is positioned alongside of the primary street, as its atmospheric pedestrian alternative, an architecture that compensates the lack of natural shading in the area. The formal strategy used is based upon the concept of “structure within a structure”, an outer “skeleton” open for public experience and a hidden street/miniature museum dedicated to an intimate inner experience. The Jury discussed that it resembles the local temporary structures serving the agricultural needs and questioned which are the steppingstones of the design. Several scenarios were discussed as potential development of the basic idea, as architectural elaboration of the vegetative character of the location site around and within the project that is seen on the photos but not explained, possible phasing of the atmospheres as passing through the “cinematic structure”, etc. The Jury especially values the author’s process of design based upon a hand-made model, that meticulous and detailed as it is, is in itself homage to (believe in) togetherness. According to the persuasiveness and authenticity of the presentation, it is uniquely conceptualized around phasing photography of the hand-made model with accentuation of the materiality and tactility that adds to the overall concept of the traditional craftsmanship and the aim towards a real physical and spatial encounter. |
Atlas of Togetherness
“Atlas of Togetherness” is an interactive initiative. All the professors and friends of the Faculty of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, are invited to contribute with one illustration (photography/drawing/sketch of architectural project) with or without short text of 100-150 words, or one theoretical article that strongly expresses their personal association to togetherness in architecture. We aim to pick into this personal, sensual knowledge of togetherness and to juxtapose it in a web platform for exchange between colleagues and students. In that way, it will represent open, ever-growing celebration of togetherness, an act of togetherness itself, but it will also function as a motivational container for the students and contestants.
Click on the images to see them bigger, or click on the text title to read more about who proposed it or why it is important to the topic of architectural means of situating togetherness
