Stefan Župan, Emilija Stojanoska, Kliment Taneski, Dimitar Pop-Stefanija, Eva Zovič, Julija Jovanovska, Angela Trajanova, Filis Ajruš, Filip Spaseski, Anastasija Risteska, Ivo Lazaroski, Tea Damjanovska, Stefan Nazifovski, Simona Chingoska

Nominator: Meri Batakoja

Nominator's statement

Arhrid Collective is an emerging group of architects founded in 2022 in Ohrid in response to accelerated urbanization and the architectural and cultural degradation of the city. By consolidating the values of the contemporary architectural scene, they aim to build a base for education, protection and civic action, and to create a forum where questions of the city are discussed openly. Their work moves between research, design and cultural activism: projects such as “The Way of Chipan”, which combines exhibition, debates and a publication on modernist heritage, show how they use architecture as a tool for critical reflection and renewal. In parallel, the collective is actively engaged in international architectural competitions, including the UNESCO Ancient Theatre Competition (2025) and the Nautical Club Ohrid Competition (2024), further demonstrating their maturity and ability to position local themes within a global architectural discourse. As a young collective they already demonstrate a rare combination of conceptual clarity, public engagement and responsibility towards place, making them an excellent candidate for the BIG SEE Perspectives Award.

KASARNA TALKS & AKT [РАЗГОВОРИ ЗА КАСАРНА И АКТ]
The ex-military barracks area in Ohrid (Kasarna), is a large green open area of 22ha on the edge of the city located on a regional road. In 1953 it became a military barracks area, which meant no urbanisation and more greenery. Throughout these years, the city has expanded its built capacity and areas around became housing neighbourhoods, all while the barracks remained enclosed.

In 2011 it was finally opened to the public again, so the most obvious question was raised: **what is going to be the destiny of this large green area in between the newly built context?​**
Eventually, the city permitted individual actors to develop isolated parts within the area according to their own agendas. This has led to a fragmented landscape, developed randomly and without a general guidance, coherent vision or strategy in mind.

The very first event of our collective ARHRID was concerned with this question about the future of Kasarna, and we called it “Kasarna Talks”. It included an exhibition and a presentation for the history and contemporaneity of the space, its value and potential, as well as a proposed direction for its development.

We continued our work on various topics of Ohrid, but the question about Kasarna remained open. At a later occasion a year later we got the occasion to work on the space again. A second project, called “AKT” tried approaching the topic from a different angle. Rather than talking, this time we decided to use a more tangible approach, designing and building something on the small yard in front of the buildings which houses functions like a Digital Nomad Hub; Youth Cultural Center; Center for Disabilities; Yoga Studio etc. The intervention should make the yard a place, not only a leftover, and as a possible trigger.

The intervention consisted of:
Addition of urban amenities - places to sit or lay down, trash receptacles and lighting. The installation is made out of reused wooden pallets, low-tech and low-budget. It has a possibility to be moved and put in different formations for larger groups or to be used individually.

A mural on the facade to the yard, is the face of the new space. It is a result of a collaborative work of five separate young artists. Their works then get curated in a larger uniformed whole. It explores the correlation between the traditional and the digital, starting from the spirit of the surroundings, existing in the new contemporary context of Kasarna.

The event included daily activities throughout 3 days for its opening - music, poetry reading, cleaning action, movie screening, pop-up market and lego workshop – showcasing the possibilities of how this space can be used in the future.

THE WAY OF CHIPAN [НАЧИНОТ НА ЧИПАН]
“The way of Chipan” refers to architect Boris Chipan's approach when dealing with historical and contemporary contexts. It encapsulates the lesson we inherit from his way of working. In 1955 he was engaged with 2 things simultaneously that reveal his approach: a book, and a building.

- The book, called “Old city architecture of Ohrid” \[„Стара градска архитектура во Охрид“] documents and describes the values of Ohrid old city architecture (XIX century). This architecture, later in the 70s, was recognized by Unesco as an urban whole. When talking about his book and the topic, at a later occasion he wrote:

„XIV c. architecture in Macedonia and the region today is described as one with an indisputable cultural value of national historical category of heritage. But, it wasn’t the case when this work was written and published“
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- In the same year, 1955, he designed a building as a part of a youth retreat camp for the summer holidays. It is a building alla Villa Savoye – as modern as a provincial town like Ohrid can get. Architecturally, it draws directly from the tradition: materiality, proportions, layout. At the same time, it has been cleaned from all the decorative elements per the modernist movement.

Today, 70 years later, we celebrate his work. The aim of the event is to recognize his building as a legacy (now viewed with a historical distance), all while promoting informed interventions in a contemporary manner that befits the standards of 2025. It was structured in two panel discussions, an exhibition in 2 parts, a publication and a movie. The two main topics, going parallel to each other in comparison were:

“1995 - Architectural heritage as a basis for contemporary design”

“2025 - What about the modern heritage today? Architectural competitions as tools”

The whole research material is structured into a publication. The two panel discussions are available on Youtube. The process of organizing was filmed and later published as a short documentary movie.

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100 YEARS VANGEL NAUMOVSKI MURAL [МУРАЛ ЗА 100 ГОДИНИ ВАНГЕЛ НАУМОВСКИ]
Vangel Naumovski, (22.03.1924-13.07.2006) is one of the most important artists of the past century in Macedonia. He was born in Ohrid, where he also had his atelier, and worked across various fields including mainly painting, but also sculpture, poetry, woodcarving, and architecture.

His paintings have a deep connection with the local context, especially the biological attributes of the lake and its fauna. Our admiration of his work is connected to the fact that he brought the local culture on a global scene and approached architecture in a particularly artistic and sculptural way. Being considered a Naïve artist, yet not far from surrealism, he was praised by Salvador Dali himself.

A hundred years later, in 2024, as an act of respect and appreciation for his contributions, we celebrated his birthday in the form of a large-scale mural in Ohrid. The motive of the mural is one of his works made in Zagreb in 1970. It is replicated on an area of 80 m2, along with a stencil of his portrait. The location is chosen strategically on a visible spot between his home & atelier and a newly constructed piazzetta.

Subsequently, the intervention led to an initiative to name the piazzetta in honor of the name of Vangel Naumovski, which we feel really glad about.

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