The project “Revival of City Squares in Balkan Cities” began in January 2011. The project aims to contribute to the revival of city squares as viable public places that foster cultural identity and promote diversity through enforcement of public policies and active community participation.

The lead partner of the project is Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development from Tirana, Albania | while other partners are: the Coalition for Sustainable Development (CSD) from Skoplje, Macedonia; EXPEDITIO from Kotor, Montenegro and Polis University (International School of Architecture and Urban Development Policies from Tirana, Albania.

The project will last for two years, until December 2012.

The project is funded by the Swiss Cultural Programme in the Western Balkans (CSP) under the Regional Cooperation Projects programme line.

The public space of intervention

Students from the course of urban design were divided into groups of three, four, people and began a research and analysis of urban territory that brought them very soon, into conflict with the issues of space to which they had not thought of before.  Each group was then asked to think, together with the coordinator, of an intervention¹ that could be realized  in the investigated space; an intervention that was a metaphor for the current situation and a look towards a possible future offered by their architectural projects; an intervention that was a key point of contact for citizens; an intervention that spokes of potential, something that belongs public space in general as area of sharing and conflict. What it is derived is a new place, not physical, but mental. A space of reflection in which going into with the unconscious fear of not recognizing what we are looking at. Losing references leads to feel dizzy, what we’re not able to recognize forces our brain to make us look differently, in a new way, inside the image in a far and wide journey towards a new perspective, a new reality , a new poem; a journey through a global space, along with urban and natural, real, realistic and imaginary.

U okviru projekta Oživljavanje gradskih trgova u balkanskim gradovima, održaće se radionica “SQUARE PLAY” u Skoplju. Radionica će trajati od 14.-19. oktobra 2011.

Projekat Oživljavanje gradskih trgova u balkanskim gradovima, koji ima za cilj da doprinese oživljavanju gradskih trgova kao održivih javnih mjesta koja njeguju kulturni identitet i promovišu različitost kroz primjenu javnih politika i aktivno učešće zajednice, realizuju u partnerstvu Co-PLAN i U-Polis iz Albanije, Koalicija za održivi razvoj iz Makedonije i EXPEDITIO. Donator projekta je·Swiss Cultural Programme in the Western Balkans (SCP) u okviru Regional Cooperation Projects programa.

Radionicu “SQUARE PLAY” organizuje Koalicija za održivi razvoj KOR iz Skoplja, Makedonija|www.kor-csd.org.

Kratak opis radionice možete pogledati ovdje.

EXPEDITIO ima priliku da pošalje deset učesnika/ca iz Crne Gore na ovu radionicu. Svi troškovi puta i boravka u Skoplju za odabrane učesnike će biti pokriveni.

Molimo zainteresovane da nam pošalju svoj CV i kratko motivaciono pismo (max 150 riječi) na e-mail adresu Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli., najkasnije do srijede 5. oktobra 2011.

In the frame of the project Revival of City Squares in Balakn Cities, on behalf of the Coalition for Sustainable Development Arch. Divna Penčić prepared an initial research entitled “Urban Notes: City Squares and Public Spaces”, which served as introduction to the research on city squares.

When talking about squares and public spaces, in order to be clear, first of all, we will have to define their meaning. In our communication we use the term "square" quite frequently, and it appears that we are pretty clear what does it mean. However, if someone, using any of the languages of the Balkans, tries to find the right word to indicate the great diversity of urban areas that rightfully deserve to enter the ranks of attractive (large or small) squares / public spaces, as pearls of the city space and urban life, they will definitely experience the problem of finding the correct word.

This initial research examined the following aspects of city squares: Definition, Names and Naming, Form and function, Squares through and today, as well as: Role of Public Spaces and Why they are Important, How to Make Great Public Spaces (Squares) and Who is Responsible for Public Spaces? It also considered the topic of Creating New Models for Public Spaces.

The research “Urban Notes: City Squares and Public Spaces” can be downloaded here.

Expeditio je proteklih mjeseci radio na istraživanju o gradskim trgovima Kotora. Istraživanje je dio projekta Oživljavanje gradskih trgova u balkanskim gradovima, a autorka je sociološkinja Mr Miomirka Lučić. Kroz Istraživanje o gradskim trgovima u Kotoru tretirana su neka od pitanja koja su inače tema naučnih, ali i svakodnevnih razgovora: koliko se trgovi uopšte koriste, kakva je svrha njihove upotrebe, ko određuje ili, bolje reći, definiše strategiju organizacije javnih prostora i njihove namjene.

Pozivamo sve zainteresovane da prisustvuju završnoj prezentaciji radionice Gradski trgovi Kotora. Prezentacija će se održati u u 11h u subotu, 03. septembra 2011. u Palati Bizanti (Skupštinska sala) u Kotoru.