Modernist Skopje narrated through cartography

Skopje’s architectural landscape is far from modest. It is no surprise that its location in the heart of the Balkans manifested a confluence of various timelines existing adjacent to one another. We can see towering prefabs next to Ottoman hammams and new neo-classical façades and statues lining the Vardar. Some call it ‘kitsch’ as the city’s urban fabric proves to break any existing boundaries of inconsistency. In spite of any emerging criticism, one particular map focuses on celebrating Skopje and attempts to redefine its urban appeal – as a pearl of European modernism and brutalism. Given the Skopje 2014 metamorphosis and the derelict state of modernist structures in the city – can we use design and cartography to endorse a neglected architectural legacy?

Maps are neither neutral nor objective. We are conditioned to believe they are independent entities merely relaying information that already exists ‘out there’. They represent a simplification of reality, a way to deduce important data from everything else. Therefore it should be no surprise that they are subject to many distortions and biases, prioritising certain narratives over others. The history of cartography emphasizes this, embedded in the imperial quest of mapping the Earth. Executed under Western definitions of space, Indigenous ontologies were often rendered as alien and trivial. Mapping the land as ‘empty’ (terra nullius) constructed an absence of claim to territory, as was the case with Australia. This justified British settlement on the island in spite of Aboriginal presence and their strong relationship between society and land.

How is this relevant in the context of Skopje? Because maps continue to form our understanding of space, they emphasize particular contexts much stronger than others – and this comes with very tangible results. Maps are just as much about what they show as what they ignore. They are tools that facilitate the construction of narratives, negotiating our relationship with space and landscapes without first-hand engagement.

The 1963 earthquake saw eighty percent of Skopje destroyed. The city needed radical redesign and reconstruction to meet the needs of its citizens. Efforts to revitalize Skopje were led by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, along with a team of Yugoslavian and international architects, who collaborated to create a master plan backed by the government and the United Nations. The tragedy mobilized international aid to support the construction of a modern Skopje, reframing the city as a symbol of ‘Yugoslav and of global solidarity’ for centuries to come. It was a striking and raw concept, balancing efficiency with contemporary aestheticism which has defined the city’s progressive character. Prioritizing accessibility and community space, Tange’s plan was molded to fit the needs of the city rather than to erase what remained in an homage to Skopje’s surviving historic and cultural landscape.

It only took six decades for another reinvention of the city’s character to occur. Contemporary imitations of neo-classical buildings now dominate the urban core, leaving many modernist structures to be destroyed, replaced or simply decay in the shadows of their Skopje 2014 replacements. In spite of emerging controversies, the concept emerged to recall the ancient past and visibly show that Skopje is not just another city built in a socialist spirit. The new image of Skopje brings an enormous number of tourists. However, the critics would say that in contrast to 1963, the urban redesign was neither urgent nor essential, and the abrupt nature of reconstruction overrides the legacy of solidarity and community upon which modern Skopje was founded. 

The Modernist Skopje Map (Модернистичка мапа на Скопје) is unique in its approach because it shifts the focus towards the fragile state of the remaining post-earthquake legacy in the city. Described by The New York Times as “part design manifesto, part urban architecture guide”, maps created by the independent British publisher Blue Crow Media negotiate the relationship between architecture and contemporary cartography. Their vision of urban space is guided by “seek[ing] to celebrate the underappreciated and reveal the overlooked”, resisting aesthetic orthodoxy and emphasising the value of the forgotten. In other words, resistance comes through counter-mapping – using the same powerful tools of representation to highlight something otherwise transparent. In this instance, it highlights that there is more to Skopje’s urban heritage than meets the eye.

Relying on the vested interest of its audience, the Modernist Skopje Map attempts to emphasize the importance of modernism and why it should be situated at the forefront of Skopje’s identity. This narrative, utilizing the power of international appreciation towards brutalism and modernism, hopes that the protection of Skopje’s neglected jewels can be reinforced by uniting a diverse assemblage of enthusiasts. Mapping Skopje’s modernist legacy could be the catalyst needed for a larger momentum of resistance against the inevitable destruction of its not-so-distant past. It is not just about architecture, but what it symbolizes in the patchwork of Skopje’s urban landscape.

“Sadly, the past decade has seen a dubious rise of neo-classical […] architecture in the heart of Skopje’s Modernist centre. Ultra kitsch gold-trimmed facades have been erected on the face of many of Skopje’s finest Modernist buildings, and fears of destruction are not unfounded. This map seeks to identify the finest examples of Modernist architecture in Skopje before an international audience, and to help ensure the survival of one of the world’s great Modernist urban spaces before it disappears.” (Blue Crow Media 2018)

Dawid Kościelniak

Sources:

  • Failed Architecture – How Skopje’s Makeover Alienated Locals
  • Blue Crow Media – Modernist Skopje Map
  • Real Life Mag – Colonial Cartography
  • Yomadic – Communist Architecture of Skopje
  • LSE Blogs – Countermapping
  • Spomenik Database – Skopje 1963 Quake

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