The 11th edition of the Ohrid International Summer School for Architecture and Design
The 11th edition of the Ohrid International Summer School for Architecture and Design, hosted by the UACS School of Architecture and Design, offered a dynamic and enriching experience. This event seamlessly integrated inspiration, research, site visits, and creative expression over three days of activities:
Day 1 began with a warm integration session, where students learned each other’s names and superpowers, collaborating on a project to see each other in action. Enlightening presentations from Angela Lekovska and Ivo Lazoroski followed this activity, as Angela presented her master thesis on “Revealing the Forgotten Tourism: The Case Study of Hotel and Resort Architectures in Socialist Macedonia,” while Ivo shared his insights on “Rethinking Ohrid: Urban Renewal of Shrinking Cities.” Both presentations offered valuable conclusions on the significance of Hotel Palas. The day concluded with students paired up for research, each team selecting a theme and starting to collect evidence to identify the unique features of Ohrid and Hotel Palas.
Day 2 took the participants on a site visit to Hotel Palas, an architectural gem built in 1958 by Edo Mihevc. The visit aimed to inspire alternative strategies for revitalizing the hotel, focusing on enhancing visitor experiences and preserving its intangible qualities, while the evening was reserved for a screening of “A Quiet Summer” (1961) by Dimitrie Osmanli in the hotel’s main foyer.
Day 3 was dedicated to the exhibition of the Summer School’s outcomes. The entrance foyer of Hotel Palas was transformed into an exhibition space, showcasing the participants’ work to numerous guests. The event began with speeches from notable figures, including Pavel Veljanoski, Mr. Piotr Wysocki, Kuba Snopek, Prof. Mishko Ralev, Nikola Kungulovski, Prof. Goran Markovski, and Mr. Svetozar Janevski. The speeches highlighted the main conclusions from the Summer School’s projects and discussed previous revitalization approaches for the hotel.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Skopje for their support and collaboration, with special thanks also going to Centrum Architektury from Warsaw for sharing the latest report from Kinga Nettmann-Multanowska, expressing both enthusiasm for the impressive results and concern for the future of this iconic building. As an added bonus, Kuba Snopek, our lead tutor, addressed the preservation of Hotel Palas in an insightful article, as a modernist gem in Ohrid. The article, soon to be available in Macedonian and Polish, captures key takeaways from the Summer School and discusses the broader themes of modernism and preservation.
The Ohrid International Summer School for Architecture and Design remains a testament to the power of collaborative learning, creative exploration, and the shared commitment to preserving cultural and architectural heritage, as we also thank everyone that participated in making this event an unforgettable experience once again, and we cannot wait to see you all next year as well!
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The 11th session of the Ohrid International Summer School for Architecture and Design was organized by the School of Architecture and Design, UACS Skopje with support of the Министерство за култура / Ministria e Kulturës; Ambasada RP w Skopje / Амбасада на Република Полска во Скопје; and Municipality of Ohrid, in partnership with Muzeum Osiedli Mieszkaniowych, Lublin; Direction, Warsaw; Завод за заштита на спомениците на културата и Музеј-Охрид; architectural studio Proxy, Skopje; and the architectural collective Архрид / Arhrid, Ohrid.
