MEMORIAL COMPLEX ADEM JASHARI

During Serbian army attack on the village Prekaz (on 5 March 1998), the leader of Kosovo Liberation Army Adem Jashari was killed along with more than 60 members of his family. The majority of residential buildings have survived the tragedy with severe damage, some of them have been demolished to the ground. Main complex of Adem Jashari in the middle of the village, Hamit house at the beginning of the village, Smajl house a little bit higher from the Main complex and observatory on the hill are considered as points of interest of this area today. The project approaches the representation of the traumatic space in the most respectful and sensitive way. It tries to avoid any kind of intervention towards the existing buildings and the surrounding terrain. The novelty is the representation of the new hope and peacefulness with the symbolism of “tree of life”. The trees are growing from the space of trauma and are representing eternal life, offering a new perspective of peacefulness and hope of the Memorial. Houses in the Main complex are protected with the glass roofs above them, which lay on the steel abstract grid system. The visitors are allowed to walk into the Guest house into the man’s room. A viewing platform is placed around the Main house, which enables the visitor to see into the Guest house from above. A new Pavilion as a multimedia presentation of the history, is placed instead of the old small house between Guest house and long outbuilding. Hamit house has the similar concept of covering as the Main complex. Above the existing house is placed a platform, which allowes visitors to walk on it and see into the house from above. A new steel construction is placed into the ruins of the Smajl house, which represents the house that used to stand there. Path (circular path to be designed) leads the spectator from the back of the observatory to the platform in the woods that is designed to hold a large group of people. Platform that shelters the observatory, provides protection and hides it from the view. When the spectator comes to the end of the platform, he can see the view of the whole village. At the point when he turns around to continue his path, he sees the observatory of Adem Jashari, hidden and sheltered by the platform that he initially stood on. The complex will gain perfect protection for houses and the added value for memorial places - with the symbolism of plants and growing, it will appear as a concretized metaphor of freedom, progress and growth. Unified paving connects all three locations into one unity, gently layed down on existing site with minimal corrections of the terrain. Climbing plants are the most important messenger of the symbolism - for the victims, survivors and the new nation. Ornamental grasses and trees conclude the whole story with sublime spaces they create. Walking amongst grasses and resting under the trees will allow the visitors to feel the experience of memorial complex and to internalize the importance of this area and actions of Jashary family.

 

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