SEAMbiosis | E13 Winner

Active society. Identity. Public transportation. Clean air and water. Community participation. Decentralization. Happiness. Cultural heritage. Flow. Children. Regulated sewage. Public realm. Artisans. Local stories. Religious harmony. Industry. Shared spaces. Education. Four seasons. Wellbeing. Bike lanes. Micro-economy. Organic farming. Lush nature. Green parks. Sustainability. Adaptive reuse. Technology. Traditions. Free movement. Diversity. Play. Accessibility. Tourism. Smokers’ corners. Weddings. Hospitality. Dignity. Connections. Safety. Pedestrian-based. Good will. Equality. Free spirituality. Arts and crafts. The old and the new. Opportunities. LED street lighting. Farmers market. City landmarks. Hybridity. Bridges. Water collectors. Solar energy. Vibrancy. Awareness. Day and night. Relaxation. Coexistence between generations. Sharing and caring. Blurred boundaries of public and private space. 

The seam and network between these essentials make the city of Gjakova a living organism; an urban SEAMbiosis. 

Rooted in deep sociological, historical, cultural and profoundly humane features, it is build around three main principles:

COGNITIVE: Body encountering space leaves evidence, just as space is altered by the presence of body. The relation between the two elements, body and space, brings forward the spirit and psychology of a city through thought, experience, and the senses.
PHYSICAL: Gjakova is a tangible synthesis of build and natural environments. The architecture gathers meaning by its everyday function, by its presence in the townscape and by its form, while the natural assets (water, topography and greenery) present the critical agents for city’s performance and sustainability.
SOCIAL: Buildings and places, as social constructs of events, activities, and peoples, are centers of interaction, collaboration, meaning and memory. The behavior of the people, and their relation to the city, exists in a layered field of social, cultural, religious, and political conditions.