From Past to Future: Urban Development Strategies for Tetovo
Vlera Thaci, Marija Petrova
https://doi.org/10.60152/l2ez5adw
Abstract: Cities are subject to continuous transformations. Their residential architecture from different periods, with different typological and morphological origins, is the basis for diverse changes. The growth of Macedonian cities peaked in the 19th century but was disrupted by 20th-century wars and the transition to socialism. This process led to westernization and modernization, introducing new residential architecture. Today, there is a need to upgrade Macedonian cities within the modern socio-political system of the 21st century, leading to rapid and spontaneous expansion. The paper focuses on the city of Tetovo, a case study of Macedonian cities and its stages of development. Tetovo, which had a modest character in the 19th century, underwent a significant transformation in the second half of the 20th century by constructing new residential blocks of high-rise buildings and towers. However, this modernization slowed down at the end of the 20th century. Nevertheless, Tetovo’s boundaries continue to expand today with the emergence of informal settlements consisting of low residential structures, thus adding a new layer to its urban fabric. This research aims first to investigate the vertical growth of Tetovo from the second half of the 20th century – through the construction of residential towers and then the expansion of the city today – through the informally built low residential structure on the edge of Tetovo. On the methodological level, this paper aims to define the characteristics of the two different models of urban development—vertical expansion and surface expansion—through an overview of the chronological and spatial growth of Tetovo. After comparing the characteristics and qualities of these two ways of city growth, this paper aims to offer a significant model for the development of Tetovo. The underlying assumption of this research is that while changes are an integral part of the image of the city of Tetovo and our everyday life, they should not be uncontrolled and spontaneous. On the contrary, urban transformations can be guided and planned through a new growth model in Tetovo. This model envisions a harmonious coexistence of vertical patterns of settlement with the contemporary needs for a low-rise residential structure defined by the character of informal communities. Such an approach could create opportunities for the densification of the city of Tetovo, aligning with its historical image and the modern needs of its inhabitants.
Keywords: Tetovo, residential towers, Informal settlements, high-rise, low-rise, future prospect
How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):
Thaci, V and Petrova M. (2024) ‘From Past to Future: Urban Development Strategies for Tetovo’, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Shaping the City through Architecture, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 36–44.