Block by Block
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- 4 min to read
About the city. The Municipality of Pristina was one of the first sites in Europe selected by UN-Habitat to test the Block by Block Methodology for modernizing public spaces.
Goal
The aim of the project is to create and develop well-designed public spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone.
Implementation period. The project started in 2015.
Fact
The initial project was aimed to revive the Former green market in Sunny hill, one of the largest and most densely populated areas of Pristina. Temporary market structures at the site were removed, leaving an abandoned, concrete-covered space that was rarely used by the community’s 4,000 residents.
Solutions
In September 2015, more than 70 residents of Pristina participated in a Block by Block workshop to reconstruct the former Sunny Hill marketplace. A Facebook page was created to share information and mobilise citizens.
After an initial discussion of urban design and the importance of public space, participants split into small groups to model different solutions. The participants then collaborated to create the final design on a multiplayer Minecraft server, based on ideas generated by the teams. The projects were presented to a wide audience of urban professionals, including the mayor of Pristina. The final concept included a range of facilities that meet the needs of different populations, including gardens, comfortable recreation areas, a playground and the first skatepark in Kosovo.
The 17 team proposals and final concept were used as the basis for detailed architectural projects. The project has transformed a deserted market into an attractive, multi-functional public space in the capital of one of Europe’s poorest countries.
Team
UN-Habitat, Municipality of Pristina, residents of Pristina
Timeline
- The Sunny Hill project has been completed by 2020
- The success of the Sunny Hill project in Pristina inspired another initiative in Mitrovica, 25 miles (40 km) north of Pristina.
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