Former Macedonian National Theater
(Cultural Center)
Stefan Kacin, Jurij Princes, Bogdan Spindler,
Marjan Ursic – Biro 77
1979
Photo by Dimitris Vetsikas
The Macedonian Opera and Ballet building was originally built as the Macedonian National Theater in 1979 by Slovenian architects Stefan Kacin, Jurij Princes, Bogdan Spindler and Marjan Ursic. It is an urban artefact of the city that dates from its post-earthquake renewal – the third modernization period and is one of the most distinctive and radical designs in the city. As a building, it plays a great role in the architectural identity of Skopje.
Its creation was a part of the idea for the Cultural Center, an idea for a setting, a union of segments, each of them with a specific program (philharmonic, opera, ballet, music and ballet schools, cinema, trade). These segments are all opened toward one platform which unites them – the cultural square.
“In terms of volume, the Macedonian Opera and Ballet cannot be perceived as one object, but as a configuration of fractured volumes coming out of a folded, wrinkled platform, lowering down towards the river Vardar.
The continuity is also expressed with the monochrome treatment of this artificial topography. The homogeneous material and the absence of color also emphasize the abstract character of the configuration
and no classical architectural elements are recognized in the final form. The white landscape offers a completely new spatial experience, creating a wide open public space, oriented towards the southern side.
The building and its background are entering into a dynamic relationship and could be perceived as one surface that fragments and folds with different intensities.”-Minas Bakalchev, Violeta Bakalcheva ○
In the period 2011-2014, the Skopje2014 project produced three new buildings along the river bank, right in front of the opera and ballet building. These new buildings occupied the entering platform of the cultural center and disconnected it from the river bank. Erasing the public area in front of it is an attempt to erase the building itself from the public perception. These new buildings didn’t just hide the opera and ballet building from sight but also erased a prominent public square.
The Macedonian Opera and Ballet is unmistakably an important urban artefact that has been hidden from sight and with that denied its importance to the city, by the Skopje2014 project.
○ Bakalchev, Minas. Balakcheva, Violeta. Fragmenti na sekjavanjata: za arhitekturata na Makedonskata opera i balet, Presing, br.18, Skopje: Komora na ovlasteni arhitekti i ovlasteni inzheneri na Makedonija, 2011
