Between persistence and change-methodological aspects of the Corn-Markezic Villa reuse, Sarajevo

Abstract

This paper examines the questions of time (transience) and space (persistence) in architecture and culture. The endurance and relevance of these topics are best seen in the integration of architectural heritage into contemporary life. The paper elaborates this by applying a methodological-applicative model to the renovation of the modernist Corn-Markesic villa in Sarajevo’s Crni Vrh housing estate, which has been designated a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The model seeks to achieve a practical and architecturally creative solution for the villa’s adaptations. Although changing the Crni Vrh urban context might change the appearance and values of the villa, the opposite is also true: the adaptation of the villa to meet contemporary requirements may change its current context. This paper examines the character of the villa’s renovation though field research and the development of an architectural design, to reflect present and future needs, but still faithfully represent the past. The suggested adaptation model follows the lifecycle of a family, and questions the possibilities of transformation at the point at which certain spatial structures and content are no longer needed. The design and research process adheres to guidelines in the European Cultural Heritage Green Paper.