Conference & Exhibition
Ohrid, UNESCO site
June 6th 2026

The event was opened by Simona Chingoska on behalf of АРХРИД / ARHRID collective, highlighting adaptive transformation as key to the long-term survival of cultural heritage. The importance of the implementation of the international competition “UNESCO Ancient Theatre” was emphasized primarily because of the opportunity to test various solutions and encourage critical thinking among the professional public.

The program was divided into three parts. In the first place, Prof. Dr. Elizabeta Kasapova from the Faculty of Architecture in Skopje presented the historical context and transformations of the site through different time eras, from the opening of the theatre to its re-use.

In the second part, the Croatian architect Emil Jurcan shared his experiences about the reconstruction of the Roman Theatre in Pula, a similar reference example from the region. Key design decisions and specific challenges to archaeological sites were highlighted.

The program was closed by Lars Westhoff from Germany, author of the second-prize solution of the competition, who presented his project “Lychnidos ex Machina” developed as a master’s thesis at the Faculty of Architecture in Münster. As a turning point in the process, he highlighted a visit to the site prior to the start of the project, and expressed his delight to have the opportunity to speak directly from a place that inspired him so much.

After the lectures, the audience visited the exhibition setting and the evening ended with an informal discussion.

The event is the result of the volunteer efforts of 9 architects members of АРХРИД / ARHRID: Simona Chingoska, Eva Zović, Anastasija Risteska, Tea Damjanovska, Filip Spaseski, Kliment Taneski, Stefan Nazifovsky, Ivo Lazaroski and Stefan Ž.

Terraviva and АРХРИД / ARHRID express their sincere gratitude to all those present!

© Photos: Тамара Jerkow
© Drone: Tea Damjanovska