Project entry 2020 for Europe

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    View of the existing and proposed building, from the crossroads between the two villages.

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    Holcim Awards Silver Europe

    Winner presentation to Restoring Common Ground - Participatory design process for social cohesion, Prijedor, Bosnia & Herzegovina (l-r): Dirk E Hebel, Member of the Academic Committee of the Holcim Foundation, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Germany; Vernes Causevic, Project V Architecture, London, United Kingdom; Kemal Pervanic, Most Mira, Kevljani, Bosnia & Herzegovina; and Jeannette Kuo, Head of the Holcim Awards jury for Europe 2020, Founding Partner of Karamuk Kuo Architects, Switzerland

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    Holcim Awards Silver Europe

    Winner presentation to Restoring Common Ground - Participatory design process for social cohesion, Prijedor, Bosnia & Herzegovina (l-r): Vernes Causevic, Project V Architecture, London, United Kingdom; and Kemal Pervanic, Most Mira, Kevljani, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

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    View of the north elevation of the rammed earth Most Mira Peace Centre from the road, looking towards the courtyard and entrance.

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    View of the entrance hall, walking into the reception space with framed view of the landscape behind.

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    Diagram of the architectural process, and photographs of workshops and consultations.

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    Proposed axonometric, showing construction concept of the construction site as a live performance.

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    Proposed ground floor plan and proposed first floor plan.

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    Proposed elevations, visualization from playing field and visualization of Interior of main hall.

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    Section B and typical facade details.

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    Photos of materials sampling workshop and on-site rammed earth residency with Lehm Ton Erde.

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    Photos of prototypes built from rammed earth, to test details at 1:1 scale, to remain on the site.

Last updated: November 13, 2021 Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Building Democracy through Architecture; a holistic participatory architectural process
The architectural process is an end in itself, which enables Most Mira to respond to the needs of a sensitive community. Since 2015, the Building Democracy Through Architecture program has brought together students, youth and communities from all sides of the ethnic divide to participate in the project through a series of workshops and consultations, which inspired us to keep the colorful mural and external walls of the existing ruin as a 'canvas' for changeable stage sets, converting it into an outdoor performance space. In 2017. a 5-day on-site residency building 1:1 rammed earth prototypes with 12 students, was led with rammed earth experts Martin Rauch and Lehm Ton Erde. We aim to develop this into a sustainable summer school program during and after the building of the center.

Rammed Earth as a symbol for peace; mixing the soil from sites of divided communities

Rammed earth structures are built around the ruin, as if growing from the ground engaged in a conversation, transforming the house into a public courtyard. Mapping industries, materials and resources uncovered that earth was one of the most common traditional building materials in Kevljani and rural Prijedor before the war for all ethnic groups. The modern rammed earth technique reinvents this disappearing heritage. Mixing clay from Kevljani with local waste materials: crushed stone, slag and gravel from stone quarries, the Omarska iron ore mine, and abandoned clay mines from divided communities, is integral to the peace process. Working with experts Lehm Ton Erde, our aim is to develop vocational training for local builders, engineers and architects to build capacity and transferability.

Financial sustainability strategy and sustainable social enterprise summer school program
Functional rooms include a flexible theatre, arts studio, craft workshop on the ground floor and accommodation for up to 14 persons on the first floor. After the first 3 years of funded operation, the Centre will be financially self-sufficient and be run like a co-operative. The financial sustainability strategy includes four aspects:

  • Arts, theatre and peace-building programs funded with international partners, local schools and ticket sales.
  • Rental income from the craft workshop, arts studio space and flexible performance hall.
  • Academic visits for international universities.
  • Sustainable social enterprise summer school program for architecture and design students, developing local marketable products from natural materials as part of finishing and furnishing the center.