Gjilan Youth Center

The Gjilan Youth Center was a project donated by OUD+ to the City of Gjilan, envisioned as an inclusive civic building dedicated to young people and their everyday cultural, educational, and social activities. The program was conceived as a flexible framework capable of hosting a wide range of uses, including IT training facilities, a library and reading room, as well as spaces for arts, workshops, and dance.

The building is located directly opposite Gjilan’s main bus station, occupying a sloping site that overlooks the city center and functions as a key point of arrival and movement. This strategic position informed the project’s urban approach, aiming to establish the Youth Center as both a destination and a visible public landmark within the city.

Architecturally, the project was articulated through a clear volumetric composition. A detached second-floor volume, characterized by brightly colored interiors, was designed to act as a visual and spatial attractor, engaging passersby and particularly students crossing the site on their daily routes to the nearby primary and secondary schools. The transparency and openness of the ground level reinforced the building’s public character, encouraging accessibility and informal use.

Although the project was developed with strong civic ambitions, budgetary constraints on the part of the city meant that it was never realized in its full intended scope. Nevertheless, the proposal remains a reflection of OUD+’s commitment to contributing to public life through architecture, and to supporting youth-oriented spaces as catalysts for social interaction, learning, and cultural exchange.