06.06.2016
OUD+Architects & Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT were among the five shortlisted practices in the international competition for the design of the Kodrina Neighborhood in Prishtina.
Developed as a large-scale urban proposal, the project reimagines the Kodrina site—located in the Mati neighborhood in southern Prishtina—as a contemporary interpretation of local architectural traditions and spatial patterns. The design is conceived as a hybrid, multi-layered urban system that balances density with permeability, and built form with public life.
The masterplan is composed of nine large urban blocks that accommodate a diverse mix of uses, including housing, commercial spaces, retail, and offices, as well as a full range of social infrastructure. Public amenities such as an ambulance station, kindergarten, primary and secondary schools are integrated throughout the site, ensuring that everyday services are embedded within walking distance of residential areas. Recreational spaces and green areas are distributed across the project, creating a cohesive and livable urban environment.
At the heart of the proposal is a reinterpretation of the historic Prishtina Bazaar. Drawing inspiration from its network of main streets, narrow passages, and intimate pocket courtyards, the project seeks to revive the social and spatial qualities that traditionally animated public life in the city. Small cafés, bakeries, and local bars activate the ground floors, while cobblestone paving recalls the texture and memory of Prishtina’s historic streets, anchoring the new development within a familiar cultural context.
This urban fabric is interwoven with a continuous green corridor that extends from Gërmia Park to Kodrina, establishing a strong ecological and pedestrian connection across the city. The corridor acts simultaneously as a recreational landscape, a climatic buffer, and a unifying public space, reinforcing the project’s ambition to merge urban life with nature.
Completed in February 2016 as part of the international competition process, the Kodrina masterplan proposes a new model for urban growth in Prishtina—one that is rooted in local identity while offering a flexible and contemporary framework for future development.
