In the 1980s, Podgorica could have saved the Gorica hill if the plan by architect Vukota Tupa Vukotic was adopted, with which he won in the Yugoslav competition Heroic Vision (under) Gorica.
- DUP, "Mausoleum to the Partisan Fighter on Gorica" - Architect Vukota Tupa Vukotic
The contest for park-forest in Gorica was announced in 1978 and the proposal by the architect Vukota Tupa Vukotic won the competition.
The idea of Vukotic was that the park-forest should, to the greatest extent possible, be connected with the narrow city core, that Gorica would descend to Moraca, so that its silhouettes would be "free" and that the "views and approaches would be embedded in the green of the forests.”
"The central motive is linked to Njegos’s Street as an access shaft to the Mausoleum and the celebrated square, the reconstruction of the stadium “Buducnost” and urban tissue at the foot."
In addition, Vukotic's solution foresees the reconstruction of Vezir’s bridge, erected at the end of the 18th century during the Turkish rule and demolished during the bombing of World War II.
About the idea of reconstruction of the bridge Vukotic writes the following:
"The circumstance that this bridge would be a pedestrian crossing between the two parts of the city, according to the general urban plan, I realized as an extraordinary opportunity to renew it, considering it a long way of respect for the ruined and forgotten elements of a city whose beauty is untouchable."
Near Vezir bridge, where the dry cleaning is, Vukotic also planned the summer scene - an amphitheater which with the cascade system frees the western slope of Gorica and slides it down to Moraca - to the place called Plocice.
At the top of Gorica, a flat plateau was planned, from where it opens "through the woods, a halo of distant mountain peaks, the space of silence and meditation..."
- DUP, "Mausoleum to the Partisan Fighter in Gorica"
The competition for arranging the park-forest in Gorica was the first phase in the elaboration of the Detailed Urban Plan "Mausoleum to the Partisan Fighter in Gorica".
However, after only ten years of winning the competition, in March 1988, a contract was signed between the Republic's Institute for Urban Planning and Design (LDP) and the Self-managed Inter-Municipal Community for Construction and Public Utilities - Titograd, on the drafting of the said planning document.
At the beginning of the textual part of the plan, referring to the previous period, Vukota Vukotic states among other things: "For ten years, unfortunately, no action has been taken to implement the adopted concept. Furthermore, the reconstruction of the stadium 'Buducnost' based on the existing frame prevented the establishment of the view of Njegos street to the Mausoleum, and one of the key messages of the contest was closed.
DUP "Mausoleum to the Partisan Fighter on Gorica" therefore represented a revision of the contest’s solution following the new situation.
The main change from the contest’s solution is the shift of the mausoleum viewpoint from the direction of Njegos’s Street to the direction of the Youth Center (now KIC "Budo Tomovic").
In front of the Youth Center is planned a square - an extension from which the view to the mausoleum opens up. The visual 'opening' of the mausoleum required cutting of the forest fund (max. width 30m), and the construction of a central access path 5.0 m wide.
The continuation of the access path from the direction of the mausoleum is shifted laterally, tangents the size of the stadium and continues in connection with Njegos street. In the zone of mausoleum, there are plans for a ceremonial square with its accompanying parking space. "The capacity of the 4400m2 ceremonial square was tested for the military oath ceremony. It was calculated by including the lineup of 1200-1500 soldiers and with the same number of citizens present (members of families and citizens). The lineup site is east of the mausoleum and requires an area of 500m2 and 300m2 for civilian visitors."
Next to the ceremonial square, there is a picnic area "for family members and soldiers after giving oath or occasional youth camps".
The western slope of Gorica was solved in its entirety by the content’s solution from 1978 and envisaged the reconstruction of Vezir bridge, the construction of a cascade square-amphitheatre with a capacity of 3000-4000 seats, the denivelation of the road Vako Djurovic and the construction of overpasses.
Vukotic's expressive sense of authentic reconstruction of Vezir’s bridge is also noted in the textual part of the plan where he, among other things, writes:
"Near the end of the war, Vezir’s bridge was demolished, a precious building monument, and on the remains of its arches has been built a bridge that performs its river crossing function but does not carry a message of connection. The city has remained poor for one of its most beautiful scenes."
Utopia could have been accomplished
DUP "Mausoleum to Partisan Fighter on Gorica" is a paradigmatic planer’s solution, which in many aspects and criteria contributes to the urbanization of Podgorica.
In a narrow space frame, besides defining only the hill, the DUP "Mausoleum to Partisan Fighter in Gorica" strives to enter the order at the chaotic bottom of the hill, where several important facilities (Gymnasium Building, Youth Center and Stadium) have failed to "open" towards Gorica.
In the wider spatial sense, Vukotic's plan is a surgically-accurate cut that integrates Gorica as much as possible into the urban structure of the city, opens up new visions to Podgorica, and breathes new life into the city.
In fact, Vukotic's plan abolishes the several years long distance between the city and the hill, and moreover, puts a completely distant mountain in the epicenter of the urban life.
From today's perspective, this gesture sounds like a brave, heroic, almost utopian vision.
Who knows, maybe in 1991, when the plan was adopted, the utopia was feasible... The DUP "Mausoleum to Partisan Fighter in Gorica" was adopted in May 1991 by the decision of OS Titograd.
Amphitheater at the Gymnasium
In the Gymnasium Zone, there is a small amphitheater planned with a capacity of 500-600 visitors "for the school acting activities".
The eastern side of the hill is connected by a walkway with the upper flattened plateau, while on the north side there is the introduction of a service road that serves as a connection to the parking lot in the part of the ceremonial square and as an emergency fire-fighting road.
The existing southern link below the church of St. George, from the direction of the street Sloboda was retained.
The author has a Master's degree in Architecture.
Text by Ivan Jovicevic on May 9th 2019, read more at Vijesti
