Architect of the Europe Houses
Filip Karagjozovski
Dear Buzzers,
Two weeks ago, the new Europe House in Veles was unveiled to the public, marking it as the fifth Europe House in the country. As a member of the KL Studio team, I have had the privilege of working on the design and supervision of all these Europe Houses. Little did we know, when we were selected for the project to design the first Europe House in Skopje back in 2019, that it would become the blueprint for the rest of the Europe Houses.
With each new location, we aim to maximize the potential of the available space while maintaining a connection to the overall design concept. Our goal is not to create exact replicas but to establish a cohesive experience across all Europe Houses. We approach the design process by putting ourselves in the shoes of the guests, lecturers, artists, and event organizers who will utilize the space. We consider how they will perceive the environment and how they will want to organize and utilize it.
In all our projects, especially the Europe Houses projects, we prioritize the inclusion of plants. By integrating these natural elements, we create a healthier indoor environment. The plants are not merely pots placed in the space; they are an integrated part of the project.
Creating open and multi-functional spaces is always a priority for us. However, it can be challenging since the spaces we work with are often already designated for different purposes. Nonetheless, it brings us great joy to witness these spaces come alive with events. We closely follow the social media channels of the Europe Houses to observe how they are being used in real life. It is delightful to see new ideas for furniture arrangements or innovative event setups. These moments not only make us happy but also serve as proof that our concept of multi-use and multipurpose spaces truly works.
We are eagerly looking forward to the start of the construction of two more Europe Houses.
– Filip Karagjozovski, member of the KL Studio and arhitect of Europe Houses
The fifth Europe House is here! A warm welcome to the people of Veles!
Drawing on our experience with EUROPE HOUSE Skopje, Strumica, Kriva Palanka and Bitola, the opening of EUROPE HOUSE Veles is envisioned primarily as a connection with young people from the country’s central region. Its specific avant-garde interior design reflects the energy and aura that young people bring in with their ideas and willingness to do more.
We opened the new space located in Veles on 28.06.2023 with a dynamic dialogue between young adults and high school students led by the Young European Ambassadors Ivan Durgutov and Elitsa Matevska, who engaged the participants in a discussion about the European perspective and the needs of the youth in Veles. The opening day ended with an art exhibition featuring works by young artists from the region: Filip Korunovski, Dragancho Tanevski, Rosana Teovska, Elena Dimova Pantelić, Pale Jovanovska, Simona Mancheva, Toshe Peshovski, Angjelina Kichukova, and Gordana Angelovska.
The art exhibition proved to be an excellent chance to develop and broaden a network of young people and a perfect opportunity to get to know their new artistic workspace in their hometown, where they could brainstorm fresh ideas and turn this venue into “a place of the new generation”. It was quite an experience to recognize the old distinctive note of the city’s architecture in the newly created modern space. We have managed to intertwine the two contrasting threads of the architecture of Kocho Racin’s House and “the place of the new generation”. Both are different – but united in inspiration.
We ended the evening by supporting young artists from the region – DJ Popeye and D Cheeks in two bars in Veles.
We hope you will join us for an exchange of ideas and to celebrate both Europe House Veles and fulfil your big dreams of creating an endless sky full of events and community activities for young people supporting their needs!
Welcome to the place of the new generation!
#HealthTalks: “Skin cancer is usually visible, and if detected early, most skin cancers are successfully treated.”
Within the HealthTalks series, we organized a debate with the Euromelanoma Association dedicated to the prevention of skin cancer.
In line with what Hippocrates said many centuries ago, that prevention is better than cure, this event aimed at raising awareness of skin cancer prevention. It is the only pan-European, humanitarian, preventive screening campaign to prevent skin cancer and to provide all age groups with accessible information on the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer.
The Euromelanoma campaign was initiated in Belgium in 1999 and has now spread to more than 40 European countries. It is a dermatology-led European campaign against skin cancer with a network of dermatologists working pro bono and serving the cause widely. Since 2010, our country has been part of the large European family of Euromelanoma member countries. We follow the guidelines and experiences of Euromelanoma Europe to conduct an annual screening and public education campaign in our country.
The purpose of the Euromelanoma campaign and this public discussion was to raise awareness of the effects of excessive sun exposure or artificial sources such as solariums by providing information on how to protect your skin and get informed about other factors that can increase your risk of developing skin cancer, and how to recognize the clinical signs and symptoms for early detection of melanoma and other skin cancers.
The debate panellists included Dr Elizabeta Gjorgievska, the First Lady and wife of President Stevo Pendarovski, Ambassador David Geer, Head of the EU Delegation, Prim. Dr Zorica Zafirović, a dermatovenerologist from the University Clinic of Dermatology-Skopje and representative and coordinator of EUROMELANOMA in North Macedonia, Mr Filip Nikolovski, a medical student, and Ms Ljupka Nikolovska, a patient with melanoma.
Moderator: Dr Sonja Grazhdani, the founder of the Club of Young Doctors
Other participants have also contributed to the debate, including representatives from the Club of Young Doctors, the European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA), athletes, associations and individuals operating in the field, and relevant pharmaceutical companies.
Following the debate, Europe House Skopje opened its doors for dermatological examinations for the attendees and the local citizens.
Connect with us on social media for more useful tips on how to keep your skin healthy this summer, and don’t forget to make a regular dermatologist appointment!
Europe House Kriva Palanka: EqualityForAll
Driven by the motto #EqualityForAll, Europe House Kriva Palanka embarked on a trip across the Northeast region in June. Collaborating with the young community from Kumanovo, Kratovo, and Lipkovo, we dared to envision a just world and took immediate action to make equality a reality.
Driven by the motto #EqualityForAll, Europe House Kriva Palanka embarked on a journey across the North-East region in June. Collaborating with youth from Kumanovo, Kratovo, and Lipkovo, we dared to envision a just world and took immediate action to make equality a reality.
Our journey began with the celebration of the #InternationalDayforCounteringHateSpeech at YC Multikulti Kumanovo. We familiarized ourselves with the issue, identified hate speech, and acknowledged our unconscious contribution to this harmful practice. After all, if we want to change the world, we must start with ourselves first, right?
Next, we continued at Europe House Kriva Palanka, where we delved deeper into the root causes of discrimination, stereotypes, and hatred in societies through the #EndDiscriminationWorkshop. Our goal was to acquire the necessary skills to combat discrimination and foster equal opportunities.
Culminating our journey, we came together for the #YouthSkills Networking Event. During this event, we celebrated everyone’s unique talents and passions, emphasizing the importance of evaluating individuals solely based on their demonstrated skills and knowledge. It is through this recognition that we strive to ensure every person is granted equal opportunities, acknowledging the inherent equality that unites us all.
Only by joining forces do we stay resolute in our pursuit of a world where every individual, irrespective of their background, beliefs, or orientation, can experience equal rights, opportunities, and dignity. The future unites us in a world enriched by diversity and recognizing the inherent value of every human being!
Bike Cinema in Strumica!
#EuropeanSustainableEnergyWeek
On the occasion of the European Week of Sustainable Energy, Europe House Strumica, together with Go Green – Биди Зелен, organized a bicycle cinema in Strumica.
In this unique and eco-friendly cinema, the electricity did not come from usual sources but from the spectators who produced the energy for sound and image by pedalling. They simply generated electricity with their own muscle power.
It is a system that connects four bicycles and generates electricity up to 1 kilowatt. Everyone attending could try to generate electricity themselves and experience first-hand how difficult and laborious it is to produce a small amount of electricity. We should never underestimate the immediate access to electricity in our own homes!
We must also think about ways of energy saving because, in our country, it comes from burning coal, the most polluting way to produce electricity and the largest single source of CO2 emissions. The purpose of this activity was to raise and promote environmental awareness among young people and address the role they play in the care and protection of the environment and leading sustainable lifestyles.
A selection of 2 short films from the EU Youth Cinema program included:
- The Real Cost of Coal (2016) – A Warmup (a short animated film by Vibor Juhas, Croatia), and
- Anders essen – Das Experiment [Eating Differently – The Experimentation] (2020) (by Andrea Ernst and Kurt Langbein, Austria)
This eco-cinema initiative allowed the people of Strumica to experience cinema in a completely ecological way. We are looking forward to further screenings with the Bicycle Cinema!
BEATOLA – the Pulse of the City in Europe House Bitola
The month of June was definitely marked by the launch of the BEATOLA platform.
This year we celebrated the European Year of Skills by putting skills at the heart of our events. BEATOLA platform is a fusion of the rich tradition of the Old Bazaar and the young craftsmen and craftswomen who generate an authentic and dynamic cultural pulse of the city of Bitola.
This platform was designed for young people willing to create meaningful change at the local level but setting international standards.
Our first episode featured Racoon’s Cuts (@raccoons_cuts), a group of young people who set an example of how successfully to run a barbershop, raising the standard, perception and awareness of this skill, not only as a craft but as a thriving alternative community. We focused on the following topics: Why do young people want to stay in their hometown? How are they trying to push the boundaries? And what is their motivation to start their own craft business and encourage youth entrepreneurship?
This platform is designed for sharing stories every month, serving as a validation for people who continue to build upon tradition and revive traditional crafts in a modern way but also to encourage young people to get involved in projects that foster innovation for community life, evolve their ideas and enhance personal development.