House of Simonchevci Family
Buildings/The Simonchevci building is located on the shore of Lake Ohrid and is likely the tallest preserved structure from this period. It was built between the two World Wars by the civil engineer Dimitar Simonche. The entrance to the building is from the quay, that is, from the southwest façade.
The building is designed with a central staircase core and two wings extending to the south and north. The side and articulated façades are generally attached to neighboring buildings (party walls) with only a minimal number of necessary windows, while the southwest façade, facing the lake, is strongly sunlit and open. This façade mainly features a symmetrical composition with slight deviations at the entrance. The central volume is emphasized, projecting from the first floor upwards and ending with a terrace. On both sides of this volume, terraces extend with semicircular ends. The building has modest decorative relief.
The building surprises with its purism, presenting rigorous modern architecture in contrast to the general atmosphere of this part of the city. All elements of modernism are used: flat façade surfaces with clean geometric forms, continuously arranged windows, a recessed attic section forming a specific party wall ending with interpolated blind circular rosettes, short linear cantilevered projections, and more.
Architect Dimitar Simonče
Construction year 1936-1939
Investor / Owner Simonchevci family
City / Municipality Ohrid
/ Ohrid
Address Makedonija Quay No. 10
Floors B+GF+2+A
Original typology
Current purpose
Protection status not protected
- Building chronology (project, construction phases)Construction of the building began in 1936. The building was completed in 1939.Number of floorsB+GF+2+AProgram description (floor plan details)The entire building consists of residential units.StructureThe building is constructed with a massive system, featuring a stone foundation, solid brick walls, and a wooden roof structure.RoofMulti-pitched roof with a wooden substructure and roofing tile covering.FaçadeClean geometric forms with modest decorative relief and a plaster finish. The side and articulated façades are generally party walls with only a minimal number of necessary windows, while the southwest façade, oriented toward the lake, is strongly sunlit and open. It mainly features a symmetrical composition with slight deviations at the entrance. The central volume is emphasized, projecting from the first floor upwards and ending with a terrace. On both sides of this volume, terraces extend with semicircular endings.CarpentryThe building has exterior carpentry made of wood. On the side façades, there are only a small number of necessary windows, while the southwest façade facing the lake features symmetrically arranged openings.ContextThe quay of Lake Ohrid is undoubtedly a significant area for the city, continuously active throughout history as an extension of the urban core, and as such, buildings from various historical periods can be found along it. From the period between the two World Wars, there are preserved examples of individual houses. Immediately next to the building, there used to be two hotels - “Belvi” and “Turist” - which were part of the first wave of tourism-related buildings and were demolished with the construction of the “Palas” hotel in 1957. These two buildings, with their imposing presence and relatively similar aesthetics (especially with Hotel "Belvi"), together with the Simonchevci building, formed a cohesive image. From this, it can be assumed that this building may also have been used as a hotel.
- RoofMulti-pitched roof with a wooden substructure and roofing tile covering.FaçadeClean geometric forms with modest decorative relief and a plaster finish. The side and articulated façades are generally party walls with only a minimal number of necessary windows, while the southwest façade, oriented toward the lake, is strongly sunlit and open. It mainly features a symmetrical composition with slight deviations at the entrance. The central volume is emphasized, projecting from the first floor upwards and ending with a terrace. On both sides of this volume, terraces extend with semicircular endings.CarpentrySome of the windows are authentic, made of wood, while others have been replaced with PVC. The windows on the southwest façade have shutters. The façade appearance is authentically preserved.Exterior conditionsatisfactoryExterior authenticitygoodModificationsThe wooden carpentry has been replaced with PVC.
- If the building continues to remain unused, additional damage may occur over time.
- not protected It does not have protected status, but it is on the list of recorded buildings that deserve to be protected by the NI Institute and Museum Ohrid.
- architectural and aesthetic historical authorship technical Its historical value derives from its location on the lakefront, as part of an ensemble with several other significant buildings, as well as its role as a witness to the interwar period. Buildings made of solid brick are generally lower and smaller compared to this one, but architect Simonche, as an experienced professional, completed the task excellently. During his career, he worked on several buildings, including the Ginekovci House and the administrative building "Radnichka", which today serves as the headquarters of the NI Institute and Museum Ohrid.
- Recommendation to the owners: The value of the building should be respected when installing elements directly on the façades, and if changes are made, they should be aimed at preserving its authenticity.
- https://mk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1%83%D1%9C%D0%B0_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%83%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%86%D0%B8 https://muzejohrid.mk/upravna-zgrada-radnicka/ https://mk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A0%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%BE_%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B5_(%D0%9E%D1%85%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B4) Inventory card of the NI Institute and Museum Ohrid Grčev, K. (2003). The architectural styles in Macedonian architecture from the end of the 19th century and the interwar period. Skopje: Institute of Folklore "Marko Cepenkov".