NI Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and Museum Strumica and Archive
Buildings/The building is a corner structure, situated on sloping terrain with its eastern and southern façades facing Geras Cunev Street and 27 Mart Street. The main entrance is on the southern side, and the secondary entrance is on the western side. The basement and ground floor are used by the archive, while the upper floor is used by the NI Institute and Museum as space for a permanent museum exhibition. The building has a rectangular footprint with an area of 290.77 m². There is a refined and consistent use of the architectural and stylistic elements characteristic of modern architecture.
In this building, traditional forms are reduced and geometrized, especially noticeable in the series of arched windows on the upper floor, as well as in the symmetrically articulated façades, into which vertical pilasters are interpolated to articulate the façade volume. Nevertheless, the manner in which the organization of elements is carried out into a stylistically coherent whole unequivocally ranks this building among the more significant representatives of the modern architectural expression. Contributing to this impression is the series of circular windows arranged in the parapet wall on all three sides of the building. This element would become a favored means of “recognition” of the architectural-stylistic model in the context of its modern definition.
Construction year 1931-1934
City / Municipality Strumica
/ Strumica
Address The corner of 27 Mart St. No. 7 and Geras Cunev St.
Floors B+GF+1
Original typology
Current purpose
Protection status protected
- Building chronology (project, construction phases)In the 1980s, an addition for sanitary facilities was built on the ground floor and upper floor, attached to the northern façade. In 1997, an extension was made on the western side of the building, so that the new museum building and the original structure are connected by a bridge only on the upper floor. Around the year 2000, a new building (a residential structure) was constructed, attached to the northern side of the building.Number of floorsB+GF+1Program description (floor plan details)The basement and ground floor are used by the archive, while the upper floor is used by the NI Institute and Museum as space for a permanent museum exhibition.StructureThe building is constructed with a massive structural system, featuring stone walls in the basement and solid brick walls on the ground floor and upper floor.RoofThe roof is constructed with a wooden intermediate structure, complex and multi-pitched, covered with roofing tiles. The roof is concealed by a balustrade that forms part of the façade.FaçadeThe building is finished with a sprayed roughcast plaster, colored in ochre and gray tones, while the base is treated with terrazzo technique in black and white tones.CarpentryRhythmically arranged wooden, double-leaf, double windows in white color-rectangular on the ground floor, arched windows on the upper floor, and circular windows in the parapet wall.ContextThe Archive and the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and Museum Strumica is located in the central urban core, at the beginning of the old part of the city of Strumica, in close proximity to the Old Theater, Orta Mosque, the archaeological site Machuk, the old city house-Turkish Post Office, and other significant buildings.
- RoofMulti-pitched, covered with roofing tiles. The roof is concealed by a balustrade that forms part of the façade.FaçadeThe building is finished with a sprayed roughcast plaster, colored in ochre and gray tones, while the base is treated with terrazzo technique in black and white tones.CarpentryThe wooden windows of the building have been replaced with white PVC windows of the same dimensions and shape. The entrance door is wooden with an arched top and glass panels.Exterior conditiongoodInterior conditiongoodExterior authenticitysatisfactoryInterior authenticitypoorModificationsIn the 1980s, several windows were bricked up to accommodate the museum exhibition on the upper floor. During the same period, a metal canopy was installed above the secondary entrance. In 1997, the entire façade was repainted. In 2010, the old carpentry on the ground floor was replaced with PVC windows of the same dimensions and shape. In the 1990s, a new wooden entrance door was installed on the southern façade of the building, along with a metal canopy above it. In 1997, the window above the entrance door was half-closed with plywood when the basement was allocated to the archive; during the same period, the entrance on the eastern side was bricked up. In 2010, air conditioners were installed next to some of the ground floor windows. Old photographs show horizontal cornices running the entire length of the balustrade, which were later removed.
- protected Decision Ref. No. 18-281 dated 07.12.2012 / Decision Ref. No. 18-282 dated 23.11.2012
- historical architectural and aesthetic emotional societal/social The building is among the most significant representatives of modern architectural expression. It is important for the identity of the city.
- 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.
- Strumica Archive K. Grčev, Architectural Styles in Secular Urban Construction in Macedonia between the Two World Wars 1919–1940, Skopje 2001