House of Aleksandar Shukarev
Buildings/The Shukarev House is located in the center of Veles, standing out on the street with its lavishly ornamented yellow façade, where Art Deco influences are noticeable. It is the work of Russian architect Nikolay Solontsev and represents one of the few preserved buildings he constructed in Veles during the period from 1928 to 1933 (it is assumed that he is the author of seven buildings).
The house consists of a ground floor and two upper floors. On the ground floor, in the eastern part of the house, there were shops, while the upper floors were used for residential purposes—a division that remains unchanged to this day. The different purposes of the floors are clearly visible on the façade, which is rich in architectural plasticity made of stucco, along with terracotta elements produced by the well-known Lefkovi family ceramics factory.
The composition of the main façade is symmetrical, featuring two side risalits, two balconies (one smaller and one larger), and a pronounced attic behind which the roof is hidden. The window openings are also striking, especially those in the mezzanine above the shops, which have specific shapes. The other two façades are also stuccoed but to a more modest extent.
Architect Nikolaj Soloncev
Year of design 1928
Investor / Owner Aleksandar Aco Shukarev
City / Municipality Veles
/ Veles
Address 8 Septemvri St. No. 90
Floors GF+2
Original typology
Current purpose
Protection status not protected
- Building chronology (project, construction phases)The building was designed in 1928. The building was constructed in 1933.Number of floorsGF+2Program description (floor plan details)At the time of construction: the ground floor with a mezzanine (eastern part of the house) housed two shops. One of them was the famous textile shop of Aco Shukarev, while the other was occupied by a bank, which sold the space to the Zografski family in 1948. The ground floor (western part) and the upper floors were used for residential purposes. Current program description: Ground floor (entrance from the southern side of the house): the law office of Andreja Vesov (the current owner of the house). Ground floor with a mezzanine facing the street front in the eastern part of the house: two shops, one of which still operates as the oldest commercial establishment still in function and owned by the same family—the watchmaking shop of the Zografski family. Ground Floor (western part) and the upper floors: Residential space.StructureThe building was constructed using a massive structural system. The roof structure is wooden. The timber used in the house was dried for three years before installation.RoofGabled roof covered with roofing tiles.FaçadeThe façade is plastered with lime mortar in yellow color, featuring abundant stucco architectural decorations with floral and geometric motifs crafted in a lighter shade, along with terracotta ornaments on the main and the other two façades.CarpentryThe exterior carpentry consists of wooden doors and windows with horizontal divisions. The entrance gate to the courtyard is made of wrought iron with decorative detailing.Building surroundingsThe house has a rear courtyard on two levels with auxiliary structures that are according to the architect's plan. The landscaping details are unknown.ContextAt the time of the construction of the Shukarev House, Veles was a city with a rich and developed guild life, due to its strategic location. The first train in Macedonia arrived in Veles from Thessaloniki in 1873, bringing with it the opportunity for many residents of Veles to travel abroad for work or trade, bringing back new trends and influences to the city. The 8 Septemvri Street, on whose frontage the house is located, was traditionally an artisan street, lined with many shops. It also housed the first gas station in the city, the first grocery store (market), and the oldest bookstore. On the northern side of the house, there was previously a tavern where, in 1923, the Club of the Independent Workers' Party of Yugoslavia in Veles was located and actively operated (that building was demolished in the 1950s, and the Trade Union building was constructed in its place). About fifty meters up the street are the two houses of the Gjorgov family (also designed by architect Solontsev). With Solontsev's houses, a new wave in the development of Veles architecture arrived, marking the transition from the traditional 19th-century construction style to the new European model of housing.
- RoofGabled roof covered with roofing tiles.FaçadeThe façade is plastered with lime mortar in yellow color, featuring abundant stucco architectural decorations with floral and geometric motifs crafted in a lighter shade, along with terracotta ornaments on the main and the other two façades.CarpentryThe main façade is largely made of wood. Exceptions include the southern shop, where the window above the entrance door has PVC carpentry and the display window and entrance door have aluminum carpentry; and the northern shop, where the original wooden carpentry remains but with a replaced metal protective shutter. The entrance gate to the house’s courtyard is made of decoratively wrought iron. On the other façades, the carpentry is partly original wood and partly PVC.Building surroundingsThe house has a rear courtyard on two levels with auxiliary structures that are according to the architect's plan. The landscaping details are unknown.Exterior conditiongoodExterior authenticitygoodModificationsThe house, at the time of its construction, had four decorated free façades, as seen in an old photograph, but during the construction of the Trade Union building in the 1950s, its northern façade became partially enclosed. In 2001, the original wooden carpentry on the upper floor of the house was replaced with PVC. In 2003, the municipality financed the repainting of the façade. In 2009, the original wooden carpentry on the ground floor was replaced with PVC, the roof was changed from a double-pitched to a multi-pitched roof, and the old roofing tiles were replaced with new ones.
- not protected
- architectural and aesthetic historical emotional Besides its undeniable architectural and aesthetic value, the Shukarev House also holds great historical significance. Together with the Gjorgovi Houses, designed by architect Solontsev, it is among the first houses in Veles that introduced the new wave in the development of residential architecture, marking the transition from traditional 19th-century construction to the new European model of housing. An important historical added value for the house is the oldest commercial establishment in Veles—the Zografski watchmaker's shop, located on the ground floor, which is still operational with the same purpose and remains in the ownership of the same family since 1948.
- The relevant institutions for the protection of cultural heritage and other decision-makers should take into account the values possessed by the building, recognize it as architectural cultural heritage from the period between the two world wars, and register it in the inventory of valuable objects. 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.
- Prosén, I. M. (2014). Art Deco in Serbian Architecture. Doctoral Dissertation. University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Art History. Kadijević, A., & Ilijevski, A. (2021). Architecture and Visual Arts in the Yugoslav Context 1918–1941. Belgrade: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy. Duma.mk. (2018, June 4). Gjorgovi – Educated, Honest, and Wealthy Old Veles Family. Retrieved December 2024, from https://duma.mk/region/veles-3/25309-2018-06-04-00-09-55/ Ladinski, V. (2020, December 2). The Architectural Heritage of Russian Architects in Our Country, Porta3. Retrieved November 2024, from https://www.porta3.mk/graditelskoto-nasledstvo-na-ruskite-arhitekti-kaj-nas/ TiRekovMiRece. (2017, December 23). Retrieved December 2024, from http://www.tirekovmirece.com/Novost/Куќата-на-Шукара%2C-работена-по-нацрт-на-руски-мигрант TiRekovMiRece. (2013, April 19). Retrieved January 2025, from http://tirekovmirece.com/Novost/Еден-век-Зографски-мерат-точно-време-на-велешани The original house plans were kindly shared for the purpose of this project by Mr. Andreja Vesov, who currently owns them.