The Museum of War as Narrative Architecture

Storytelling is as old as humankind. We narrate to leave marks, for not being forgotten. The last armed conflict in Kosovo (1998 – 1999) left enormous dents in the memories, bodies and the build environment. This paper uses narrative architecture as a framework, theme, and method as well as a strategy for approaching the design of the Museum of War in Kosovo in two design environments: Studio as an architectural office and Studio as an education environment. The importance of this paper relies both in the theme of the museum as an institution and built form as well as the real possibilities of blending educational and practical approaches towards architectural design by filling the gap between education and the “poor” professional practice, which has been reflected during the last decades in Kosovo. Much more that the conventional education patterns, methods and strategies are questionable within paradigm shifts which come both from design as theory / poesis and design as making / praxis as well as the quest for innovation