Building typologies of Prishtina neighborhoods. Visual assessment of structural and architectural configuration towards a more distinct urban image

Abstract

A structural typology classification may help structural engineers, architects and urban planners to understand a building's behavior and response to any type of natural hazard as well as further assists in defining improvement techniques and long-term sustainable regional planning. All part of Prishtina city, referring here mainly to neighborhoods, have to be well integrated, functional and attractive to its citizens and visitors. This paper attempts to categorize the main Prishtina existing building stock into building typologies based on extensive field investigation of different neighborhoods of the city. In addition to this, it will be presented the potential criterion for judging through residential buildings typologies, the urban image in case of Prishtina main neighborhoods (Ulpiana, Dardania, Bregu i Diellit), etc. The aim of this work deals in revealing the assessment methodologies used on the survey of residential buildings of Prishtina neighborhoods, through the building typologies as a case study. Such evaluation is done in order to specify the architectural form as the primary perceptible feature and its visual characteristic of the district to be in line with the degree of urban sustainability and functionality. The following methodology divides this study in two main parts: the first will be in theoretical background referring to building structure types in terms of architectural configuration and structure assumptions; the second will be in more practical terms describing in detail about three chosen building typologies. While analysing an architectural form the following factors play a crucial role: a) Building design interpretation of surfaces configuration, internal space distribution and solar orientation, b) Texture and colour which are perceptible impressions and finishes linked to material usage, c) Composition of architectural elements and structural parts etc., which may be regular or complex. The investigated case studies and the analysis conducted based on those models will lead to the main results, presented in the paragraph of the conclusions.