From Skopje to Berlin: The Legacy of Women in Architecture
The architectural exhibition “Women in Macedonian Architecture: Rebuilding Skopje” opened at the BHROX Bauhaus Reuse Gallery in Berlin, Germany. The exhibition, presented by architects Ana Ivanovska Deskova, Vladimir Deskov, Jovan Ivanovski, Tea Damjanovska, and Mihajlo Stojanovski, attracted a diverse audience eager to explore the creative contributions of women architects in Macedonia.
Located at Ernst-Reuter-Platz, the BHROX Bauhaus Reuse Gallery is constructed from original façade elements of the historic Bauhaus School in Dessau. It stands as a pioneering example of architectural heritage transformation. Beyond preserving Bauhaus history, the gallery functions as a transdisciplinary urban laboratory dedicated to exploring the future of modernism, building culture, and sustainability. Through workshops, exhibitions, and participatory projects, BHROX actively engages the public, serving as a vibrant cultural platform for rethinking how architectural heritage can influence contemporary cultural and ecological practices.
The exhibition “Women in Macedonian Architecture: Rebuilding Skopje” concludes the program “Modern Emancipation,” which began with the Women in Architecture Festival (WIA2025) in June 2025 and is part of the Triennale der Moderne (TDM2025), held for the fifth time in cities historically associated with the Bauhaus School: Berlin, Dessau, and Weimar.
This exhibition is the result of years of research and highlights the creative work of Macedonian women architects, aiming to enhance understanding, visibility, and cultural appreciation of their architectural legacy for future generations. Over 30 works by selected women architects are featured, including Mimoza Nestorova Tomić, Vera Kosevska, Ljubinka Malenkova, Olga Papeš, Vasilka Ladinska, Prohirija Hadži Kostova Pešić, Nada Saveska, Donka Petkova Kostić, and Rosanda Mićeva.
Educated in renowned architectural schools and cultural centers across the former Yugoslavia—Belgrade, Zagreb, and Ljubljana—where European modernist ideas flowed directly from Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and Prague, these architects returned to Skopje and worked across various design organizations, significantly shaping the Macedonian architectural scene and inspiring younger generations with modernist ideas and culture.
The celebration of Macedonian architecture in Berlin continues in the Berlinische Galerie, a key cultural institution dedicated to modern art, photography, and architecture. There, curator Katharina Depisch, together with architects Ana Ivanovska Deskova, Vladimir Deskov, and Jovan Ivanovski, will lead a guided tour and discussion titled: “Comrades and Team Players – Women Who Built East-Berlin and Skopje.”
The exhibition “Women in Macedonian Architecture: Rebuilding Skopje” will remain open to the public until December 14, 2025, offering a unique opportunity to explore the vital contributions of women in shaping Skopje’s architectural identity.