Architecture for the archaeological landscapes of the inner Balkans. Narrative sequences in the re-discovery project of Municipium S in Montenegro

The theme of architecture for archaeology is at the centre of a heated debate, within which recent orientations seek a response that tries to combine design, heritage and landscape, in order to re-signify forgotten archaeological fragments through the addiction of a contemporary mark. The proposal to rediscover the countryside of Pljevlja moves from these premises: it’s a city in the north of Montenegro, characterized by an extractive vocation but with also interesting archaeological fragments under excavation, that refer to the Roman settlement of Municipium S. The design intervention aims to create a system of territorial relations within which new centralities stand out and constitute a possibility of economic-cultural revival through the care for local heritage. The first intervention involves a new gateway to the area, a visitor centre that crosses a stream and projects itself towards the excavations, constituting a path towards knowledge through a first rectilinear block behind which other two volumes takes place, creating an introvert yet public central space. The path within the archaeological park proceeds towards the excavation area, where the architectural sign is minimal but recognizable, driven by the intent to make the area accessible and understandable to the visitor, who can rediscover the settlement by recognizing its peculiar traits. To conclude the sequence, there is the landscape arrangement of the necropolis, which acquire new relevance thanks to an archaeological walk articulated on terraces. The intervention does not exclude the addition of a small pavilion and a structure that, developing in height, configures itself as a landmark. What the project seeks to do is to rediscover the ancient history of Municipium S through the dual lens of archaeological excavation and design action, in order to find a new yet ancient identity for the local populations, which roots in a past that emerges from forgotten soils.