The concentration of people in cities and the trends of urbanization and globalization that currently prevail in the world have led to an overpopulation of cities, a widespread use of cars, global warming, and an ecological crisis. In contrast, villages are not only areas of beautiful nature, but they also represent our tradition, our identity, the identity of our people and our ancestors. Villages were built on the basis of geographical differences, under the influence of specific ethnic groups, the area in which they were built, and local materials characteristic of that area. Unlike today’s cities, which are becoming more and more similar every day, villages retain their authenticity. Cities are becoming overpopulated, while villages remain deserted. We have two mutually exclusive problems. Given that we are striving for sustainable development today, we should encourage the restoration of old abandoned areas instead of building on new vacant spaces; in other words, we should revitalize villages and rural areas.
The main objectives of this master’s thesis are to preserve and protect the historical heritage and traditional religious and cultural buildings that have survived to this day, to introduce a new functional program in rural areas, and to achieve a contrast between the old and new structures while respecting cultural heritage. In the first part of the thesis, we define the problem of village abandonment, which is prevalent throughout the world today. We then describe the characteristics and population of villages in Montenegro, where, according to the latest census, there are 64 abandoned villages. Cities have many advantages over villages, which has so far posed a problem to rural areas, but with the help of technology we can now solve such problems and improve life in these areas as well. The main part of the thesis is the smart village project, which focuses on the village of Godinje in Montenegro. In smart villages, technology should be used to achieve innovations that would contribute to the creation of a space that would not harm our ecosystem; technology would enable self-sufficient villages with minimal negative impact on the environment. The concept of a smart village is based on natural ventilation, solar panels, rainwater collection, recycling, nature conservation, waste incineration for heating, and sustainable transport. The project concept is rooted in the exchange of customs, traditions, and culture between the local population and visitors of the village. The premises of the village center would be divided into guest rooms, which would provide visitors with basic amenities during their stay, and into flexible learning spaces, workshops, and laboratories with various contents, such as technology, culinary arts, agronomy, and ceramics. Depending on the season, the premises would host various events on the topic of cuisine and wine, culture and art, sports, and various courses that would encourage younger generations to revive and learn about local traditions in an interesting way.
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