A group of students and graduates of the Faculty of Architecture of AAB College, in collaboration with Prof. Bujar Demjaha, professor of architecture at AAB College, as a sign of gratitude for the contribution of the United States of America to our country, have launched a project to reconceptualize the national road Ferizaj-Viti-Gjilan “Joseph” Beau “Biden III”.
The project conceived by the students of AAB College has already been submitted to the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Kosovo, as a project proposal, in order to see the possibilities of its implementation and realization, including finding donors and entities who would be involved in it.
This 35-kilometer highway, which is one of the key roads that connects the six municipalities in the eastern part of Kosovo: Ferizaj, Viti, Kllokot, Partesh and Gjilan, in August 2016, was named after the son of the current US President Joseph Biden (“Joseph“ Beau ”Biden III”). Beau Biden, who worked in Kosovo after the end of the 1998-99 war, helping train local prosecutors and judges for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), died at the age of 46 after battling cancer.
Considering that this national road is one of the most frequented roads in the country, the project, in addition to its expansion as a necessity, also provides its enrichment with additional content. This is to emphasize Kosovo’s devotion to the United States, and to strengthen the message of the monument for the activist Joseph R. ‘Beau’ Biden III – democracy, tolerance and coexistence.
What does the project proposal of AAB students contain?
This project proposal foresees the strengthening of the existing monument in the space where it is placed with a “cage” in the shape of a cube. This metal structure will be partially lined with colored panels which consist of slogans and are redesigned every year.
The project aims to enrich the Beau Biden Highway with 4 more points in 4 other municipalities. In addition to the monument and memorial in Sojevë – in front of the Bondstill military base (municipality of Ferizaj), it is planned to design memorial points in the municipalities: Viti, Partesh, Kllokot and Gjilan.
A / “House of Independence” in Sojevë, Ferizaj,
B / “Freedom altar” in Viti,
C / “Friendship Hour” in Partesh,
D / “Fountain of eternity” in Kllokot, and
E / “Eternal flame” in Gjilan.
In all architectural-artistic units (A, B, C, D and E) importance will be given to the possibility of dismantling and mounting in another location if the highway deviates from the current corridor.
