Benkovac Fair

Benkovac farmers fair is held once month for more than 100 years. People flock there to buy domestic animals and large variety of other things. It’s even more a social event and a gastronomical experience in a rural and rustical atmosphere. Authorities initially aimed to build large fair buildings and musealize it as a heritage event. Ordinary people wanted to keep everything as it ever was – muddy in the winter, dusty in the summer, but authentic, lively, free and informal. Instead of building in the center, project has placed buildings on the edges and let the middle field open and free.

Instead of building large, closed public buildings that would operate only once a month, project has proposed smaller structures adjusted to the actual needs, adding a covered open space to protect people and cattle from sun, rain and wind. Buildings are not made as compact large volumes but sets of small sheds with characteristic chimneys/ventilation and light openings, resembling retail tents and grilling fireplaces. Such a swarms of architectural structures blend into temporary and always different structures of the fair.

Buildings are made from concrete to be maintenance free. They are covered in characteristic local stone plates which are, because of their quality, rarely used for roofs and facades. Here they are treated and placed in a way that solves all its disadvantages. Local, not respected material becomes recognized as valuable and usable in architecture. It’s irregularities and varieties of color emphasize relaxed rustical ambient of the fair and gives identity based continuity and closeness to everyday rural life.