Dragana Kojičić is an independent architect with a specialisation in earth architecture and a PhD student at Scene Architecture, Technique and Design in Novi Sad. Since 2010, she has been organising numerous theoretical courses and practical workshops in earth construction in cooperation with many individuals, institutions and organizations in Serbia and in the region. She established the KFZ association in the village of Mošorin, she is a creator of the first Balkan Earth Conference in 2019 and local LALA Earthland Festival and co-host of the Regio Earth festival between Romania, Hungary and Serbia. She is particularly interested in the role of women in building crafts.

Since 2011 until today, I worked on the restoration of 111 old rammed earth and adobe houses as well on the construction of house annexes. Following are just some of them.

Projects:

House Savić in Neštin, 2012

Invited by the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments (of Vojvodina) I participated in restauration work of one of the oldest houses in the region – house of Savić in Neštin. Together with craftsmen, I worked on wattle-and-daub walls, clay plasters, clay ceiling and floors.

Video showing the work: https://youtu.be/v1U_DAJccWk

Workshops in Bač, 2012-2015

In collaboration with the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments (of Vojvodina) and Group of architects, I held several lectures and workshops 2012-2015 on clay plasters, adobe, clay ovens etc.

More information about the lectures:

https://zemljanarhitektura.com/?p=807

https://zemljanarhitektura.com/?p=4583

https://zemljanarhitektura.com/?p=9477

House of Stepa Stepanović in Kumodraž, Belgrade, 2013-14

At the inivation of Insitute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Belgrade, I participated in the restauration of the house of Stepa Stepanović in Kumodraž. My contribution mainly relied on finding the best ratio of ingredients for the plasters.

Learn more about the restauration process: https://zemljanarhitektura.com/?p=1662

Cellars in Rogljevo, East Serbia, 2013-2019

In collaboration with Protection of Cultural Monuments and Cultural Heritage without Borders Albania (CHwB Albania), from 2013 until 2019 I gave annual lectures and workshops on clay renders in the cellars of the village Rogljevo and one time in Gjirokaster in Albania

More about it: https://zemljanarhitektura.com/?s=rogljevo&submit=Search

Archaeological Park in Užice, 2020

Emilija Nikolić, architect of the Archaeological Institute of Belgrade, invited me to join the Archaeological Park project – we held workshops on clay plasters and renders, clay ceilings and floors.

Dive into the project: https://zemljanarhitektura.com/?p=14856

In addition to my restoration work, I frequently engage in experimental projects, employing a wide range of techniques such as rammed earth construction, adobe building, wattle-and-daub methods, clay plasters and renders, and even cob ovens and thatched roofs. Additionally, I play an active role in organising workshops and training sessions, most of which are held at our association’s central hub located in Mošorin, Serbia.

TEDx Talk with Dragana Kojic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsTeszn24m4

Interview with Dragana Kojic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xo9Wwi_Xlg