Janko Konstantinov (Macedonian: Јанко Константинов; 18 January 1926 – 2010) was a Macedonian architect and artist known for his contributions to the reconstruction of Skopje after the 1963 earthquake and for a range of modernist projects in the former Yugoslavia and abroad.
Early life and education
Konstantinov was born in Bitola, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. He studied architecture at the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade, graduating in 1952. In 1954 he specialized at the Royal Danish Academy of Art and Architecture in Copenhagen.
Career
After his studies, Konstantinov worked in Finland with Alvar Aalto, in Sweden, and in the United States. From 1958 to 1964 he was a designer in the studio of Victor Gruen and also collaborated with the Los Angeles‑based firm Daniel Johnson Medehal. Following the 1963 Skopje earthquake, he returned to Macedonia to assist in the city's rebuilding.
Key projects include:
- Skopje Post Office (Central Post Office), designed between 1974 and 1981, a prominent example of modernist civic architecture.
- Telecommunications Centre (PTT Telecommunications Center) in Skopje, constructed in stages from 1972 to 1980.
- Pedagogical High School “Nikola Karev” (1965‑1968) and the Medical Center in Skopje (1968‑1970).
- Various international works such as a museum in Ørborg (Denmark, 1958), a covered swimming pool in Los Angeles (1960‑1962), the Science Center Southern California (1962‑1965), and projects in Tehran, Kuwait, and Greece.
Artistic activity
In addition to architecture, Konstantinov was an active painter, primarily working in watercolour. In 2009 he donated 108 of his paintings to the Institute and Museum of Bitola. The Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts exhibited his work in 2006.
Awards and recognition
Konstantinov received several honors, including the “Fighting Plaque” award for architecture in Macedonia (1969) and the Republic of Macedonia award for architecture (1975) for the Telecommunications Centre. His works are cited in studies of modernist and brutalist architecture in the Balkans.
Legacy
Konstantinov is regarded as a leading figure in post‑war Macedonian architecture, with his designs contributing to the visual identity of Skopje’s rebuilt urban landscape. His combined architectural and artistic output continues to be referenced in scholarly works on Yugoslav modernism.
