Spatiality of the urban commons: Typo-morphology of the open common spaces in New Belgrade mass housing blocks

Dragutinovic, Anica; Quist, W.J.; Pottgiesser, Uta

doi:10.1016/j.foar.2022.11.004

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In these terms, the history of construction and inhabitation of Block 23 in the Central Zone of New Belgrade may provide a glimpse into the inner mechanisms of this particular social and spatial change and bring additional arguments to the overall discussion (Figure 1). Designed by the prominent architects of the period, Božidar Janković, Branislav Karadžić, and Aleksandar Stjepanović, Block 23 was awarded the first prize at the all- Yugoslav competition in 1968and built between 1969(Dragutinović et al, 2023Jovanović, 2019). The Block was commissioned by the Federal Secretariat of Peoples' Defence, and the 2,342 apartments, almost entirely intended for the JNA personnel, were distributed through occupancy rights.…”

Section: The Historical Grounds For the Yugoslav Neoliberal Turnmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calibrating the Parallax View: Understanding the Critical Moments of the Yugoslav Post-Socialist Turn

Dukanac,

Milinković,

Bnin-Bninski

2024

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In this article, we seek to provide a new line of sight referring to specificities of the neoliberal turn in post-socialist societies and corresponding transformations of space. By employing the methodological approach that side-by-side explores two mutually exclusive strategies of analytical and empirical survey, we intend to tackle the question of irreducible antinomies pertinent to architectural research methodologies. Block 23 of the Central Zone of New Belgrade, designed by Branislav Karadžić, Božidar Janković, and Aleksandar Stjepanović (1968), has been widely recognised and aptly studied as one of the highlights of modern urban planning and design, conceived and realised in the period of late socialism in Belgrade (Serbia, former Yugoslavia). Featuring a notion of a “parallax gap,” we presume that the reading of Block 23 through two close yet clearly distinctive perspectives can bring a new scope of knowledge and point to the gap inscribed in the buildings themselves. The first point of view is empirical, centred on the notion of everyday life, and concerns the interpretation and use of space by its inhabitants. The second one is analytical, determined by the work of the architect and architectural theoretician, Branislav Milenković. We start from their point of contact and seek to find a shift in the diverging discursive positions producing a parallax gap. By way of architectural drawing, we explore and theorise new possibilities opened up by the actual buildings: interstitial, intermediary, transitional spaces, and spatial in-betweens. We hope to demonstrate the pursuit of both meticulously planned and dynamically conceived spaces open for the unpredictable was not only a way to respond to specific Yugoslav socio-political realities, but that it fostered the capacity of architecture to accommodate the future population and socio-economic transformations.

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Section: The Historical Grounds For the Yugoslav Neoliberal Turnmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calibrating the Parallax View: Understanding the Critical Moments of the Yugoslav Post-Socialist Turn

Dukanac,

Milinković,

Bnin-Bninski

2024

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“…Mass-produced housing has been attributed to centrally planned countries, which were ruled by Communist parties Europe (Hess et al, 2019). While this is true, the modernist ideas to optimal housing are well spread also elsewhere of Europe, thereby forming one of the most prevalent examples of twentieth century architecture and urbanism (Dragutinovic, 2023). Modernist housing districts that were crafted through prefabricated mass-construction technologies prioritized functionality, cost efficiency and working range of cranes over human-centric design concepts.…”

Section: Transformation Potential For Modernist Apartment Building Di...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The devaluation of such districts is a globally felt challenge (Dragutinovic, 2023). It is typical that now these unrenovated buildings accommodate the most economically disadvantaged residents, whose capacity and willingness to carry out even small repairs, is limited.…”

Section: Transformation Potential For Modernist Apartment Building Di...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Revitalizing Modernist Districts: Neighbourhood Level Mass-Renovation with SOFTacademy Project

Truu,

Lihtmaa,

Niinemägi

2024

sace

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This article discusses the neighbourhood-level renovation potential in Tallinn's modernist privately owned apartment blocks, with the aim of addressing the global need for deep renovation. The analysis considers international directives, national policies and municipal objectives, highlighting the focus of current renovation initiatives on apartment buildings. The discourse drives the ongoing conflict between energy-focused renovation and the preservation of spatial quality, relevant especially for the countries that favour partial renovation over the complete transformation of a building. It analyses the emerging impact of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, emphasizing the need to balance technical energy investments with cultural and aesthetic considerations in wider neighbourhoods. Shifting the focus to Tallinn, the article deals with the challenges of modernist mass production housing districts, recognizing their technical structure, current decay and socio-economic limitations. The European Renovation Wave strategy and upcoming energy efficiency requirements are seen as catalysts for neighbourhood revitalization, prompting the exploration of innovative models to transform these neighbourhoods into liveable and functional spaces. The discussion unfolds within the NEB compass, emphasizing the core values of beauty, sustainability, and cohesion. Practical considerations for the transformation of Tallinn districts are discussed, including spatial regulations, the complexity of ownership and the different perspectives of apartment owners. As a solution, the SOFTacademy approach is introduced, proposing a collaborative model establishing both the hardware and software elements for NEB driven renovation of neighbourhoods. In terms of hardware solution, prefabrication and modularity is used both for renovating the buildings as well as reinventing the courtyards around them. While the physical rejuvenation of the neighbourhoods is the key to NEB transformation, the shift depends as much from the software solutions. The results outline a process for initiating neighbourhood-level renovations, emphasizing the importance of consulting with owners, creating blueprints, and entering into cooperative agreements.

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“…What citizens of the central area of New Belgrade perceive as a problem is the marginalization of public institutions that reflects in a slow but continual decay of public spaces (Dragutinovic & Nikezic, 2020). These spaces were made during socialism, following the norms of collective well-being, and they are too large today to be maintained by the weak post-socialist communal institutions.…”

Section: Instead Of a Conclusion: Forecasting An Alternative Futurementioning

confidence: 99%

The Continuous Reproduction of Contradictions in the Urban Development of New Belgrade’s Central Area

Kucina

2024

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The initial source for the continuous reproduction of contradictions in the central area of New Belgrade’s urban development was the mismatch between the dynamics of political and economic reforms and the static urban planning system that has been banded to the most progressive but rigid functionalist ideals that could not adapt to the emergent pace of these reforms. Consequently, during the socialist and post-socialist periods, the central area of New Belgrade grew irregularly by developing contradictory fragments rather than totality. The inconsistency of the socialist authorities in completing the capital city according to the urban plan despite political imperatives has continued with the post-socialist governing tendencies towards irregularity, privatization, and commercialization of urban development. A series of individual, short-term, and profitable urban projects that have opposed the socialist urban structure, have reused inherited socialist urban infrastructure as a fertile ground for their growth. More than presenting a new insight into the history of urban development of the central area of New Belgrade, this study uses it as the prime case to disclose the unsustainability of the urban planning system during the socialist past and post-socialist present. An alternative urban planning system would embrace the challenges of the continuous reproduction of contradiction by affirming an institutional network of platforms for collaboration among citizens, urban planners, authorities, and developers.

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Spatiality of the urban commons: Typo-morphology of the open common spaces in New Belgrade mass housing blocks

Cited by 4 publications

References 9 publications

Calibrating the Parallax View: Understanding the Critical Moments of the Yugoslav Post-Socialist Turn

Calibrating the Parallax View: Understanding the Critical Moments of the Yugoslav Post-Socialist Turn

Revitalizing Modernist Districts: Neighbourhood Level Mass-Renovation with SOFTacademy Project

The Continuous Reproduction of Contradictions in the Urban Development of New Belgrade’s Central Area

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