"Changing existing practices in Belgrade is necessary. The key to solving urban issues today is the demand to overcome the gap between urban and non-urban, built and unbuilt, which has long burdened the entire area of urban-architectural research and practice"
The work done by the architectural studio Proaspekt from Belgrade won the first prize in the competition for the development of a programmatic and spatial concept of the urban and landscape revitalization of the area in the Belgrade municipality of Čukarica.
As a reminder, last December, the competition was announced by Košutnjak Film, Avala Studios, Radio-television of Serbia, Yugoslav Cinematheque and the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education of the University of Belgrade, in cooperation with the Association of Belgrade Architects. The competition covered the area between Blagoj Parović, Knez Višeslav, Miloj Zakić and Vladimir Rolović streets, opposite the Košutnjak forest, one of the most important green spaces in Belgrade, with an area of about 85 hectares. 26 works were submitted to the competition.
Architect prof. Branislav Mitrović, president of the jury of this competition, emphasizes that the competition "showed that there is still a high professional potential when things are approached studiously and responsibly. The jury pointed out that almost all works, including especially the winning ones, were characterized by high standards of urban planning and architectural thinking, as well as a careful approach to the integration of the space with its natural and social environment", and emphasizes that the winning work "stands out for its well-thought-out urban design, the integration of new contents into the existing the infrastructural context (brownfield location) as well as the mature understanding of the relationship between the place's memory and contemporary needs. The work is not an isolated island, but offers the possibility of introducing new greenery that can perfectly fit into the environment, enriching the space and providing users with a better and healthier urban life. The authors have managed to preserve the spirit of the space, and at the same time offer innovative solutions that do not destroy but improve its identity. This work, as stated by the jury, offers concrete solutions that encourage the further development of the space sustainable and functional, and at the same time respecting the values of historical heritage. I believe that this work can be a basis for further planning, which will involve the participation of all relevant stakeholders".
"WEATHER" In the Prologue of the competition, you emphasized that "by announcing a competition for this area, the opportunity for the professional public to offer a proposal for its arrangement based on the principles of sustainable development is indicated, preservation of natural resources and improvement of the quality of life of residents in urban areas". What does this area look like now??
BRANISLAV MITROVIC: We could call the area covered by the competition a neglected urban fabric characterized by a largely degraded and fragmented building stock. It is experienced as an "isolated and forbidden space" between the strongly polarized features of the natural massif of the Košutnjak forest and densely built settlements. Most of the buildings were built with the aim of providing space for specific technological processes. Due to a long period of neglect, devastation and unintended use, the buildings are structurally dilapidated. Numerous unplanned and uncontrolled adaptations, constructions and upgrades over the years further deteriorated the condition of the buildings and the surroundings. Many auxiliary warehouse-type buildings are in a dilapidated and unsafe condition today.
The competition offers an opportunity to redefine this space through the concept of sustainable development, through the combination of natural and urban, preserving and improving existing natural resources. The goal is to transform abandoned and degraded spaces into functional contents.
The area between the streets of Kneza Višeslav, Miloje Zakić and Blagoj Parović in the municipality of Čukarica are named by the jury "by a skipped place", you say that it is an untapped urban potential. How did it come about??
The area in question is an example of an area that was left over in the process of urban development in Belgrade. The reasons for this lie in the complex combination of historical, economic and political circumstances that shaped the city. Looking at the maps of Belgrade, it is clear that this area appears as a spatial vacuum - a place on the border between the natural and the urban, which, due to its specific position, was kept out of the focus of strategic urban plans and failed to become an integral part of the urban whole. One of the key reasons why this area was "skipped" is the fact that the revitalization of such spaces requires the involvement of all users, recognition of the needs of the community and the potential of such spaces, in order to create a part of the city that meets modern urban standards and becomes a place that lives with its environment.
You describe this area as "brownfield" area for new projects. For example, who?
The competition area, as a brownfield zone, represents a significant spatial resource for the development of innovative and sustainable urban projects. The former film center provides an opportunity for transformation into a multifunctional space that would simultaneously respond to the needs of the city and respect the character of the immediate environment. Cultural facilities, such as museums or galleries related to the film industry and audiovisual arts, could reaffirm the historical significance of the site. In addition, one of the possible projects is the creation of residential and business zones that would be integrated into a unique urban matrix with high standards of green construction.
A special focus was placed on public and green areas that would make this area attractive and accessible to all citizens. For example, parks, promenades and recreation areas, connected by paths and public use would enable a new quality of life - from the space of the former film center to a place that belongs to the city and forms the space of a new social life and a new neighborhood. The revitalization of the zone by preserving natural resources and using modern technologies for energy-efficient buildings, recycling and renewable energy sources would provide Belgrade with a significant step forward in the direction of implementing the principles of a green city and sustainable urban renewal.
You point out that the competition wants to make a certain turn in the recent practice of occupying city land in Belgrade, preliminarily in the domain of respecting the value of the forest fund and tall vegetation. What kind of turnover is expected??
Expected, towards the realization of the regeneration strategy of existing degraded built-up areas, such as this brownfield site. Instead of expanding the city to the detriment of natural resources, the focus is on the revitalization of unused spaces within the urban fabric, thus preserving forest and green funds as a vital part of the city. The location in question is of particular importance because it is located in the specific context of the immediate vicinity of the Košutnjak forest, making it a rare example of a space where natural elements are not marginalized but integrated, equal or even a dominant part of the urban matrix. This approach enables the creation of a sustainable urban environment that meets the needs of the modern city, not only by effectively preventing emigration from urban areas and "conquering" new non-urban territories, but also by the possibility of building in harmony with nature.
The aim is to affirm through this competition the concept of a 'compact city', where the development of the city takes place within the existing borders, on land that has already been used or neglected. In this way, it not only prevents the uncontrolled expansion of the city, but also optimizes the use of the existing city infrastructure, thereby contributing to economy and sustainability.
The task of the competition was to design traffic solutions. Which one specifically?? A roundabout was recently constructed at the corner of Blagoj Parovića and Knez Višeslav streets, which made it difficult for city traffic drivers to move. How the competition relates to the roundabout?
The task of the competition is to offer complete traffic solutions that will contribute to the functionality and availability of space. In particular, this implies the integration of traffic infrastructure with planned facilities, while taking into account the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, users of public transport and drivers.
It would be good if Kneza Višeslava Street, as a key thoroughfare and the border between the competition area and the Košutnjak park-forest zone, is transformed into a green tree-lined boulevard that combines functionality, sustainability and safety. Such an approach should turn a busy street into a living urban artery that not only connects, but also integrates nature and the city. The aim is to avoid isolated solutions such as individual roundabouts, and instead create an integrative traffic network that would organize intervals and levels of movement and make the site accessible to all users. There is also the issue of availability within the scope of the competition itself and the creation of a concept of a space of organized, safe and accessible units under the forest in the scope and its connection with the neighboring urban green massif of Kosutnjak, forming a continuous green stretch of these two now roughly separated entities.
With the competition, you insisted that "the tree stock maintains and achieves the desired ambience". That means, according to you, those two things are not mutually exclusive. Current practice in Belgrade is not like that, it is known that in the last 20 years, more than 10 percent of greenery has disappeared in Belgrade because investors see parks as empty places that need to be filled with new buildings, and not as key spaces for living in the city.
Our position, as well as the principle of this competition, is to overcome traditional understandings of urban, that urbanization and green preservation are not only mutually exclusive, but must go hand in hand, which climate change is intensively reminding us of today, putting before the profession the challenge of regulating the ecological footprint that economic growth leaves behind. The tree fund, as well as the overall green fund, represents an irreplaceable resource for creating a sustainable and healthy urban environment.
Contemporary urban practice in the world shows that spaces can be designed to integrate natural elements into the urban structure, creating multifunctional spaces that meet both ecological and social needs. Retention and improvement of greenery within planning solutions is not an obstacle to development here, but its essential component.
Changing the existing practices in Belgrade is necessary. This competition should show how, through careful planning, the desired ambience can be achieved that integrates building and natural elements into a functional and harmonious whole. Our goal is not only development, but also the protection of what is most valuable in the city - its natural resources and the quality of life of its residents. The key to solving urban issues today is the demand to overcome the gap between urban and non-urban, built and unbuilt, which has been burdening the entire area of urban-architectural research and practice for a long time. The competition is the search for that key.
You wrote that it is "the goal is to create sustainable spaces that contribute to the public good, through careful planning and regulation, while respecting natural and cultural values". In the context of everyday life, when the Government of Serbia revokes the protection status of the General Staff complex due to private interest, insisting on the public good of this competition sounds like a big one, positive change. Please comment.
The competition raises the question of context, the broader potential of space as part of collective heritage and public life, creating the foundations for sustainable development that takes into account not only the needs of today's citizens, but also future generations.
The case of the General Staff additionally warns of the importance of this approach. For the location of the General Staff complex, organizing an international competition would be the best solution, taking, of course, the previous status of a protected object as a condition. In addition, it is also a location that obliges us to mark and remember a dark moment in civilization - NATO aggression. Such a competition would enable the participation of top experts from all over the world and provide an opportunity to find the highest quality and most responsible solutions, while respecting its historical and architectural value. By organizing a competition, the decision-making process would become transparent, inclusive and focused on the public interest.
Announcing the competition is a positive change in our practice. For years, important parts of Belgrade have been sprouting according to the taste of investors and not professionals, among other things, because the financier chooses the architect himself - that's how we got Belgrade on the water, Savski trg, towers on the site of the Hotel "Yugoslavia", glass high-rise buildings on Neymar... With the competition, you give Belgrade the opportunity to be edited by experts who know it, who live in it, not foreigners. Do you have the feeling that the profession is neglected in Belgrade??
The development of the city must be a process involving local experts, because they not only understand its history and culture, but also the daily needs of the citizens. It is a way for Belgrade to get solutions that are both functional and identity, connecting the past, present and future. I think that the profession is neglected not only in Belgrade, but also beyond, because the importance of integrating professional knowledge into the process of planning and designing is often neglected. Competitions are a way to change that – they enable an open competition of ideas and encourage best practices. This competition is a step towards the return of urban and architectural values, it allows it to be shaped by experts who understand it and who really want the best for the city and its citizens.
A competition like this represents a positive step forward because it brings expertise back to the place of decision-making and city development planning and provides an opportunity for local architects and urban planners, who know the complexity and specifics of Belgrade, to make their contribution. Our task, as experts, is to achieve quality spaces, sustainability and protection of public interest through such initiatives.
Serbia entered into civil disobedience, and that brings with it consequences. In the days behind us, it became impossible to count those detained, arrested and injured. It will be recorded that police cars ran into peaceful citizens at full speed and that one man wanted to harm himself, under the pressure of the authorities
What did the protest on Saturday June 28 show? What messages and lessons can the government draw from it - and does it do so - and what kind of students and citizens who demonstrate? Was the manifestation of nationalism on Vidovdan expected, potentially dangerous, or does it represent something completely different? What is the position of the regime now, and what is the position of its opponents
The counting of votes in the repeated elections, at one polling place, in a town of 10.000 people, was personally monitored by the President of the State, Aleksandar Vučić, because he knew that if Kosjerić falls, more than one municipal government will be swayed. In the end, SNS managed to retain the election victory, with the usual repertoire - intimidation, demonstration of force and media smearing of opponents.
The citizens and students are so well organized that the police look ridiculous. They run from street to street, from neighborhood to neighborhood, like some confused children. If this rebellion produces the expected result, that is, if Novi Sad really becomes the local Gdańsk - it will undoubtedly be written in golden letters in the history of the city. It will be talked about with pride, just as it is proudly pointed out that in 1748 it became a free, autonomous city, by decree of Empress Maria Theresa. He paid for freedom then, it is always paid for
"After these seven months," says psychologist Zoran Pavlović, "repression becomes quite clearly counterproductive. Regimes that use excessive force often inadvertently mobilize citizens, because violence delegitimizes the government, and gives people moral clarity and emotional strength to oppose. Repression, in other words, will not only passivize society (which the regime plans), but will only strengthen the border between 'us' and 'them', will strengthen the identity of resistance and strengthen cohesion within the group that suffers injustice. The number of people taking to the streets is not decreasing, but increasing"
With a gesture of pumping at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic drew curses and insults from the regime of Aleksandar Vučić. He was put in the same basket with "blockade-terrorists" and "anti-Serbs"
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