Abstract
This chapter brings together ideas on the dissonant urbanistic and architectural heritage of socialist modernism as a contested yet inescapable layer of the cities struck by this movement and that of establishing a sound basis for the inclusive city of tomorrow. The urbanscape of Novi Sad, the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, characterised by the sedimentation of layers of ‘desirable’ and ‘undesirable’ histories, holds a unique potential for the possible revival of the city through the acknowledgement and diversification of its rather complex urban identities. Cultural agents who have taken upon themselves the role of mediator in promoting the unabsorbed modernist heritage often emerge as hybrid practices, connecting the wider audiences, alternative organisations and institutions. These endeavours are aimed towards citizens, their further education on the subject and empowering them to act. Using the opportunity of Novi Sad being the European Capital of Culture 2022, a few projects on modernist heritage received co-funding, leading to improved visibility of the issue. This chapter brings the case study of the project ‘Novi Sad—Modern City’ authored and organised by Spatial Praxis Platform—BAZA, a local agent in the cultural life of Novi Sad. Realised in February 2022, the project emphasised the significance of the modern twentieth century heritage through an exhibition and event, set in the Sports and Business Centre of Vojvodina—Spens, an icon of the city’s modernisation that awaits reconstruction and hopes for a sustainable and inclusive future.
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Notes
- 1.
The official website of City of Novi Sad: http://www.novisad.rs/eng/gallery
- 2.
Tourism organisation of the city of Novi Sad: https://novisad.travel/en/
- 3.
Official presentation of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Novi Sad: http://www.zzskgns.rs/kulturna-dobra-online/
- 4.
More on the topic of city growth in Jović S, Konstantinović D. and Peško I. (2022) Urbanisation as a tool for economic growth – Novi Sad the developmental city. Advances in Civil and Architectural Engineering. Vol. 13, Issue No. 25. pp. 1–13 https://doi.org/10.13167/2022.25.1
- 5.
Before extensive reconstruction and industrialisation in the second half of the twentieth century, Novi Sad could hardly be considered a city, in terms of its urban morphology and character. By the number of inhabitants, Novi Sad was categorised as a medium-sized town, but the urban density (less than 100 inhabitants/hm2), number of workers employed in industrial sector and services (less than 15%), predominant housing type (single family housing) indicated the character of more rural environments. For more on the topic, consult RSO data, or the research Urbanisation as a tool for economic growth – Novi Sad the developmental city
- 6.
This specific period could be defined by 1950, the year of the first modern General Urban Plan and 1985, the year by which major investments in the city were completed. After 1985, the state gradually entered a period of political instability, which ultimately led to its dissolution and civil war.
- 7.
Dragiša Brašovan (1887–1965) was a prominent Serbian architect and one of the leading figures of early modernism. In Novi Sad, he designed three building along the route of Mihajlo Pupin Boulevard (former Maršal Tito Boulevard): the Workers’ Chamber in 1931, the Seat of the Government and Assembly of the Danube Banate (Ban’s Palace) in 1939 and the Main Post Office in 1961. These building witness Brasovan’s personal exploration of Modernism and its application in the design of public buildings.
- 8.
The listing of the protected heritage sites in the city: Official presentation of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Novi Sad: http://www.zzskgns.rs/kulturna-dobra-online/
- 9.
The Neoplanta Film archive, which is being successively digitalised, is a unique film archive of the city’s construction process, documented by a group of young filmmakers. Their amateur activities in the 1960s were formalised by the establishment of the production house ‘Neoplanta Film’ in 1966, whose work was dedicated to the production of documentary, cultural and educational films and video documentation of events from the economic, social, political and cultural life of Vojvodina. Upon its foundation, the cinematographic work of the group and external collaborators was aimed towards documenting modernisation efforts in the city and the province, which helped mould significant creators whose film careers continued in other contexts and formats (Bede, 2018, p. 154).
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This research (paper) has been supported by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation through project no. 451-03-47/2023-01/200156 ‘Innovative scientific and artistic research from the FTS (activity) domain’.
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Konstantinović, D., Zeković, M. (2023). Rethinking Dissonant Heritage: The Unabsorbed Modernisation of Novi Sad. In: Čamprag, N., Uğur, L., Suri, A. (eds) Rethinking Urban Transformations. Diversity and Inclusion Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37224-7_8
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