BLOKOVI

Post-war residential architecture across all European countries was focused on the construction of mass housing blocks. In both Western Europe and particularly in the Eastern Bloc countries and the USSR (where the construction of so-called Khrushchyovkas, multi-story buildings that were extremely impractical for living, began), complexes with a similar uniform appearance were built.

The first phase of New Belgrade’s construction (1947-1950) included the development of the Tošin Bunar neighborhood (Pavilions) and the Students’ City. These micro-regions, as they were called, were built with cheaper construction materials, and the apartment layouts were not particularly functional. The second phase (1959-1963) began with the construction of experimental Blocks 1 and 2 and the Fontana community, which included a cinema and accompanying amenities. In this phase, prefabricated (industrial) construction elements were first applied (structural solution IMS Žeželj), allowing for the rapid and efficient construction of high-rise buildings. The third phase of construction began with the adoption of the 1962 regulatory plan, which introduced two zones of New Belgrade – the Central and Southern zones – and marked the start of mass urbanization.

The mass construction led to the creation of large blocks with functional and financially accessible apartments. Each block was designed as a small neighborhood with essential facilities: healthcare, education, and commercial spaces. However, plans were often changed, and the needs of the population exceeded the (politically) imposed standards.