THE HISTORY
The designer of Block 9 was architect Stojan Maksimović. Block 9a is part of New Belgrade, while Block 9b belongs to the municipality of Zemun.
This block is notable not only for its buildings from the SFRY period but also for one of the few structures built in the interwar period: the Ikarus airplane factory. The factory was designed by architect Franja Jenč in 1938 and was remarkable for being built in the Art Deco style. It was demolished in 2018, despite being an important part of New Belgrade’s industrial heritage.
During the occupation of Belgrade in World War II, the German authorities took over the factory, which then produced parts for Messerschmitt aircraft. Seventy-two Ikarus workers lost their lives during this period, and a commemorative plaque had been placed on the factory’s façade.
After the war, the factory was nationalized and continued producing airplanes. By 1961, over 1,000 airplanes and gliders had been manufactured. That same year, the factory shifted its focus to bus production, which later became its most well-known activity.
In addition to residential buildings, the block also houses the first medical facility in the area, the Novi Beograd Health Center, which began operating in 1966. It was designed by architect Aleksandra Nešić Radojević.
arh. Aleksandra Nešić Radojević,Dom zdravlja Novi Beograd, 1966.
In 1978, the building of the Third Basic Court was also constructed within the block.
Together with Blocks 11a, 11b, and 11c, this block is part of the Ikarus local community, named after the Ikarus factory. Local Community Day was celebrated on November 11, marking the community’s founding in 1967.
In the early 1990s, a new urban plan for this block and the neighboring Blocks 11 was developed by architect Lela Nikolić, significantly altering the appearance of this block in particular. Residential buildings were constructed on previously open spaces, so, unlike other New Belgrade blocks, this area has fewer green zones.
THE DESIGN
Block 9a features residential buildings constructed during the 1960s and 1970s. The block includes five residential buildings and two high-rises, all built in the style of late/industrial modernism, in harmony with the neighboring blocks. At the center of the block is the Maja kindergarten, and according to the original plan, an elementary school was intended for the northern part of the block.
However, over the past decades, the block has undergone transformations that were not in line with the urban plan and often pushed the limits of legal regulations. In addition to the demolition of the Ikarus factory, which was not scheduled for removal—vacant spaces were used to construct new residential buildings.
Zgrada Trećeg opštinskog suda (nekadašnji IV opštinski sud i Javno tužilaštvo)
According to the latest amendments to the urban plan, the building of the Third Municipal Court will be expanded and renovated, even though it is one of the most notable examples of Brutalist architecture.
