In the post-war period, following a brief alignment with the USSR in 1948, a turnaround occurred in the political life of Yugoslavia. The influence of the West, especially America, became increasingly prominent, particularly in the spheres of culture and everyday life.
Upon assuming power, the Communist Party of Yugoslavia made a radical departure from life in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Former bourgeoisie, industrialists, traders, and restaurateurs had their factories, shops, houses, and apartments confiscated through laws on confiscation and nationalisation. Private ownership and foreign capital gradually ceased to exist, with the state becoming the owner of everything.
The new communist ideology, under the slogans of renewal, construction, and brotherhood and unity, initiated the construction of a new metropolis. Belgrade, where a third of the buildings were either destroyed or severely damaged during the war, underwent rapid reconstruction, transforming its architecture and way of life.
Gradonačelnik Branko Pešić u obilasku gradilašta u Novom Beogradu (privatna arhiva )
The first post-war decades were marked by the so-called “shared apartment” in Yugoslavia. This arrangement often involved taking over apartments from their former owners, who would then retain the right to use only a portion of the apartment and live alongside the new occupants. This was based on the belief that the wealthy pre-war members of the bourgeoisie should share their wealth with members of the working class. Large apartments were frequently divided into two separate living spaces.
The reconstruction of the country and the development of infrastructure were significantly influenced by youth work actions. Participants in these work actions, which they voluntarily joined, worked for free in exchange for social advancement. Thanks to these efforts, Novi Beograd (New Belgrade), Ada Ciganlija, the Brotherhood and Unity Highway, and many buildings damaged in the war were renovated.
The pre-war idea of building Novi Beograd was realized in post-war Yugoslavia, as the city began to expand to the left bank of the Sava River. The competition for the urban design of Novi Beograd was announced in 1947, and in 1948, the creation of the new capital area began on sandy and marshy terrains. The urban plan included the construction of the SIV and CK buildings, the Olympic Stadium, and others.
The 1960s represented a flourishing period for the construction of Belgrade. The city gained significant state institutions, hotels, underground passages, bridges, major roads, museums, sports centers, hospitals, and was connected with Zemun to form a unified urban entity.
Inženjer Božidar Jovanović pokazuje predsedniku SFRJ i visokim funkcionerima Grada Beograda plan Novog (privatna arhiva )
Apartments were allocated by state institutions based on specific rules, and it was also possible to take out loans for purchasing a flat under favorable conditions.
In the 1970s, over 80,000 apartments were built in Belgrade. Apartments constructed in socialist Yugoslavia were generally small, mostly one or two rooms. They were built following the principles of architectural functionalism with modern furniture.
Despite their small size, apartments typically included a living room, kitchen, and a bedroom or children’s room. The living room usually featured a sofa and a wall-sized bookshelf. From the late 1960s, televisions became dominant in these homes.
Uobičajan izgled stana (izložba Lavirint 90.)
Belgrade continued to expand, leading to the construction of new neighborhoods on the city’s outskirts: Banovo Brdo, Karaburma, Konjarnik, Šumice, Braće Jerković, Miljakovac, Čukarica, Kanarevo, Petlovo, and Julino Brdo. Like all growing metropolises, Belgrade, due to a constant shortage of housing and significant migration, also saw the emergence of informal settlements, such as Kaluđerica.
A distinct lifestyle for state officials marked by wealth and privilege came to an end. Dedinje gained the status of an elite neighborhood, hosting Tito’s residence, as well as villas for party officials and foreign ambassadors.
Tito isred makete hotela Jugoslavija (privatna arhiva )
With the growth of standards, citizens’ purchasing power increased, leading to the construction of weekend houses, the purchase of new furniture, appliances, cars, as well as prestigious items such as transistors, record players, and more.
The continuous rise in the number of students, the establishment of new faculties, and the construction of new university buildings also led to the creation of the Student City in Novi Beograd, where around 5,000 students lived. While student dormitories existed in other parts of the city, the Student City housed the largest number of students from all over Yugoslavia.