5. Intellectual Heritage for Morphological Studies in Belgrade, Serbia: Understanding Spatial Transformations Through Review of Academic and Practical Thoughts and Actions from 1969 to 1981

In order to identify contextual factors, as well as the research and professional context of the development of urban morphology in the context of Serbia, the research engages (1) a context-based approach—by identifying the contextual framework in which the professional and research practice of urban planning and design develops and (2) evidence-based approach–by systematically identifying and mapping previous research and roots and based on them draws conclusions about influential factors in contemporary action. The development of professional practice and action in the context of Serbia arose immediately after the Second World War, in the socialist conditions of the Yugoslav Country with Belgrade as a central figure in the development of intellectual heritage. In that context, Belgrade was not only the capital, but also a unique urban laboratory where new approaches were developed and modern principles of planning and construction were tested, but where there was also a very productive and continuous publishing activity in the form of periodicals in the domain of architecture and urban planning. On these grounds, the subject research engages Belgrade as a role model and spatial framework for decoding approaches that have emerged in local context over time. This research is conceptualized in a form of the case study analysed through several research phases as follows: (1) identification of relevant sources/bibliographic units that witness about the urban development and spatial transformation of Belgrade over time, (2) sorting and classification of recognized sources, and (3) decoding and mapping of key notions and actions relevant to the urban morphology scope.

Identification and selection of relevant sources affiliated with the urban development and spatial transformation of Belgrade over time are based on the following criteria: (1) continuity in publishing activity, (2) publishing activity related to the institutional framework, and (3) inclusion of presentation of practical achievements in correlation with research thought. In this criteria framework, the magazine Urbanism of Belgrade (Orig. in Serbian: Urbanizam Beograda) is recognized as a relevant primary source of research that can be characterized as a specific source that is equally Scholarly Periodical and Trade Periodical. Selected magazine has (1) continuity in publishing activity, particularly in the period of intensive urban development, institutional consolidation, and planning articulation of Belgrade (1969–1981); (2) publishing activity is affiliated with Urban Planning Institute of Belgrade as a leading institution for research and practical application of ideas at the time in question; and (3) practical achievements (planning framework and realizations) are discussed in line with the research thought (theoretical-methodological framework and experiences of other cities).

Sorting and classification of recognized sources were carried out through the following steps: (1) creation of a chronological review of articles (by principle: year, issue number, author, title), (2) analysis of articles by title and keywords, and (3) sorting and thematic grouping of the articles. A total of 489 articles published in 67 issues in the period from 1969 to 1981 were identified which are grouped in following classes/frameworks (Table 5.1).

Based on the identified primary sources and the conducted classification of articles, the third step of the study is the decoding and mapping of key notions and actions. This analysis is primarily content based and aims to identify key conceptual precedents and approaches that had an impact on the domain of urban morphology both indirectly and directly. The analysis is carried out through two tracks—notions track and scale track. Notions Track analysis implies observation of (1) Research Framework (studies and research, the experiences of European cities, challenges of spatial planning), (2) Theoretical and Methodological Framework (theoretical concepts, methods and approaches to planning) and (3) Institutional Framework (urban planning activities, institutional framework and public participation in planning). Scale Track analysis implies observation of (1) Conceptual Framework (architectural, urban design and planning competitions, architectural projects (designs), and urban projects) and (2) Realization Framework (realizations, as well as adopted new plans, reconstruction plans, programming). While the notions track tends to identify leading precedents and umbrella themes that shaped the contextual framework of the development of urban practice, the Scale Track tends to identify engagement in relation to different spatial levels.

Activities that lead to the establishment of Urban Planning Institute of Belgrade began immediately after the end of the Second World War with the establishment of the Urban Planning Institute of the People’s Republic of Serbia and the Office of the Chief/Main Architect of Belgrade with Nikola Dobrović as its lead figure. These activities were part of the substantial post-war reconstruction plans and expected urban development of Belgrade, as a capitol city of the newly established state. After several institutional reforms and changes, Urban Planning Institute of Belgrade was founded, as a part of the Urban Design Administration, in 1948 with main task to develop the first post-war Master Plan of Belgrade (adopted in 1950) that envisioned extensive planned and organized construction of the city itself. In its 70 years history, Urban Planning institute was reformed on number of occasions that were lined up with decisions to reorganize the city’s urban planning services and shape specialized institutions that will, on behalf of the city, organize the planning and construction of the city (Gligorijević and Graovac 2018). History of the Institute and its endeavours within Belgrade urban development is observed through five periods: (1) 1948–1958: The Beginning; (2) 1958–1974: Fast Development; (3) 1974–1985: Re-examining the Visions; (4) 1985–2000: The Period of Uncertainty and (5) 2000–2018: New Enthusiasm (Gligorijević and Graovac 2018). Historical role of the institute as a specialized, expert planning institution and part of the city administration that was responsible for all tasks of urban planning, development and implementation of plans since 1950s until 1980s, and its present role as professional consulting company whose main activity is still intricately linked with urban and spatial planning of Belgrade and past and present activities of the institute are clearly visible in Belgrade urban fabric/tissue. Constant transformation of ideas, conceptual frameworks along with theoretical and practical aspects of planning within the institute and its staff members was influenced by global and local social, political, cultural and economical changes (Gligorijević and Graovac 2018, p. 6). It is within this context that Urban Planning Institute in Belgrade is one of the few constants in dynamic process of Belgrade spatial development that could be used as testing ground for discovering locally specific approaches, hidden narratives, chronologies and trajectories within the scope of urban morphology while seeking roots and precedents in the Serbian context.

Along with its central tasks, within the institute, a system of research and educational units for urban planning and architecture was organized and they had a significant role in the professional upgrade of the institute profile. Following professional and research activities within the institute vivid publishing activity was developed engaging permanently in presentation and promotion of urban practice and education among professional and general public. Especially important was a professional magazine entitled Urbanizam Beograda (Urbanism of Belgrade/Belgrade urbanism), launched in 1969, and regularly published five times a year until 1982 (Fig. 5.1). In 67 numbers, Urbanizam Beograda portrayed expert studies, views and topics important for research and understanding of urban and spatial planning and their complementary areas (Gligorijević and Graovac 2018, p. 36). From present perspective, this magazine is kind of chronicle of the golden age of urban planning in Yugoslavia and could be used for quantitative, qualitative analysis and critical interpretations of protagonists, themes, textual and graphic contents, in establishing movements, trends and debates over the selected period (Gligorijević and Graovac 2018, p. 36). In the first issues of the magazine, the most important plans and decisions of the 1960s are summarized and information is given on ongoing activities and current topics in the field of urban planning. Debates about ideas, proposals and achievements, as well as weaknesses and problems in practice of urbanization and planning of complex spatial, social and economic development as multidisciplinary activities marked the issues from 70 s. At the same time, Urbanizam Beograda offered insights in other topics regarding current regional and global trends and events in the domain of urban planning and architecture through initiation of permanent thematic sections about Belgrade’s urban history and its builders, public spaces and their improvement, city’s cultural identity and review of other publications. In the 80 and 90s, magazine has lost the rhythm of publishing due to political and economic changes in Yugoslavia (Serbia) that lead to overall crisis that also challenged planning system and harden the priorities of urban development.

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Publishing within the Institute was renewed in 2003 through a newsletter titled Info, in which the most important topics and plans from the domain of city planning were presented to professionals and the general public through three sections—Theme of the issue through which the current task of the Institute was presented, Research, Travelogues and Reports (Gligorijević and Graovac 2018, p. 100). Over the following years this publication offered reports and discussions about plans and studies carried out by the Institute, and covered wide range of themes regarding public spaces, sustainable development, GIS, illegal construction within the city, environmental protection, etc.

By acknowledging the role and influence of the Urban Planning Institute and its position within the planning system of Belgrade along with its periodicals in the form of testimonials of overall activities it is possible to map the operations, identify and analyse both professional and tacit narratives of urban morphology within the context of Serbia. Both magazines that were published within Institute undertakings to broaden the scope of professional activities and improve the production of built environment can be examined as primary sources and as a complex document consisting of databases, images, expert views and testimonies of collaborations between local practices and foreign experts to trace circulation of this specific knowledge within the local context.

In the address of the editorial office of the Urban Planning Institute of the City of Belgrade (1969) on the occasion of the release of the first issue in January 1969, the key objectives for the launch of the publishing activity in the form of the magazine Urbanism of Belgrade as a permanent periodical were highlighted:

Research Framework. By identifying the articles that contribute to the research framework, it is also possible to recognize the specificity of practice and action within the Urban Planning Institute of Belgrade, which are based on continuous monitoring of contemporary approaches and experiences of other European cities, such as Budapest, Copenhagen, Vienna, Munich, Paris, Prague and Hamburg, but also on planning experiences from the USA and Canada. In this sense, the research framework is built in constant dialogue and exchange of experiences with other cities and multidisciplinary dialogue with experts from other disciplines. In this framework, 10 groups of aspects have been identified (presented on Table 5.2). The central group of aspects is occupied by housing, which can be marked as the leading pattern of development of the territory of the city of Belgrade, which is why its research preoccupation is not surprising. The research framework begins with the consideration of illegal housing construction (Đurović 1969), followed by residential construction in planning process (Jovanović 1975), housing policy (Popović 1975), indicators of housing construction (Veljković 1975a) and general characteristics of the construction of new settlements (Martinković 1975). In addition to the above, in the context of the theory of needs and the growth of studies on future users, there are also studies examining modes of residence (Bjelikov 1977) and emotional and psychological aspects of housing (Lukić 1979). When it comes to the aspect of urban form, research dealing with urban anatomy (Perović 1979) could be singled out. This study is based on the theory of modern analytical procedures in the study of large urban systems, where it is considered that economic development, social changes, as well as political and institutional trends are equally important as physical and technological factors. Accordingly, the study monitors several variables that have an impact on the development of the urban system and urban form guided by the belief that the multivariate character of the city cannot be simply explained by one representative parameter. According to the time orientation, the research framework can be characterized in two ways: (1) orientation towards the past (aspects of history and heritage) through the review of historical plans (Škalamera 1974; Kovačević 1975), geography of culture (Kolarić 1971), introducing the theme of heritage protection in the context of spatial planning (Lukić 1975b; Đurović 1978) and (2) orientation towards the future (aspects which concern future of the planning and city) through the analysis of demographic development and future growth (Rašević 1969). Within the group of aspects related to planning and design methodology following studies were identified: study dealing with basic elements and concepts of planning (Karamata 1969), study of documentation of urban development of the city (Đurić Zamolo 1971), as well as two spatial possibility studies—study on possibilities of programmatic and functional organization (Petrović 1977), and study on possibilities for urban reconstruction (Đurić Zamolo 1979). In correlation with the tendencies in the theoretical and methodological framework, the research framework is also occupied by environmental aspects that open the academic and practical debate on environmental pollution (Kovačević 1973), urban hygiene (Mišić 1969), and environmental protection of private property (Šimić 1980). Also, the involvement of a group of aspects related to aesthetics is recognized, through which the aesthetic-ambient values of space (Matičević 1977) are considered. Finally, aspects of spatial planning and evaluation involve analytical studies related to gravity zone analysis (Fatić 1969), and the influence of the rural area on the city (Papić 1973). In its nature, the research framework is followed and strengthened by the domain of critical-reflective thinking, which is developed through a series of articles about criticism and critics of construction (Šegvić, 1978).

Theoretical and Methodological Framework. Through the decoding of the content of the magazine Urbanism of Belgrade, it was recognized that in the practice of urban development in Belgrade, there is continuity in the shaping of the theoretical and methodological framework, which enabled the continuous improvement of both the substantive and thematic aspects of the design and planning process, as well as the procedural aspect that refers to the elements of stages of the design and planning process. In this framework, 11 groups of aspects have been identified (presented on Table 5.3). Within the group of Sociological and Economic aspects, first of all, the general consideration of the relationship between the practice of urban planning and knowledge in the field of sociology (Djurović 1969) and economics (Rajić 1969) is recognized, while from the mid-70s, through the growth and influence of environmental-behavioural studies (Stojanović 1969; Pešić 1969), questions of rational housing construction (Mendelson 1975) and specifically study of relation in between human and the space in line with the paradigm of humanization of the city was considered (Matičević 1978, 1979, 1980). These determinants were also reflected in the environmental aspects group, whose central themes are the question of protection of the human environment by urbanism (Stojanović 1975), relation of climatology and urbanism (Milosavljević 1977), and urban environment factors and measures (Stojkov 1980). The previous groups of aspects were mostly considered in relation to housing, which was the leading determinant for the expansion of the territory of Belgrade in relation to demographic changes and factors of industrialization. Such was the case with the aspect of aesthetics, which was considered at the level of the city’s physiognomy in the search for an aesthetic synthesis (Stojanović 1969). Within this framework, aspects of urban form occupy a special position through the following topics and studies: (1) the physical structure of the city as a subject of urban analysis (Radović 1969) and (2) theses on architectural composition in urban planning (Kostić 1977). The innovative approach is the application of mathematical models in the analysis of megalopolis structure (Perović 1973), which is built in an academic and practical dialogue between the study of urban form and the improvement of planning and design methodology. In the context of the improvement of the methodology, the central position is occupied by the orientation towards the improvement of the methodology of creating plans of different levels (Bojović 1976; Vasić 1980), with a special focus on the general urban plan of the city (Stojkov 1974). The special value of the theoretical and methodological framework is recognized in its focus on the future through (1) the aspect of future planning of the city through the examination of the relationship between futurology and the city (Lukić 1972), as well as the thesis of the city that maintains and changes itself (Bojović 1978); (2) the aspect of education through the consideration of permanent education in the function of strengthening and continuous building of the profession in contemporary society (Bogosavljević 1975) and (3) aspect of evaluation and assessment of existing urban conditions (Lukić 1975b). Finally, the aspect of culture and heritage stands out as a specific group of identified aspects through which themes of urban culture (David 1978), notion of reconstruction through decentralization and restructuring of the city (Tomić 1978), reconstruction as a process of constant improvement of urban living conditions (Glavički 1978), as well as study on impact of urban solutions on the preservation (Zakić 1978), were introduced at the end of the 70s.

Institutional Framework. The institutional framework of the identified contents was created as a natural consequence of the magazine editorial by the Urban Planning Institute of Belgrade as the leading professional organization of the analysed period. In this framework, seven groups of aspects have been identified (presented on Table 5.4) with a dominant representation of the aspects related to organization and management. The central theme in the framework of organization and management is occupied by the issue of self-management in the planning process (Stojkov 1974), as well as the issue of system and organization of spatial planning in city (Djordjević 1974). Additionally, the tendency to achieve synchronization with the national planning system (1975) is recognized. As part of the development process of self-management and its integration into the practice of planning, the theme of public participation is present in the institutional framework, which was discussed continuously through the contents of the magazine (Đurović 1972; Stojkov 1973; Jakšić 1978), as well as the issue of inter-institutional cooperation (Marinko and Djurović 1969) and cooperation with public (Lukač 1969). Other aspects within the institutional framework are built and realized in relation to the other two frameworks (research and theoretical-methodological). The procedural aspect interpreted through the thesis ‘from plan to planning’ (Glavički 1969) is the result of advocacy for the improvement of planning and design methodology within the theoretical and methodological framework. Critical-reflective thinking is manifested in correlation with the research framework to build a continuous constructive debate and discussion about current achievements and practices (Stojanović 1973). The housing aspect is a natural result of the tendencies that will be presented in the scale track analysis results when it comes to realization. Finally, the aspect of interests is reflected in relation to the aspects of heritage and culture represented in the research framework, which relate to the introduction of the topic of reconstruction and protection of heritage and the environment. In the institutional framework, the activation of interests in the process of reconstruction is considered (Stojkov 1978).

Conceptual Framework. Conceptual framework engages monitoring and consideration of two content elements stated in indexes of Fig. 5.2—competitions and conceptual design projects. In both cases, continuity is recognized in the development of the conceptual framework with a special focus on the block level. However, in this case, it is important to highlight the potential limitations of the study caused by the nature of the magazine, which primarily focusses on the urban practice of city development, instead of discussing architectural aspects related to lower spatial levels. In the same period, the publishing activity of the Architecture Urbanism (a magazine for architecture, urbanism, applied art and industrial design) published by the Association of Architects of Yugoslavia and the Urban Association of Yugoslavia Belgrade, whose focus was on issues of architectural design in addition to urbanism, was carried out almost in parallel. The competition practice was focussed on the block level, which is in relation to the unit of the planning composition of New Belgrade conceptualized by the notion of the superblock (approximate dimensions 400 × 400 m), which was the primary area of construction in the period under analysis. Accordingly, it is possible to recognize a specific example of ‘planning by competition’. In the thematic sense and according to the competition brief, competition practice was dominantly focussed on housing, which was correlated with very active and continuous action in this field in the research framework. On the other hand, conceptual design projects were focussed on the topic of open public spaces and parks, which was in line with the developments in the theoretical and methodological framework, where the topic of new environmentalism, the relationship between man and nature, as well as the issue of protecting the environment comes into the centre (which can be seen in the chronological diagrams above).

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Realization Framework. Realization framework engages monitoring and consideration of three content elements stated in indexes of Fig. 5.3—realizations (realized/built design projects), adopted and officially implemented plans, and adopted urban programmes. In all cases, continuity is recognized in the development of the realization framework with a special focus on the block and settlement level. However, as the case of the conceptual framework, it is important to highlight the potential limitations of the study caused by the nature of the magazine, which primarily focusses on the urban practice of city development, instead of discussing architectural aspects related to lower spatial levels. When it comes to realizations, a dominant share of construction in the field of housing is recognized in the form of large-scale mass housing middle-class neighbourhoods. These realizations cover the scale of the block in the case of the development of the territory of New Belgrade, while in other cases it is the scale of settlements that are built in privileged positions in correlation with favourable environmental conditions. In the procedural sense, a specific process has been recognized that is strongly supported by competition practice from the thesis ‘planning by competition’ to ‘construction by competition’. When it comes to plans, the dominant coverage at the city level is recognized, which is the result of an active period of development and adoption of the new Belgrade Master Plan from 1972. In addition, plans for the general regulation of New Belgrade (left bank of the Sava, administrative area of Belgrade) and Third Belgrade (left bank of the Danube, administrative area of Belgrade) were drawn up in this period. A specific feature is the creation of 14 reconstruction plans aimed at the reconstruction of blocks in the old city centre of Belgrade, as well as at the reconstruction of prominent streets on the city level—Knez Miloša Street and Knez Mihajlova Street. Finally, programmes of a systemic nature were recognized, which intend to regulate several environmental issues significant for the entire territory of the city—the regulation of riversides, the regulation of public city spaces and environmental protection.

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