Republic Square | on the polarity of time

University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture, Belgrade, Serbia

Project idea

Republic Square is the central meeting place, the city center and the epicenter of social life in the city of Belgrade. However, viewed from the urban aspect, it is incompletely defined space that has the characteristics of a square, but it is not. On the edge of the past and the future - on the polarity of time, it is a mirror for observing the changes that, in function of time, became his only constant. This work strives for better understanding the morphogenesis and transformations of the Square, both those realized in space and those that remained on paper expressed thoughts. Consequently, by analyzing and understanding the context in which the changes in the Square took place, the question of its new transformation and the functions it should accept as the Square in the city of the future arises. The project, as the name of the topic "on the polarity of time" suggests, seeks to connect culturally and historically inherited values ​​with those that the Square should possess. The dominant function of the surrounding buildings in the field of culture influenced the decision to make the new facility also for cultural purposes. A combination of the city gallery and the opera, the building is created as a modern counterpart to the National Museum and Theater, also situated on the Square.

Project description

The City Gallery is an annex of the National Museum, at the same time connecting to the metro station whose position is planned below the Square. It is also a space that leads visitors to the "world of culture" and the main building - the Opera House. The existing slope of the terrain enabled the development of the Opera House in the underground floors, while the sloping roof represents an extension of the Square - a sloping surface organized in a combination of paving, water and seating area which emphasizes a significant direction of pedestrian movement.

Technical information

Having in mind that the building is located in an environment of pronounced cultural and historical values ​​dominated by neoclassical buildings, the stone is chosen as an adequate facade material. The emphasis is on the modern interpretation of the stone facade in combination with glass.

The existence of water surfaces within the sloping roof affects the level of comfort while staying in the Square, creating a pleasant environment for meeting and socializing in the city.