Category: Proceedings

Abdurrahman Mohamed

https://doi.org/10.60152/8b1agsz1

Abstract: Gaza, Palestine, has been suffering from war for years. Theories of architectural conservation fall helpless in dealing with dangerous situations in conflict regions. The preservation of Al-Alami house came as a culmination of great efforts and proved how the preservation of architectural heritage is usually in need, more than theoretical arguments, for well and determination that is fed by cultural awareness and dignity. Instead of relying on large-scale conservation plans, Iwan Center for Architectural Heritage at the Islamic University of Gaza (Iwan) relied on the theoretical framework of conservation under sever difficulties: to activate local partnership, community participation, networks of volunteers, minimal gradual conservation, and adaptive reuse. The preservation of Al-Alami house proved that the context and the innovative conservation approach are of great importance. It is true that this will not protect heritage from the devastation of war. But it represents the rescue thread for conflict regions.

Keywords: architecture, culture, conservation, urban, community, partnership, Al-Alami house

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Mohamed, A.(2025) ‘Existence and the Spatial Memory of Gaza: The Case of Al-Alami Historical House‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 329–336. 

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Denis Ambruš, Vlatko Dusparić

https://doi.org/10.60152/x7e4vd05

Abstract: The small peninsula on the western coast of Istria represents the landscape level of the existential space of the city of Poreč. Through a conscious choice of construction sites, the urban level of the existential space of the planned city/colony of ancient Parentium (Poreč) was shaped. On the relatively small area of the peninsula, a strict orthogonal system was applied with longitudinal and transversal streets forming blocks of rectangular base. The configuration of the urban level of the existential space continued to develop in the direction of the decumanus towards the inland, occupying natural areas. Research into the urban identity of the existing urban structure of Poreč points to the most important elements of identity:
• valuable urban spaces of the historic core on the peninsula and its extensions towards the mainland created on the block grid.
• ensembles and individual buildings of the highest value (Euphrasian Basilica, palaces, interpolation of the Neptun Hotel, …).
• corridor-like dispersion of tourist facilities in the urban coastal area as the prevailing spatial pattern.
• the interweaving of city and nature at the city edges (the sea, greenery in the hinterland that in some parts approaches the coast).
The existing urban structure of Poreč indicates mistakes that, in our opinion, relate to hotel complexes located along the coast and multi-family residential areas. The analysis points to the problem with interventions in the renovation and reconstruction of existing hotel points, in which tourist resources – nature – are consumed. The altered surroundings thus become irrelevant as a reason for tourist visits. Problematic are also the multi-family housing settlements built in the 1950s, constructed in line with the prevailing practices of modern urbanism that interrupt the continuity of the block matrix as part of the urban identity. The fragmentation of the urban structure is also contributed to by tourist facilities that occupy large parts of the urban coastline in a punctiform manner. The observed shortcomings indicate the need to protect public interest in the city’s spatial planning process.

Keywords: Poreč, tourist destination, urban identity, protection of public interest

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Ambruš, D. and Dusparić, V. (2025) ‘Tourist Destination Poreč‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 323–328. 

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Bojana Sićović

https://doi.org/10.60152/8v7wptof

Abstract: In contemporary architectural discourse, the museum emerges as a distinct phenomenon—a convergence point of diverse spatial-temporal determinants and values. By undergoing a paradigmatic transformation during the 20th century, museums ceased to serve merely as passive repositories of artworks and were redefined as experiential spaces that actively communicate—both with the viewer and with their architectural and spatial context. Within this dynamic interaction, exhibition design has been identified as a significant mediating layer in the relationship between architecture and the exhibit. Moreover, additional spatial determinants can be recognized as contributing to the overall experience, including dichotomies such as exterior–interior, known–unknown, room–path, skin–content, protection–presentation, and real–virtual. Accordingly, this study explores the architecture of contemporary museums through the lens of organizational formal interconnectedness, spatial structure, and perception. In this framework, museums are considered as specific patterns—both semiotic and experiential—subsequently interpreted through cognitive schemata into spatial constructs. The research methodology is primarily inductive, beginning with a literature review and analysis of relevant examples from contemporary architectural practice. This is followed by the classification and schematization of observed spatial constructs (regularities, principles, conclusions). The objective is to enable a form of unlayering of the museum’s integral whole through visual translation into diagrammatic structures. The study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex structural-functional relationships within contemporary museum architecture, while also opening avenues for the development of novel spatial relationships and interactive, innovative practices—particularly through the application of advanced technologies.

Keywords: schematization, architecture, contemporary museums, spatial relationships, diagram

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Sićović, B. (2025) ‘Schematizing Museum Architecture: Interpreting Spatial Relations through Diagrams‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 314–322. 

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Aleksandra Milošević Pantović

https://doi.org/10.60152/b35wlx7s

Abstract: Cohousing communities represent a distinct housing model that integrates private and shared living, with the aim of fostering daily interaction, mutual support, and a sense of belonging. This paper seeks to identify the characteristic spatial principles that enable the formation of community in everyday life, as well as their potential applicability in other urban contexts. Through an analysis of physical structure and spatial logic, the paper explores how architectural form can serve as an active agent of social cohesion. The case study focuses on the Marmalade Lane housing development in Cambridge (UK), with particular attention to spatial patterns that support a balance between individual space and communal life. Special emphasis is placed on the design of transitional zones, shared courtyards, informal gathering areas, and the organization of movement, examining how these elements enable spontaneous and unobtrusive social dynamics. The aim of the paper is to contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of architectural design in creating sustainable and socially oriented housing models, and to offer a critical framework for rethinking contemporary practices of collective living.

Keywords: cohousing, architectural typology, social sustainability, community-oriented design, spatial patterns, collective housing

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Milošević Pantović, A. (2025) ‘The Architectural Language of Togetherness: Spatial Patterns in the Design of Cohousing Communities‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 307–313. 

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Maja Golović

https://doi.org/10.60152/l1rfyslb

Abstract: Contemporary housing challenges related to urban growth, housing crises and changing lifestyle patterns call for sustainable solutions, among which micro housing is increasingly prominent. However, micro apartments are often designed with a focus on quantitative spatial reduction, while qualitative aspects of living and long-term functionality are frequently overlooked. This paper analyzes the quality of micro apartments through the potential for transformation and regeneration of functional zones, living, sleeping, and service areas, with particular emphasis on the living zone as the primary space for adaptation and element substitution. The theoretical framework is based on the ideas of the Metabolist movement, especially the principles of sustainability, modularity, and regeneration, reinterpreted in contemporary architectural practice.The assumption is that micro apartments offering greater spatial flexibility, especially through the transformation of elements within the living zone, provide higher living quality and better adaptability to contemporary needs. The methodological approach is based on case studies of three carefully selected examples: a historical one (Habitat 67 – one residential module), a contemporary international one (Carmel Place, New York – nARCHITECTS) and a current local micro apartment (Apartment in Tomaša Ježa Street – 46th Salon of Architecture, authors Dejan Todorović and Milena Kordić). The analysis enables insight into various spatial design approaches and the long term sustainability of micro housing. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the scientific and professional discourse on micro housing quality within the context of a sustainable urban future, emphasizing the importance of spatial flexibility and the architect’s role in creating intelligent and adaptable solutions within limited floor areas.

Keywords: micro apartment, spatial flexibility, space transformation, regeneration of functional zones, modularity

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Golović, M. (2025) ‘Flexible Spaces in Micro Apartments: Regeneration and Transformation of Functional Zones in Contemporary Architecture‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 296–306. 

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Kosta Stojanović

https://doi.org/10.60152/g4nw7f65

Abstract: In contemporary architectural discourse, multifamily housing requires a fundamental redefinition. Traditional divisions between dwelling, work, and public life no longer reflect the complexity of modern living. This paper explores hybridity in residential architecture, not as a simple blend of typologies, but as the spatial ability to adapt through transformability, ambiguity, and ambivalence. A hybrid apartment, in this defined context, is a spatial entity that does not have a firmly defined program, but enables different usage scenarios – an apartment as a workspace, a public microspace, a place of collectivity, but also of individuality. The research relies on a theoretical framework that includes concepts of flexibility, typological mutations, as well as philosophical approaches to space as an unfixed field of potential. In this context, the apartment is seen as a space of possibilities, where it is important how the space is used, not how it was initially designed. The paper analyzes examples from different urban environments, from experimental housing models to adapted spaces within the existing housing market, in which the boundaries between private and public, work and housing, fixed and variable are almost erased. Through a critical analysis of spatial models that support multifunctionality, the paper asks the question: is it possible to redefine housing typology not as a final form, but as a processual platform for everyday life? In this framework, the hybrid apartment becomes a paradigm of modern housing, an apartment that not only has the ability to adapt, but also the potential to actively participate in shaping a new culture of life, work and community. In the end, this paper aims to map new criteria for designing apartments that go beyond functionalist patterns, introducing the dimension of spatial indeterminacy as a basis for generating long-term relevance and social sustainability in housing architecture.

Keywords: hybridity, housing, spatial flexibility, typological mutation, architectural design

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Stojanović, K. (2025) ‘Concepts of Hybridity in Residential Architecture‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 287–295. 

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Hyunsoo Kim

https://doi.org/10.60152/9jsx2ym4

Abstract: The frequency and intensity of disasters worldwide are accelerating due to a complex interplay of factors. Climate change and environmental degradation are exacerbating natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and landslides, while man-made crises such as war and terrorism fueled by religious and ethnic conflicts are recurring. Furthermore, explosive population growth and dense urbanization are leading to a significantly higher incidence of emerging infectious diseases than ever before. These multifaceted crises disproportionately impact vulnerable populations in developing countries, where resource constraints exacerbate the impacts. Temporary structures are a standard response, but their long-term use has been widely criticized by researchers for causing numerous problems, including loss of community and psychological distress for survivors. This study addresses this critical gap by proposing a holistic, multisystemic framework designed to build true resilience beyond simple disaster response. This framework is based on five core principles: comprehensive local contextual analysis, rational integration of local traditions and modern technologies, strategic inclusion of community facilities and shared spaces, proposals for long-term environmental restoration systems, and the development of adaptable, integrated master plans. To demonstrate the adaptability and flexibility of this framework, it is applied to a comparative analysis of five case studies representing diverse geographical and socioeconomic conditions: desertification in Spain, an earthquake in Turkey, landslides in Nepal, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia, and an epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This analytical approach led us to propose a novel, context specific architectural model and integrated master plan. Ultimately, the results of this study demonstrate that this adaptive model offers a transformative paradigm for disaster recovery, shifting the focus from immediate, short-term relief to a sustainable process that actively regenerates human societies and surrounding ecosystems for a more resilient future.

Keywords: Multisystemic Framework; Disaster Resilience; Adaptive Modular Architecture; Post-disaster Reconstruction; Ecological Restoration; Community Resilience

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Kim, H. (2025) ‘Beyond Architecture: A Multisystemic Framework for Sustainable Disaster Recovery‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 264–286. 

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Suncica Milosevic, Ajla Aksamija

https://doi.org/10.60152/0tsspqyq

Abstract: The Sava Center in Belgrade is one of the most iconic architectural and cultural landmarks of Yugoslav Modernism. Built between 1976 and 1979, it functioned as a major congress and cultural venue, embodying ideals of civic ambition, technological innovation, and public accessibility. With its monumental Brutalist aesthetic and an all-encompassing spatial program, it remains a uniquely significant example of the region’s architectural innovation and technological advancement. This research presents a performance-based retrofit framework for historically significant buildings of this scale and typology, using the Sava Center as a hypothetical case study. Developed through a multi-method approach – bridging architectural history, building science, and digital performance modeling – the study demonstrates how design, technology, and heritage values can be aligned to improve energy performance without compromising architectural and cultural integrity. Methods include archival research, BIM modeling, hygrothermal and thermal envelope simulations (Revit, WINDOW, THERM, WUFI), and whole-building energy analysis (IES VE). Results suggest that the proposed design strategies could reduce energy use by over 50% while preserving the building’s original character, programmatic intent, and civic function. Initiated in 2021, the study coincided with actual renovations to the Sava Center’s Congress Hall building following its simultaneous privatization and designation as a cultural heritage site. These interventions, though aimed at energy efficiency, were completed rapidly, with minimal transparency and significant programmatic changes. Although the renovations concluded before the study’s completion, the presented case study remains a critical reference for more systematic and preservation-sensitive retrofits. In a region where too many significant buildings built between 1945 and 1991 are being rapidly privatized and, unfortunately, demolished, this framework helps illuminate the substantial potential for their protection – both through cultural heritage designation and sensitive, energy-efficient renewal. This research introduces the overarching framework, key findings, and policy implication, with future work to expand on detailed analysis.

Keywords: Brutalist architecture; energy-efficient retrofitting; cultural heritage preservation; building performance modeling; adaptive reuse; Western Balkans

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Milosevic, S. and Aksamija, A. (2025) ‘Preserving the Past, Modeling the Future: A Retrofit Framework for the Sava Center in Belgrade‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 246–263. 

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Dragana Zorić

https://doi.org/10.60152/v0ujucm7

Abstract: The Brutalist Cookbook explores radical architectural form in landscape. Landscape architecture often positions itself at the intersection of ecology, design, and urbanism, yet its disciplinary potency is diluted by a persistent vagueness—both in scope and in form. While it aspires to address urgent issues like climate resilience and social equity, it often lacks the formal rigor and aesthetic ambition that would give it cultural traction. The field’s retreat from composition and spatial articulation in favor of systems thinking has led to projects that are technically sound but visually and experientially underwhelming. In seeking legitimacy through science and sustainability, landscape architecture has too often abandoned its design imagination—its capacity to propose compelling, provocative forms that reshape how we relate to land, space, and one another. Brutalism by contrast, embraces a raw, uncompromising aesthetic rooted in the expression of structure and material. It rejects ornament in favor of the intricacy of the structural detail and bold, often monolithic forms. It values a material and tectonic honesty resulting in an architecture that feels visceral, sculptural, and often confrontational. Its aesthetic impact lies not in delicacy or decoration, but in the drama of scale, repetition, and exposed materiality. Brutalism challenges conventional ideas of beauty, favoring intensity over charm, and integrity over polish. Therefore, if the Modern movement considered architecture as an object, with landscape as an accessory, the Supermodern movement focused on architecture as a field effectively co-opting landscape logics Landscape Urbanism reversed the relationship—positioning landscape as the primary organizational system for architecture, then this research proposes a body of work that will demonstrate the simultaneity of architecture and landscape architecture. Organized into a series of design vignettes, it envisions the two disciplines not as separate, but concurrent – where their tectonic results operate simultaneously on a conceptual, experiential, and temporal level —toward a more integrated and imaginative spatial future.

Keywords: landscape, architecture, brutalism, form, hybrid

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Zorić, D. (2025) ‘The Brutalist Cookbook‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 236–245. 

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Nora Lefa, Ema Alihodžić Jašarović, Sara Stojkanović

https://doi.org/10.60152/o7nsk274

Abstract: Since AI is increasingly complementing, and moreover, substituting for human intelligence in every aspect of our lives, it is bound to do so in the management of land. However positive a well-informed approach to administrating human beings’ most precious of natural resources can be, the drawbacks cannot be ignored: acting solely on typified logic, unhinged from human sympathy and emotions, can lead to monstrous results. Algorithms and learning processes alone, providing for the input on which AI operates, can lead to humans being turned to appurtenances of the land they rely on, the natural intelligence being unable to articulate substantial arguments against. We must trust visceral intelligence in counteracting rationality detached from humanity in order to harness the advantages the reliance on a multifaceted intelligence can offer. These ideas are put to the test in an exhibition entitled Do Not Touch Yugoslavia! A Visceral Response in the Era of Artificial Intelligence, following the Montenegrin call for participation in the competition for the selection of the national representative at the 2025 Venice Biennial of Architecture. Unmediated, direct emotional reactions to the stimuli provided by encounter with Montenegrin land and soil, is the Janus’ face of paradise and hell. The epistemology of the encounter could be illustrated through ten days of paradise in Montenegro, symbolically depicted through memories of the Yugoslav train. Such accumulated memories, created by bodily experience in contact with the earth (body memory), will build an anthropological experience in space, and such a connection with a place (insidness) is irreplaceable. Equally important is the psycho-geography that we associate with artificial post-Yugoslav landscapes (,,toxic beauty’’), the construction of which encodes the memories and feelings of an unknown worker, who disappeared in the anonymity of Yugoslav ideology..

Keywords: Viscelar intelligence, Yugoslavia, body memory, post Yugoslav landscapes, insidness

How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):

Lefa, N., Alihodžić Jašarović, E. and Stojkanović, S. (2025) ‘Do Not Touch Yugoslavia! A Visceral Response in the Era of Artificial Intelligence‘, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Crosscutting and Fusion of Disciplines, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 228–234. 

See publication On Architecture (2025) Conference Proceedings