Influences of modernism in urban development of Sarajevo in the period 1945-1980

Abstract

In accordance with the state strategy oriented to the industrialization and urbanization many of Yugoslav cities had strong and rapid development that was visible in appearance of new parts of the city or even totally new cities in surrounding of new established industrial areas. On the example of Sarajevo, we can observe implementation of ideas related to modernist architecture and urbanism promoted in many European countries during bigger part of 20th century. From wandering in treatment, beginning ignorance and latter acceptance of authentic heritage from Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian period to the Modernist era of massive construction of new parts of the city. Direction of work and thinking of domestic architects leaded by Juraj Neidhardt created specific way of considering Bosnian traditional architecture as inspiration and base for development of authentic modernism related to the wide range of contextual premises that in theory of architecture was recognized as “Sarajevo school of architecture”. At the same time massive construction of new urban areas was searching for efficient solutions of industrial and prefabricated systems that were developed and widely used in all Yugoslavia. Design of all new settlements strived to planed and built into consideration to principles of Athens charter with accent to sun oriented and functional residential units, with enough greenery and open public zones, with regulated and distribution of educational, service and commercial facilities in every new established neighborhood. Despite to social, urban and construction quality issues that appeared in new developed urban areas from the period of socialist Yugoslavia, we can talk about relevant and innovative concepts promoted by modernist architecture and urbanism that was under constant and comprehensive improvement process which reach high range of quality very relevant from the perspective of European modernism.