The starting point for this project was a group of brutalist concrete flowerpots that once caught my eye in central Belgrade. However, the area was soon redeveloped, and these objects disappeared. Their demolition became a reminder of how fragile these everyday architectural details can be, despite their quiet presence in collective memory.
Having lived in Belgrade for the past few years, I’ve been fascinated by the forms of street furniture—fountains, flower beds, benches, and other architectural forms that make up the fabric of the city. With a background in furniture and industrial design, I’m instinctively drawn to these objects, and many of them immediately caught my attention with their bold, brutalist forms.
This project is a reflection on form, memory, and perception. The brutalist concrete forms I encountered throughout Belgrade seem simultaneously unfamiliar and familiar to me. They possess a visual language familiar to me from my childhood, often considered rough, cold, or utilitarian. I find it expressive and emotional.
In Belgrade, I saw traces of brutalism everywhere. But to native Belgrade residents, these objects seem ordinary or inconspicuous. Perhaps they acquire significance in the eyes of someone shaped by a different cultural context. In this work, I seek to draw attention to these small yet significant elements of the urban landscape and highlight them as part of Belgrade’s unique visual identity.
Using collage techniques, I reinterpret these forms and move beyond their functional role. Here, I reveal the unexpected beauty, character, and emotional resonance hidden in objects often perceived as cold or insignificant. Through multi-layered compositions, I invite viewers to consider familiar urban forms from a new perspective and reflect on the relationship between architecture, identity, memory, and cultural belonging.
PLEASE WAIT TO BE BUILT
The starting point for this project was a group of brutalist concrete flowerpots that once caught my eye in central Belgrade. However, the area was soon redeveloped, and these objects disappeared. Their demolition became a reminder of how fragile these everyday architectural details can be, despite their quiet presence in collective memory.
Having lived in Belgrade for the past few years, I’ve been fascinated by the forms of street furniture—fountains, flower beds, benches, and other architectural forms that make up the fabric of the city. With a background in furniture and industrial design, I’m instinctively drawn to these objects, and many of them immediately caught my attention with their bold, brutalist forms.
This project is a reflection on form, memory, and perception. The brutalist concrete forms I encountered throughout Belgrade seem simultaneously unfamiliar and familiar to me. They possess a visual language familiar to me from my childhood, often considered rough, cold, or utilitarian. I find it expressive and emotional.
In Belgrade, I saw traces of brutalism everywhere. But to native Belgrade residents, these objects seem ordinary or inconspicuous. Perhaps they acquire significance in the eyes of someone shaped by a different cultural context. In this work, I seek to draw attention to these small yet significant elements of the urban landscape and highlight them as part of Belgrade’s unique visual identity.
Using collage techniques, I reinterpret these forms and move beyond their functional role. Here, I reveal the unexpected beauty, character, and emotional resonance hidden in objects often perceived as cold or insignificant. Through multi-layered compositions, I invite viewers to consider familiar urban forms from a new perspective and reflect on the relationship between architecture, identity, memory, and cultural belonging.