Novi Sad ? The Agency of the Urban Ensemble: Community ? Action ? City

The main objective in this studio is to critically explore Novi Sad, Serbia, the European Capital of Culture 2021. In Novi Sad, we will research future spatial scenarios for upgrading a series of defunct factory complexes into“civic social districts.” These post-manufacturing districts have been in danger of becoming more victims to rampant commercialization and pressure to sell-out government’s property. Many of the defunct factories date from the time period between the two World Wars. They were nationalized by Socialist Yugoslavia and brought cultural programs to the workers. Today, decades after the collapse of socialism, the factories operate as loose, semi-legal, self-regulated, informal spaces for art and music, pop-up bars, clubs, and government organizations such as youth culture clubs and other administration. The challenge is to explore future civic design for these complexes via visionary urbanism, art, and design culture; finding a balance between government ownership and that of the private or informal sectors. The studio will be held in a lively “research architecture” manner, experimenting with typologies from small to large in synchronic ways.