"Form und Zweck Zwei
"Form + Zweck used to be the design magazine of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). (((It did? Oh my God.)))
"As the GDR ceased to exist the magazine was continued with much enthusiasm and care by the former editors as an affectionate and enthusiast project, which is self-published up until today. (((Holy cow.)))
"Form und Zweck means form and purpose, and expands the classical modernist credo of form and function. Initially the magazine took up the tradition of the Werkbund and the modern movements ideas of design and translated them into a real- socialist context. (((I thought that was what they were trying to do. It sort of always looked that way.... Learning this confirms my deepest fears about East German modernism.)))
"East German Industrial Design," a FlickR set by BruceS:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brucesterling/sets/72157622263041365/
"We are publishing Form und Zweck Zwei now! It is by no means meant as a continuation of the original Form and Zweck, which still exists. Form und Zweck is flotsam for us, a find, which is is located within a field traced by subjects we are interested in.
"First of all we are formalists; we think Form und Zweck Zwei sounds beautiful. Secondly, we are haunted by the spectres of modernism, of real-existing socialism, and we are very intrigued by the relation of form and purpose. Purpose does ask for the meaning, asks why? For which purpose? (((For Gothic East German High Tech!)))
"In this sense, fzz.cc is a projection-screen for things that we find inspiring; a surface to throw bits’n’pieces on: images, stories, finds, fragments and oddities, trying to make sense, or not...."
(((Every instinct in me tells me to flee this website while the fleeing is good, but wait... there's something so strangely attractive about this idea for me... I'm just have to click one more time, and... Uh-oh. I should have known.)))
Modernism in Belgrade
by Robert Burghardt
Belgrade became a metropolis following WWII, when industrialisation and urbanisation changend many cities in Yugoslavia. Belgrade, as the former capital of the federal state, was an experimental ground for a specific modern project between east and west, especially with its foundation of New Belgrade a modern city from scratch next to old-Belgrade.
New Belgrade was laid out on a swampy plain on the opposite banks of the river Sava between old Belgrade and the town of Zemun. Initially intended as a new independent entity, envisioned as the capital of all Yugoslavia with important governmental and civic functions it became a mere extension of the existing city, a dormitory town with a lack in infrastructure, as the ambitious "central axis" with transport nodes, museums, shopping, entertainment, cultural facilities and administrative buildings has never been realised.
While New Belgrade was a imagined as a modernist project "from scratch", on a white piece of paper, in the old part of town many examples of context-conscious modernism can be found.
Following a small selection of my favorite modernist buildings in Belgrade. Note that this list is nost exhaustive and might be extended over time. It is not intended as a proper modern architecture guide, but rather as a small book of impressions. I have used archive material and scans from old architecture magazines.
(a) Elementary School by Petar Petrovic (1972)
(b) Fontana Community Centre by Uros Martinovic (1963)
(c) Town Hall Novi Beograd by Stojan Maksimovic and Branislav Jovin
(d) Residential complex "Televizor" by Ilja Arnautovic (1974)
(e) Residential complex blok 23 by Bozidar Jankovic, Branislav Karacic and Aleksandar Stjepanovic
(f) Sava Centar Congress Centre by Stojan Maksimovic (1975)
(g) Sports Complex on Ada Ciganlija Island by Jovicic
(h) Residential complex in Knezevac Kijevo by Aleksnadar Djokic and Mihailo Canak
(i) Mostar motorway junction by Branislav Jovin (j) 25th Maj sport centre by Ivan Antic (k) Office building on Republic Square by Rata Bogojevic, Slavka Mitic and Emil Medvescek
(l) Former ministry of defence by Nikola Dobrovic
(m) Dom Omladine by Dragoljub Filipovic and Zoran Tasic
(n) Mount Avala TV-tower by Ugljesa Bogunovic and Slobodan Janjic
(o) Office building of the town-planning institute by Branislav Jovin
(p) Warehouse at the river port by Sima Mijlkovic
(q) Helicopter landing platform for police hq by Spasoje Krunic
(r) Residential tower in Karaburma by Rista Sekerinski (1963)...
