Novi Beograd
New Belgrade (Novi Beograd) is a unique district in Serbia’s capital, constructed after World War II as a symbol of socialist modernity. Known for its expansive brutalist architecture, the area is characterised by vast, concrete structures that embody the ideals of functionalism and collective living. Spearheaded by former President Josip Broz Tito, New Belgrade's development was a key part of his vision to modernise Yugoslavia. The district is notably organised into a series of large, self-contained residential complexes known as "bloks," each designed to provide essential services and communal spaces, reflecting the era's emphasis on efficiency and community-oriented urban planning.
These two men were playing their instruments outside apartment blocks until residents threw money from their windows to get them to stop.
Public phone.
Clothes on washing lines.
Ana, top floor apartment, Genex Tower. The residential tower was the tallest building in Belgrade up until 2021 and is officially known as the Western City Gate, greeting those entering the city from the west, the direction of the airport. The building is a cultural monument, a brutalist icon and one of the most striking buildings in New Belgrade.
Football pitch, as seen from Genex Tower.
The office building of Genex Tower, unused for many years, was recently purchased by controversial businessman Aleksandar Kajmaković, a figure who has links to major Serbian criminal organisations. At present, the historical contents of the office block are strewn outside the building as renovations take place.
Mercedes in shade.
Boys playing basketball. The building in the background is nicknamed ‘Televizorke’ because of its television-shaped windows, a nickname coined by communist revolutionary, Yugoslav Partisan leader and former President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito.
Former bomb shelter (constructed during the Cold War era and used during the NATO airstrikes of 1999), turned gymnastics studio. Currently empty.
Washing hanging in Sajmište, a small residential area on the site of what was formerly a WW2 concentration camp.