Abandoned Architecture- Ghost Spaces in Belgrade-final

Milica Pajki, Phd student, Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Scholar of Ministry of Education and Science, Government of the Republic of Serbia Predrag Markovi, Phd student, Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade Title: ABANDONED ARCHITECTURE: GHOST SPACES IN BELGRADE

ABSTRACT

This research will deal with transformations of devalued and devastated spaces within the city, and possible methods of their integration in newly formed urban fabric of Belgrade. These corrupted areas of Belgrade are useful for research because of multiple changes of concepts during their development and construction. Primarily, following Le Corbusiers directives of an ideal city and his leftist beliefs suited to political circumstances in Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and indirectly implied creation of citys modern paradigm, destined to be challenged. Numerous political, economic, social, ethnic and cultural changes in territories of former Yugoslavia directly influenced primordial discrepancy between planned, built and unfinished spaces. This is the point where we can notice a direct relationship of these layers with the formation of ghost spaces. This term can also be related to the concept of non-places that was defined by Marc Aug as a space without people, memories and identity, and that turned out to be precisely the fate that characterizes selected projects in Belgrade. The paper questions theoretical assumptions and theses within the theory of postmodernism, through analysis of reference literature in this field and by mapping concepts of ghost spaces and non-places. These two concepts are recognized as the points where one can determine the transformational development of selected spaces and objects in Belgrade under the influences of emerging environmental conditions. The central part of the paper will address and analyze case studies of identified, neglected places of industry, transport, commercial and exhibition facilities. These non-places have become the black points of the city, because of their lack of content and applications they dont achieve urban roles for which they were destined. Thanks to the positive regeneration example of the waterfront facility in Belgrade, paper stands the thesis that by appropriate space interventions these ghost spaces could be transformed, activated and re-programmed due to new time and its urban needs. The study should help mapping the notion of ghost spaces and non-places, their conflicting links to the urban fabric, and to identify, classify, analyze, explain, and finally, position these concepts in different aspects of the contemporary architectural theories. The ultimate goal is to mark these places and objects, to state their potentials for re-programing, and finally, to indicate methods for their revival.

Key words: ghost spaces, non-places, architecture theory, urban merging, transformation, re-programing

1.INTRODUCTION

Recent studies in architectural discourse, influenced by globalization, information and capital, indicate appearance of different urban paradoxes and programmatic mutations. Belgrade, as the capital of Serbia and one of the most important Balkan cities, in the last century went through very dramatical changes and makes a good terrain for many researches in the field of architecture. Great political, social, economic and cultural changes followed citys turbulent history in which, counting only the period of last hundred years, Belgrade was capital of eight different countries (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1918-1929.), Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929-1941.), Democratic Federal Yugoslavia (1945.), Federal Public Republic of Yugoslavia (1945-1963.), Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1963-1992.), Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992-2003.), Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006), Republic of Serbia (2006- )). These severe historical shifts turned out to be crucial for future development and highly consequent for citys urban fabric. These complete ideological changes, of their foreseen goals and tendencies left behind spatial layers of mixed authoritative decisions, symbolical metaphors, social expectations and unfulfilled hopes. In these processes many abandoned architectural and urban tissue can be singled out that we recognized as ghost spaces/places.

2. TERM/ GHOST SPACES. NON-PLACES The term itself is in dialectical sense close to Marc Augs term of non-place mostly because of that negative attitude towards the character of space. While Aug considers non-places as buildings and infrastructure necessary for accelerated circulation of people and goods(Oe, 2005, pp.36), we think of ghost spaces as artificially altered territories which were in some point of time, for some reason abandoned and functionally blank, publicly neglected and left behind to become black holes of its urban context. We find that spaces with lack of integrity and identity, built or unfinished, previously consumed or functionally virginal, all fill the discourse of ''ghost spaces/places, which is essentially quite different from Aug's non-place. Universally speaking, ''ghost'' is a space inside city's urban fabric that stands unfamiliar, unfinished, neglected, disconnected, often due to it's overall emptiness invisible to the city and it's people. In other words we can say that ghost spaces are architectural orphans of transitions (political, economical, socialetc.). As parts of, by some authors super-modern city of present, these ghost spaces represent sophisticated forms of architectural disappearance, that urge to be investigated. In contemporary world, the fascination with abstraction, disappearance, over presence and availability has its roots in global culture and its vessel, process of globalization, which was made by developed capitalistic society in order to negate stability and autonomy of identity. We find that this impotence of ghost spaces to establish and nourish identity in terms of Christian Norberg-Schulzs definition of place is crucial for their explanation and positioning among contemporary urban terms. In that sense, ghost spaces, non-places, and other similar phenomena are easily identified as typical expressions of the age of globalization(Ibelings, 2003, pp. 66). Inexistence of identity, absence of function and meaning, lack of liaisons with surrounding characterize ghost spaces and causes of their existence often lay in failed concepts, political, economical and cultural breakdowns that affect all structures and layers of

societys actions, especially architecture, as highly dependent discipline. One of the most recognizable characteristics of ghost spaces is absence of content, activity, program. Object without program represents just a simple shell. If we follow Bernard Tschumis premise that there is no architecture without program, without action, without event (Tschumi, 2004, pp.11) our recognized ghost spaces represent unique, ambivalent architectural act that is not solely present in Belgrade, but seems to be an emerging phenomenon throughout developed countries of both the East and West. Depending of the state of architectural object, its capabilities and capacity for re-programming the existing, underachieving program is essential for citys re-appropriation and revival of those lost spaces. That re-birth demands creative approaches and strategies for graduate transformation and inclusion of ghost spaces into the active, live network of the city. Another relation, important for understanding of ghost spaces is global phenomena of mass production and consumption of content. The basis of current value-system, manner of living and thinking is economy. French philosopher Nicolas Bourriaud noticed this process: consumption is a mode of productionconsumption creates the need for new production, consumption is both its motor and motive(Bourriaud, 2007, pp.22). Constant economic growth creates stability that makes architecture flourish and develop but also on the other side the dependence of architecture on economy makes it more vulnerable to financial shocks. On the other hand, Yugoslavia was for some time part of the developed world, but its internal conflicts led to economical instability and eventually total breakdown, which resulted with numerous urban and architectural failures. Aug notices the same: Countries of Eastern Europe kept their exotic authenticity because they have no means to join world's consumption space(Oe, 2005, pp.101). 3. LOCAL CONTEX During the 20th century, Belgrade experienced several radical shifts of countrys political course, as it is presented in introduction that indirectly caused discontinuity in urban development and degradation of initiated projects. Second aspect, economy, went from glorious results in mid-60s and 70s to absolute breakdown during the 90s. We have already determined that ghost spaces are spatial residues of fundamental societal changes, but in the case of Belgrade, we can mark the year 1980. as a starting point of their formation within the city. That was the year in which complex system of governance started to collapse, among other causes following the death of countrys lifetime leader and president, Josip Broz Tito. The former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that was formed in 1963. was breaking down, and finally dissolved in 1992. which caused enormous problems in all fields of life. But as a condition of these changes we must briefly present former and the periods after the 1980s, in order to explain the earlier conditions and provide a good basis for the research. After the War in Serbia, during the 60s, one could feel the changes caused by high economic growth and the inflow of money in the former Yugoslavia, which resulted in a sudden increase in construction. The state began to invest in large-scale projects, like building new parts of the city, but simultaneously investing in social enterprise projects to stimulate employment in the government organizations. These projects represent a specific phase of Serbian architecture, forming a significant architectural character of the professional practice of architecture, as a

symbiosis of local and universal values and paradigms, designing space based on the rejection of the conventional boundaries of historical structures. In the following period, during the 70s, the change is primarily shifted on the international architectural scene, because an important aesthetic architectural pluralism of postmodern was developed. This is the time in which Udo Kultermann, in his book Architecture in the Seventies (Kultermann, 1980), writes that this new era is marked by "return to traditional styles and methods, which caused the belief that the past provides answers to issues of the present in the social and technological relations"(Kultermann, 1980,pp. 93-94). Because of this, it is clear that in this period of false economic prosperity of Yugoslavia, based on a number of foreign borrowings, one can search for the first conditions for formation of ghost spaces. Last period covered by this analysis is the transition period, after the War and the disintegration of former Yugoslavia during the nineties and important political changes in Serbia, after 2000. Like Milos R. Perovi said, the most significant change in Serbian architecture of the past decades of twentieth century was the changing attitude towards money, with the building became the subject of a market (Perovi, 2003). It is clear that one of the biggest influences on architecture was pursued by economy. 4. FORMATION OF GHOST SPACIES Recently a text appeared on a local news service, (Public) spaces of Belgrade that caught our attention. Paper focuses on abandoned spaces of the city and possible causes of their occurrence. It opened many research issues for us. Also we came to conclusion that the issue of ghost spaces, although under a different name of abandoned architecture, is active but really neglected. Visibility of this problem was brought through public debates that were organized for this purpose. (Failed Architecture, held on 6 April 2012. at the Cultural City Center. Before it several conference were organized, like Dictionary of Urban Dilemma and Dictionary of urban solutions, and debate Who builds the city? in Cultural Center REX in Belgrade, oriented and dealing with process of privatization and repurposing of buildings. As a result of these events, "Public Open Spaces" is published this year by the Civic Initiatives.) Although there were some efforts towards dealing with this problem of devastated and abandoned architecture, it seems like until now there are little material results. There are numerous examples of this architecture in Belgrade, and we will mention a few: Building of State printing office BIGZ, Power plant Power and light (also known as Old Central), Building of Old mill, Rad office building, Museum of Revolution, New Belgrades public garages, Beko building, Old Fairground, Cinema Slavica, Shopping mall Konjarnik, Cotton combine, territory of Savas amphitheater, etc. It is our strong stance that in these ghost spaces one can determine the gathering of most causes and conditions for architectural reprogramming. Because of the extent of this research, in paper are presented only those projects that typify a specific phase or pronounced aspects of social conditions.

Picture 1.- Abandoned building in Belgrade. Picture by the authors

4.1 CASE STUDY: RAD OFFICE BUILDING One of the most evident examples of architectural dependency to stability of economy is a true ghost place, office building of one of the most successful Yugoslavian construction companies, GP Rad. Construction begun in 1989. but, due to numerous problems, mostly financial, the works stopped in 1998, when building was almost 90% finished. Since then, nearly 60.000 square meters of offices, congress center and retail space have been left in silence. The company bankrupted, and the faith of the whole project was sealed. This building represents the perfect intersection of several paradigms and influences in recent Belgrades history that led directly to formation of ghost spaces: collapsed economy, disoriented politics, loss of social and cultural compass. Although it is located in the very center of todays business district of New Belgrade, Rads building is literally invisible. This invisibility comes as a direct consequence of spaces numbness, lack of content that would attract activities and people, and bring building, as architectural act, back to the mental map of people and urban fabric that surrounds it. 4.2 CASE STUDY: MUSEUM OF REVOLUTION Monument wants to be perceptible expression of eternity(Oe, 2005, pp. 58). Also, eternity is ultimate dream of every kind of power or government. Exactly the same was the need of communist government in Yugoslavia after the Second World War. In urgent need to reconstruct past and deconstruct reality, glorifying appropriate, ideologically acceptable moments and personalities, in 1959. institution of Museum of Revolution was formed. After the competition in 1961., appropriate project was selected for realization but the period between selection of project and beginning of actual construction made it meaningless. Time gap of

nearly 20 years of preparation of the project, administrations uncertainty, changes of location and shifts of whole ideological context made the Museum lost both in space and time. Its construction finally begun in 1978. but was soon ended, leaving only the basement level and ground-floor slab finished. This ghost space is a true mark of wandering political ideology that often changed its priorities and fields of interest, leaving them half-finished. And quite an irony it produced, unfinished Museum of Revolution (peoples, communist, for freedom and equality) is at this moment shelter for several homeless people and there are some propositions that in future it could become the foundation of Belgrade Opera house. Communist ideology, misery and bourgeois culture, they all meet at this place. Picture 2- Museum of Revolution, taken from http://www.vesti.rs/Beogradske/Beskucnici-na-temeljima-muzeja-revolucije.html

4.3 CASE STUDY: NEW BELGRADES PUBLIC GARAGE During the late 1980s, Belgrade faced a problem that rarely anyone could have foreseen - lack of parking space. Citys municipalities acted swiftly and numerous public parking garages were planned or started to erect. Because of the severe financial crisis, all of sudden, sites were abandoned, leaving nearly finished structures to the temper of time. By definition, they are ghost spaces, but their uniqueness is hidden in their temporary alternative functionality, which manifests thanks to institutional chaos. Overall legal vacuum in whole country provides them opportunity to host paintball sessions, kart races, and other easily replaceable programs. Exactly this type of relation between space and program could assist in finding suitable methodology in reviving ghost spaces. 4.4 CASE STUDY: BIGZ STATE PRINTING COMPANY

Surely, one of the most media talked-about objects in Belgrade that we recognized as an example of ghost architecture of the city is the BIGZ. The main objective of the architect Dragia Braovan was to design a form that is in shape of Cyrillic letter , and symbolized a printing machine, because it was in property of the State Printing office. Today, this project is seen as one of the main examples of architectural effectuations of the Yugoslavian modern movement. It was constructed between 1937. and 1943, covering more than 25 000 square meters. It is situated in Senjak, near city center and it dominates in its panoramic view. Because of the socialistic historical, social and economic juncture of former Yugoslavia, BIGZ was in property of the country and had more than 3000 employees. In the year 1992. the building was put under the protection of City Department for the Protection of monuments of culture, and this relates to its important role in architectural heritage, even today. But also, these 1990s were crucial for its transformation in a ghost space. At first, because of the disintegration of former Yugoslavia that began in 1991. and secondly, economic enervation that was followed by

decadence of the most firms that were in public property. That same destiny befll the Belgrade publishing and graphics institute and it begin to collapse. In the years of transition, after 2000. it was, like many, in process of privatization. Interesting fact is that this particular one was investigated by popular Serbian TV show Isajder, which initiated many questions of irregularity during the process. Raised problems were mostly about the amount of money for its selling. Today, this icon of Belgrades modern architecture (in which some recognize the elements of Bauhaus) turns into an immense quantity of dirty concrete, wracked glass, more than 10 000 square meters of dark hallways, on which the traces of time, absence of use and lack of recourses are more than visible. But, in this paper BIGZ State printing company is also recognized as a positive instance. In last several years, mainly owing to economic aspect, the Graphics company BIGZ, which is the majority owner of the building (about 80%), leased 5000 square meters on second, sixth and seventh floor of the building. Spontaneously, space was filled with various artists that created workshops, clubs and places of creation. This is where aspect of economy demonstrates its great power: a paradox - a force that once destroyed a great architectural piece of modern, was capable to transform it in rare informal cultural center of Belgrades underground life. But the question remains, is it capable once more to overcome this situation, and let Braovans architecture to be converted into a hotel or business center? Some speculation exists.

Picture 3-BIGZ. taken from http://dragananikolic.blogspot.com/2011/11/exhibition-of-poezin-posters-

12th.html 4.5 CASE STUDY: POWER AND LIGHT POWER PLANT Industrial heritage, in addition to being important part of urban and architectural tissue, is a specific part of citys culture. Because of this, it is of great importance to infiltrate and re-programme this kind of buildings in new historical, social and economic aspects of contemporary life. One of those projects is the power plant Power and light in Belgrade. It is situated in old city center, Dorol, near right riverside of Danube. Project represents the great power of country (at that time Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929-1941.)) that tended to be technologically advanced, in the end of 19th and beginning of the 20th century, by introducing AC. Belgrade was among few European cities that, by the end of 19th century, introduced electrical power. Due to industrialization of the city, the country was drawn by modernization. This was important because it brought new social layers, development of transport and telecommunications, and mostly, general cultural progress. Life for this architectural artifact began in 1929. when the Commission members of the Municipality of Belgrade decided to build a power plant through a architectural competition in which 14 foreign and 2 Yugoslav companies participated. After only two years of construction, in 1933. Power plant began to work and it was in property of Municipality of Belgrade city.

The architecture of the building was based on modularity, and four production units were constructed, latest in 1938. Form of the building was cubic, and occupied in its basis about 2800 square meters adopting relatively new Bauhaus esthetics. The revolutional ideas of the Bauhaus were marked by the absence of ornamentation and harmony between the function of an object and its design, unifying art, craft, and technology. One more stance that goes in favor of comparing old Belgrades power plant in Dorol to Bauhaus school is the period - because this style was active until 1933. and the Nazis. Finally, in 1947. power plant Power and light, by the authoritys decision on nationalization, was transferred into state ownership. Once more political, ideological and economic changes of the new country (Federal Public Republic of Yugoslavia (1945-1963.)) have affected on architecture. Plant worked until 1967. when the technology changed and it was necessary to shift to fuel oil. Power and light stopped working in 1969. Ever since, it was exposed to a constant decay and neglection. Although it seems that this building is not damaged by the economy, but by a need for new technological advances, it is clear that the disintegration of former Yugoslavia brought the collapse of the building, that could not contribute sufficiently to the overall metropolization of Belgrade, which it almost forty years earlier have initiated. Today, all that is left is the main building, water pump, crane and filter plant. This is an ideal condition for project reprogramming, because it is a true ghost space without memories, ready for new ones to be made. 5. HEALING OF GHOST SPACES / POSITIVE EXAMPLES The good examples of reprograming in architecture, although not yet in construction process, are buildings in the military property. The establishment of the Defense system in 2004. started the process of selling military property, in order to provide funds necessary for funding the defense system. Two years later, the adoption of the Master Plan for the disposal of surplus military property, started a process of changing its basic purpose. It seams that young artists and organizations made the biggest effort. From 2010., in place of old industrial complex on the Danube waterfront Zitomlin, Mikser festival is held. Introducing art into the old architectural membrane has re-programmed this space for new facilities in accordance with modern times. Last session of Mikser was held in Sava mala, an old, neglected quarter of city center, marking not just one object, but whole area as a valuable yet decaying neighborhood, slowly turning into a ghost space. The approach of Miksers organizers could be one direction in which possible strategies of development and rebirth of ghost spaces might evolve. Its main features are minimal investments into the contents, absence of physical changes in space but as it is a temporary type of program, its lifetime is too short to fully bring life into the ghost space. The series of manifestations with similar approach, hosted in those identified ghost spaces could gradually lead to their re-appearance on cultural map of the city and slowly lead them towards the complete integration into the citys urban life. Maybe the most obvious example of revival of a ghost space in Belgrade is Beton Hala Waterfront center. At first, to old hangars came artists and club renters. Soon this location became one of the most visited places of Belgrades underground scene, and old space with is concrete esthetics and strait lines of architectural form gathered artists, musicians, architects, designers and lovers of nightlife. Once ghost space turned out to be a place to be seen. But

hidden, there is a logical explanation that lies in economy. Firstly, this is one of the most expensive citys locations where prices of rent are very high but could be paid through catering. This is animated more with nearness of rivers and its developed tourism. Secondly, city built a garage just above this place, and made additional revenues. This confirms Tschumis statement that '' programs have long since ceased to be determinative, because the constantly changing - the design of the building, during construction and, of course, after he finished'' (Tschumi, 2004, pp.93). 6. CONCLUSION According to many theorists of contemporary culture, the development of cultural industries requires a new mix of public and private partnerships. Privatization of old buildings, their re-appropriation or total devastation could have serious consequences for the urban fabric of the city. It could loose the points of its normal functioning, and at the end its profit. Additionally, through improper urban and architectural tools, the users loose attachment to a place and it soon becomes abandoned, the infected tissue of the city. These processes may therefore have deleterious(?) consequences regarding public importance. The lack of uniform and clearly defined cultural policy that would provide the necessary real purpose of these facilities has resulted with only temporary solutions. It seems that the adoption of master plans, as far as it is good for planning of the future development of the city, neglects individual problems-microstructures. As seen in these few examples, in last 30 years, various influences conditioned formation of ghost spaces in Belgrade. While the political situation nowadays is relatively calm, economical, social and cultural problems are pilling up and risking increase of neglected, forgotten spaces within the city. Simple reconstruction, renovation or revitalization are not suitable strategies for revival of spaces whose initial existence was jeopardized. In order to make a complete transformation, these spaces must gain some purpose, which could justify their further existence and prove their value in contemporary city. As Nicolas Bourriaud states appropriation is indeed the first stage of postproduction (Bourriaud, 2007, pp.25). The conclusion is that the biggest cause of this, in addition to permanent social, ideological and cultural policy of the state, is the economy. Insufficient recourses, which were boosted by the recent economic crisis on the global level, and a lack of good long-term programs and tools for maintenance and re-appropriation of abandoned facilities leads to their spontaneous transformation into the ghost spaces. In the same context, eventual bringing back to life of ghost spaces would represent a new mode of production, or because it operates with something existing, architectural version of postproduction. However, it is necessary to restore and maintain constant dialogue between specialists - leading thinkers, architects, urban planners, economists, etc. for the activation of these facilities. Rescheduling the abandoned space plan is required and also the willingness of architecture to be flexible, amorphous and unstable. But the process of re-programming of these spaces is not solely the act of architecture. It firstly includes re-programming in urbanism, with renewed spatial plans in order to link this objects within citys net and to form a specific, well-organized tissue. New strategies that include stable economy plans, cultural events that are sometimes drawn by the history of place (like with Power and Light power plant and Bigz) are also crucial for activity and bringing back these kinds of places into a global reality. By adding

new contents to abandoned, ghost spaces they will bring back the old memories, but at the same time will create new. Regaining attractiveness they will loose their ghosts. Because of this we conclude with Hans Ibelings statement that the new frame of reference will no longer be dictated by the unique, the authentic or the specific, but by the universal. (Ibelings,2003, pp.135).

Picture 4.- Vivid citys net. Connecting ghost spaces. Picture by the authors

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