Brutalism in Novi Sad: Ugly or Underrated?

Although Novi Sad is not as big as the capital city of Belgrade, there are a couple of interesting buildings worth the attention of everyone with a deeper interest in socialist times. Novi Sad Brutalism is primarily found in the historical center and its surrounding streets. You can easily see all the structures in one day from outside. Accessing some of them can be problematic and challenging.

Historical Context of Brutalism in Yugoslavia

To better understand Novi Sad’s brutalism, you need to look back in time. The time when socialist Yugoslavia was alive. Especially during the significant reconstruction era that followed World War II. Brutalism was not formed to be just another architectural style. It was meant to be a political statement, a social vision, and a symbol of progress.

After the war, Yugoslavia was in dire need of rebuilding a country devastated by war. At play were the most cost-effective solutions that would address both the housing shortages and administrative needs. And exactly, it was the brutalist style that could fit such a vision perfectly. Some of the reasons why it was so wanted lie in its affordability, ability to build quickly, and its modern look. And it also stands as a symbol of the collective and utilitarian values of socialism.

Many of the Yugoslavian architects had creative freedom, unlike their colleagues in other socialist states. The Non-Aligned Movement also influenced some of their works. Its main aim was to differentiate itself from both parties – the capitalist West and the Soviet East. As we can see, the result of this third path was the development of experimental, bold, and ideologically unique structures.

Many of the brutalist buildings were commissioned for governments, universities, cultural institutions, sports centers, and massive housing blocks. Besides their roots in practicality, many of them carried specific visions of the future. If Yugoslavia wanted to express its desire to be strong, self-reliant, unpolished but authentic, then the concrete walls confirmed they were the ideal medium for it.

Notable Brutalist Buildings in Novi Sad

Faculty of Philosophy

The university built the faculty on the left bank of the river Danube. Builders constructed the building between 1974 and 1979. Its designers are Aleksander Stjepanović, Božidar Janković and Ljiljana Jovanović Andelković. Its main characteristic features are red bricks, concrete, copper roof, large windows, wall cladding, and interiors made of redwood.

Elektrovojvodina

Milan Matović designed the building, which stands at Bulevar Oslobodenja 100. It is a significant and impressive structure made of raw concrete with some yellow-colored parts. There is not much information available about its origin and year of construction. However, some sources suggest that builders constructed it in 1977 or 1978. Initially, workers installed a blue illuminated sign bearing the name “Elektrovojvodina,” but it was removed after 2015.

Bulevar Oslobođenja

The street starts near the train and bus station in Novi Sad and goes down to the beach and river Danube. Besides hosting Elektrovojvodina, NIS Business Center, or even the Military Intelligence Agency, there are a couple of other raw structures you can adore. One of them is near the bus/train and belongs to the Erste Bank. If you go further on this side of the road, you will notice a couple of residential buildings with inner courtyards adorned with graffiti. There are many shops along the boulevard, but the building with the Idea grocery store stands out the most because of its distinctive outdoor terraces shaped like rectangles with rounded corners formed by columns.

Stoteks Department Store

You will find the mall in the oldest part of the city near the historical buildings. People built it between 1968 and 1972, with Milan Mihelič as the principal architect. Nowadays, it is known as Bazaar Shopping Mall. I haven’t found a lot of information about the building so far. Since it’s a mall, it’s easy to get inside, but I wasn’t impressed with the mall itself. The outside, with the sticking raw concrete panels, is more moving.

SPENS Sports Center

SPENS or SPC Vojvodina is a shortcut for former Sports and Business Center Vojvodina. It is located right behind the new Promenada shopping mall. The designers made the venue enormous, intending it to cater to a variety of different activities. Its construction started in 1979 and finished in 1981when. On April 14th, its doors opened to the public for the first time. Nowadays there are a couple of shops open on the ground floor. You can use the big staircase and visit the upper floor, which is more empty. During the time of my visit (summer 2024), there was a small exhibition. The building exudes more urbex vibes, not only when you are roaming its empty hallways but also from the outside; it is not quite visible if there is some “life” present inside.

NIS Business Center

The NIS Business Center serves as the headquarters for Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), one of Southeast Europe’s largest vertically integrated energy companies. The building stands at Narodnog fronta 12 in the Liman III district, a central area of Novi Sad accessible from Bulevar Oslobodenja. Completed in 1998, the NIS Business Center is a modern 13-story office building with a total area of 50,000 m², including underground parking.

Novi Sad Main Post Office

In the opposite direction from Stokes Mall is the Novi Sad Main Post Office. Right next to it, there is another shopping center called NewNork. This twelve-story building, constructed in 1963, was designed by the architect Dragiša Brašovan. I recommend checking out the narrow sidewalk between the post office and NewNork Mall, which is accessible from the back of the building.

Walking Tour Ideas

As I wrote in the introduction to this article, you can walk around the city and see all the Novi Sad brutalism in one day. If you are coming to Novi Sad from another city like the Belehrad, you can start your journey at the train station. Bulevar Oslobodenja begins there; you need to cross some zebras. Walk down the street to the Elektrovojvodina and NIS business center and visit the shopping mall in the opposite direction to get a nice view of the city from the rooftop. Then you can head towards nearby Spens and the Faculty of Philosophy. It should (the walk without any stops) take you around 20 minutes. You can then return (another 20-minute walk) back to the oldest part of the city and adore the Stokes Mall for a while and the nearby post office building.

If you’re curious to explore beyond architecture, check out my guide to 11 Exciting Things to Do in Novi Sad for more inspiration.