Modernism in the Case of Sports Architecture in Yugoslavia

Abstract

Former state Yugoslavia, after World War II, declared a wish to establish its own social and state system somewhere between capitalist West and the socialist East of Europe, representing a specific area, in the geopolitical, but also cultural sense. New socialist society declared ideals which coincided with the modernists’ promotion of the importance of architecture and architects as creators of the base for social welfare and happiness. More intensive relationships and openness of socialist Yugoslavia to the West than the countries of the so-called Eastern Bloc, architects “infected” by modernist ideas during education in the West Europe and unquestioning and phenomenological support of the system have generated an authentic modern expression. Through the research of different study cases and examples of architecture from socialist Yugoslavia and studies of relevant scientists from the field of architecture and sociology as a predominant methodology for this study, we can investigate relations between architecture and socio-economic and cultural conditions. Sports buildings constructed in Yugoslavia, in the beginning, were created in accordance with the state strategy for the development of sport and accordingly promotion of massive physical activities for a wider population. The most influential moments for the development of sports infrastructure correspond to the state strategy for self-promotion to the World as an open society, by using sports success and the organization of international sports manifestations. Yugoslavia successfully applies and gains the most important international sports competitions as the World and European championships in some of the most popular sports, Mediterranean games in Split, University sports games in Zagreb and Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo. These international manifestations were used as a chance for remarkable urban and architectural developments and structural changes of the host cities. Through the research of different study cases and examples of architecture from socialist Yugoslavia and studies of relevant scientists from the field of architecture and sociology, as a predominant methodology for this study, relations between architecture and socio-economic and cultural conditions will be investigated. Some of the examples from this study have promoted the idea of combined functional uses related to sports, cultural and commercial activities, built under a clear influence of brutalism architectural principles. Others present innovative structural and functional solutions in accordance with the most recent technology of that time which results in some of the most beautiful temples of sports architecture in this part of Europe and wider.