January 29, 2008

Rudo Buildings in Belgrade

Eastern Gate of Belgrade (Istočna kapija grada or Rudo Buildings, named after a Bosnian Town) is a complex of three large buildings, each with from 27 to 28 floors and over 100 meters in height and is located in Konjarnik (an urban neighbourhood of Belgrade). While Western gate of Belgrade (Genex Building) is half office and half residential, the 3 Rudo buildings are all entire residential buildings. The buildings are triangulary shaped and built in a circle so it always visually appears than one is between the other.

They all have a large base of 4 storeys and above it 6 blocks of 4 storey, step-like stacked on the huge base. Build in 1976 they represent what is commonly called "communist architecture" or "socialist realism". It correspond to that style if you look at the aspect of efficient high density apartment-blocks built in short time, because of the proletariat moving from villages to the city and rapid population growth. This architecture is (following communist ideas) against cult of individualism. Aproximately 2'000 people live in this buildings and due to the nice locations, almost all have a beautiful view of the city skyline.

The building had from beginning amenities like heating, plumbing, running water and electricity. Now they have cable TV and internet. But one problem of projects like this, is that the infrastructure often is neglected. Like here the elevators (just 4 per building, 1 goes to 27th, one to 23th and two to 16th floor) that like in case of Rudo 3 tower, since 2-3 years don't work or brake down all the time. It makes 800 habitants in the stairways..... Check also these beautiful pictures from „Belgrade daily Photo“.

1 comment:

  1. I don't know a lot about Russian architecture so it is interesting to have a bit of insight into it. The Rudo buildings look quite impressive and the way they are arranged makes them visually pleasing.Thanks for the info and photos.