The “Student Housing in Serbia” project, which includes, as the Subproject 2, Home within the Student City in Belgrade for Accommodation of 1,000 Students, is implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (MESTD) in cooperation with the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), with the aim to increase the accommodation facilities capacity intended for students by implementing latest standards in sustainable construction and using student dormitories in university centers in Serbia. At the same time, implementation of the Subproject 2 has been supported, as an innovative solution in the field of circular economy and green construction in the public sector in Serbia, through the “EU for Green Agenda in Serbia” project that is financially supported by the European Union and realized in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and which is implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Implementation of this architectural-urbanistic competition is one of the first steps in the segment of preparational activities for realization of the Subproject 2 - Home within the Student City in Belgrade for Accommodation of 1,000 Students.
Figure 1. Student City
Subject and scope of the competition
The Subject of the competition is the conceptual design of the architectural-urban solution for urban revitalization of the Student City complex. Considering the results that are expected to be achieved by the competition, the subject of the competition is demonstrated in two domains - the Primary Subject of the Competition and the Subject of the Competition at the Survey Level.
Primary Subject of the Competition is the conceptual design of the solution for construction of the dormitory intended for accommodation of students, for 1,000 students, as well as all-encompassing design solution for ground floor arrangement of the Student City complex.
Subject of the Competition at the Survey Level is the proposal of the solution for reconstruction and adaptation of existing accommodation facilities within the Student City complex with the aim to increase the capacity of their sustainability, achieve harmonization with the energy efficiency criteria, and implement higher standards of student accommodation by modernizing and improving the functional and technological characteristics of the existing spatial structures.
The Scope of the competition is the area of the “Student City” complex located at the address 143-157A Tošin Bunar St., Novi Beograd, i.e. the area that is defined by streets Tošin Bunar St. (to the west), Zorana Đinđića Blvd. (to the north), Studentska St. (to the east) and the traffic connection between the Highway (from the direction of the city of Nis) and the streets Tošin Bunar St. and Studentska St. (not realized). The total surface area that is included in the competition amounts to approximately 10.361 ha.
Figure 2. Orthographic photography showing the area that is covered by the competition
Motive and objective of carrying out the open competition
The Motive for organization of the open competition is a result of the need to increase the student accommodation facilities capacity of student dormitories within the university centers of the Republic of Serbia (Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis) considering the estimated number of missing accommodation capacity in student dormitories on the basis of needs expressed in the course of competitions, organized by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, for placement of student of higher education institutions in the Republic of Serbia in institutions for provision of accommodation and meals for students, which have been organized in recent years. Taking into account the aforementioned indicators, the number of missing beds within student accommodation facilities in Belgrade amounts to 1,000. According to the Decision adopted by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MESTD), and in accordance with the Feasibility Study, the student accommodation facilities capacity in Belgrade is planned to be increased within the Student City complex by constructing new student accommodation facilities facilities.
In accordance with the competition requirements, demands of the program, potentials and importance of the location, the Objective of the competition is to select the best architectural-urbanistic solution for construction of new student accommodation facilities and arrangement of the area of the whole Student City complex, including the proposal of the solution for reconstruction and adaptation of the existing accommodation facilities at the survey level of preparation. It is expected that the competition solution for urban revitalization of the Student City complex will integrate all existing ambient, functional and semantic values of this area into a modern, authentic and recognizable multifunctional student accommodation facilities complex that corresponds to the its surroundings and improves its value.
Another aim of the competition is to promote the principle of circular economy and sustainable green construction, with low energy consumption during exploitation, and their implementation in the process of construction of public sector facilities in Serbia.
The selected solutions will form the basis for preparation of urbanistic-technical and design documentation for construction of new capacities, reconstruction and adaptation of existing structures and landscaping of the student accommodation facilities complex “Student City”.