New Perspectives on Architecture of the Modern in Bosnia and Herzegovina
HDA – Haus der Architektur, together with the EU-funded platform LINA – Learning, Interacting and Networking in Architecture, is exploring its European neighborhood. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the architecture of the Modern forms an outstanding part of the country’s twentieth-century architectural legacy. As a major movement, it shaped the built environment through numerous key buildings across the country, yet it received little sustained attention. Characterized by regional affinity, technological experimentation, and the expression of a social program, it reflects the society and challenges of its time. Revisiting this remarkable body of work is not only an act of historical recognition; it also turns our attention to a cultivated architectural attitude rooted in a responsible approach to shaping our present and future.
Architects working in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early twentieth century were connected to influential European figures, such as Peter Behrens, Jože Plečnik, and Le Corbusier. However, they developed their own approach towards architecture, rooted in human scale, history, and geography. This discourse was articulated most notably in the publication Architektura Bosne i put u savremeno (Architecture of Bosnia and the Way Towards Modernity) by Juraj Neidhardt and Dušan Grabrijan. Their striving for cultural continuity within the region gave rise to an architecture shaped by the spirit, resources, and needs of its people. Built under the economic and material constraints of the interwar and post-war periods, it exemplifies cost efficient, resource conscious, and socially sustainable design.
Despite these qualities, many achievements of the Modern in Bosnia and Herzegovina remain insufficiently recognized as heritage worthy of protection and are increasingly endangered. Their subtle expression has often been overshadowed by more monumental and heroic narratives within the architectural history of the Balkans, such as Yugoslavia’s iconic spomeniks. Limited public awareness frequently results in improvised renovations, premature demolition, or replacement by new structures. Recovering the memory and a deeper understanding of this built heritage is essential—not only for its long-term preservation and care, but also for the development of meaningful strategies for engaging with our existing built environment.
New Perspectives on the Architecture of the Modern in Bosnia and Herzegovina aims to re-evaluate this specific architectural heritage. Beginning with Broadcasting Bosnian Modern, the program seeks to raise awareness of its significance. Key examples will be visited on a field trip, and a residential complex in Sarajevo will be documented on film by emerging European creatives from the LINA community. The results will be exhibited at HDA in Graz. The summer school Honeymoon Disaster Flats brings LINA fellows and students from Graz to Sarajevo to develop architectural ideas for its transformation. The outcomes will be published in Pastime Paradise, contributing to an expanded understanding of architecture as a living and adaptable resource.