The Association of Belgrade Architects (ABA)

Belgrade Association of Architects is a voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit, professional, scientific interest, professional, non-political organization of scientist and experts in the fields of architecture, founded upon the freedom of association, open for cooperation with other professional, scientific, commercial and other organizations on grounds of mutual respect, recognition and independency of work, established for the purpose of achieving joint and common interests.

The Association of Belgrade Architects (ABA) was founded on June, 26th 1960, although its unofficial work dates from 1946, just after the World War II had ended. This initiative appeared as a necessity and enthusiasm of architecture community which wanted to participate in architectural renewal of devastated country. As the core organization for architects, ABA has been the leader organization in architectural community in the past 60 years. Numerous projects, architectural and urban design competitions performed and conducted by ABA justify its current position in the architectural community of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

Throughout the years, prominent practicing architects and university professors were in charge of promoting and improving the work of ABA by actively participating in its activities, which earned its status in the architectural and engineering community, first in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, and today in Republic of Serbia. As today Serbia is leaning towards its membership in EU, ABA is supporting this goal with numerous initiatives of international cooperation with European architecture associations and many European architectural offices.

Belgrade Association of Architects is constitutive member of The Union of Architects of Serbia which is a union of local and regional associations and organizations of architects operating on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. The Union of Architects of Serbia is a member of International Union of Architects (UIA), Architects' Council of Europe (ACE) and member of Balkan Architecture Forum (BAF).

Association of Belgrade Architects is constantly working on promotion of young architectural teams and individuals in order to renew and strengthen architectural community of Serbia for the future decades. These activities are recognized and supported by the City of Belgrade, University of Belgrade, various governmental institutions and embassies along with their cultural centers.

As from the very beginning of ABAs work, eminent academics and practicing architecture were involved in the managing of ABA. This unwritten rule gave ABA the possibility to be involved in current architectural practice with significant influence and also informed about the current curriculum and teaching methods at the Faculty of Architecture – University of Belgrade. This practice has been proved as fruitful, it made it possible to map, mark and connect professional and academic architectural community into a network. It also gave Association of Belgrade Architects the status of trustworthiness and relevancy in international architectural community.

COOPERATION

Association of Belgrade Architects cooperates with numerous City institutions, such as: Belgrade Land Development Public Agency, Urban Planning Institute of Belgrade, Office of the Lead City Architect, Faculty of Architecture, Belgrade University, Institute for Protection of Cultural Heritage, Institute for Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Construction and Urban Planning of the Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade Cultural Centre, Chamber of Engineering of Serbia, different embassies and cultural centers (Italy, Germany, France, Poland, Austria, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, USA, etc.); numerous architect associations, locally and abroad (Rome, Warsaw, Tokyo, Moscow, Budapest, Ljubljana, Skopje, Sofia, Vienna, Prague, etc.); business companies and project organizations. ABA members are expert advisors in many companies. ABA members also are sitting in different city committees: committees for elaboration, committees for plan design, etc.

PROGRAMS

Belgrade International Architecture Week - BINA
A multimedia cultural event involving exhibitions, lectures, workshops, forums, architecture walks, film screenings, specialist seminars and conferences, and project competitions for young architects; reflecting contemporary architecture trends in the local and international scene and establishing a dialogue between the guest and the host architects. The objective of this international multimedia event is to introduce architecture and bring it closer to the general public in the country, most specifically to the citizens of Belgrade. The event is co-organized by the Association of Belgrade Architects and Belgrade Cultural Centre.
Belgrade International Architecture Week (BINA) was established as a festival that encourages and promotes intercultural dialogue, trans-national cooperation and mobility in the field of architecture.
From the very beginning the BINA festival established itself as a wide platform for observation and reflection on urban space, with a particular focus on including the broadest possible audience (ranging from professionals and students to children) in processes related to the change and improvement of the environment. Since the very beginning in 2006, the festival has presented a great number of experts and creatives, enabling a rich exchange of ideas and experiences, and providing a link between the dynamic practices of Europe and Serbia.

DOCOMOMO

Do.co.mo.mo. Serbia is national chapter of  international working party Do.co.mo.mo.  International, an organization working on protection and preservation of buildings and sites that belong to modern movement in architecture. Do.co.mo.mo. is an acronym derived from english words „DOcumentation and COnservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the MOdern MOvement“. Do.co.mo.mo. International was initiated in 1988 in Netherlands, as a reaction of professionals provoked by rapid devastation and disappearance of many modern architecture masterpieces all over the world.  Today there are 69 national and regional working parties all over the world, with more than 2000 members.
Do.co.mo.mo. Serbia is registered as a section of Association of Belgrade Architects (ABA), as a national working party assembling professionals – architects, conservators and art and architecture historians, working on matter of modern movement in architecture and urban design in Serbia. Do.co.mo.mo. Serbia is open to all forms of collaborations with individuals, groups and institutions, while working on projects and fulfilling the aims of the national chapter.
Mission Do.co.mo.mo. Serbia is to work on educating the public and to popularize modern architecture in Serbia, as well as presentation of the national modern architecture to international public.
Do.co.mo.mo. Serbia is working on finding, arranging and presenting documentation of buildings, neighborhoods, landscapes and sites that belong to the modern movement in architecture.
Do.co.mo.mo. Serbia helps protect and repair objects of the modern movement in architecture and fight against their devastation.

Do.co.mo.mo. Serbia is working on the improvement and  active exchange of knowledge in the field of conservation, documentation and presentation of MoMo architecture.

ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN COMPETITIONS

Organization, preparation, announcing and implementation of architecture and urban design competitions is one of the most important Association of Belgrade Architects activities. All competitions are accompanied by exhibitions and the printed catalogues. In the past few years, ABA has organized several important open competitions on an international level, for some of the most important city locations and neighborhoods.

MARKETING

ABA organizes a great number of presentations of civil engineering and architectural portfolios of various local and foreign companies, products, equipment and furniture.