The noticeable urgent need for the preservation of collective and cultural memory in Europe, coupled with a fear of loss of important aspects of heritage, indicates the importance of educating the youth who will become future policymakers in the field. Analyses of the survey conducted through this research show the current perspective of youth on the typology of World War II memorials on the territories of the former republics, now independent states, of SFR Yugoslavia in Southeast Europe. Targeting architecture and civil engineering students as a specific youth group who are directly involved in learning about the built memorial structures, as well as the phenomenological background of space, creation of place and memories, resulted in a qualitative observation of the group’s understanding and judgement of the topic. This article investigates the level of knowledge and emotional response to memorial heritage within the target group. It addresses relevant issues of age, gender, level of study, and respondents’ backgrounds, demonstrating the existence of an initial interest in memorial heritage among the architecture-oriented youth. With an additional focus on a possible active role in heritage preservation and future placement, the research indicates a segment in the youth’s comprehension of valuable memorial heritage that needs to be improved.

Current research and documents on urban development emphasise the links between economic growth and planning strategies, making urban space an asset of the contemporary market economy. The analysis of development trends in post-transitional cities shows numerous similarities to the Asian concept of developmental cities. This study examines current urban development strategies in the city of Novi Sad (Serbia), particularly focusing on trends in housing projects, which are the major contributors to the production of urban space. The housing policy in the city, spanning from urban reconstruction after WWII until the present, is comprehended through statistical data on construction activity, taken as an indicator of change in urban politics and the general concept of city development. The major change in this concept is the weakening of the connection between city population growth and apartment building production. As a result, human needs are no longer the primary motive for apartment construction. The comparison, analysis, and conclusions based on the interpretation of the indicators highlight the necessity for rethinking present urban practises in order to combat the continual process of degrading the quality of life in the city.

In the second half of the twentieth century, the concept of indeterminacy in architecture emerged to address the realities of chance and change, with the megastructure representing a critical point of this ambition. As the aims of indeterminate architectural approaches align with current sustainable development goals, this study hypothesises this design concept as the basis for the sustainability of structures built within its framework. Through a case study of Spens, a socialist megastructure in Novi Sad, Serbia, the paper explores the potentials of megastructures in relation to requirements for more sustainable cities. Firstly, it evaluates Spens’ current social sustainability through focus group discussions analysing sense of community, place, and wellbeing. Findings demonstrate a clear recognition of Spens’ spatial qualities among users. Secondly, the paper examines the future environmental sustainability of Spens, focusing on strategies that enhance user wellbeing and urban life as a point of overlap between social and environmental sustainability, using the Green Space Factor (GSF) and Urban Greening Factor (UFG). Results reveal the significant yet underutilised potential for greening. The paper highlights the long-term societal value of such structures and strategies for leveraging their concepts for their sustainable adaptation rather than replacement amid ongoing retrofit or replacement debates.

In the second half of the twentieth century, the concept of indeterminacy in architecture emerged to address the realities of chance and change, with the megastructure representing a critical point of this ambition. As the aims of indeterminate architectural approaches align with current sustainable development goals, this study hypothesises this design concept as the basis for the sustainability of structures built within its framework. Through a case study of Spens, a socialist megastructure in Novi Sad, Serbia, the paper explores the potentials of megastructures in relation to requirements for more sustainable cities. Firstly, it evaluates Spens’ current social sustainability through focus group discussions analysing sense of community, place, and wellbeing. Findings demonstrate a clear recognition of Spens’ spatial qualities among users. Secondly, the paper examines the future environmental sustainability of Spens, focusing on strategies that enhance user wellbeing and urban life as a point of overlap between social and environmental sustainability, using the Green Space Factor (GSF) and Urban Greening Factor (UFG). Results reveal the significant yet underutilised potential for greening. The paper highlights the long-term societal value of such structures and strategies for leveraging their concepts for their sustainable adaptation rather than replacement amid ongoing retrofit or replace debates.

With the emergence of Yugoslavia, a new socialist state, political events and celebrations came to the fore in the repertoire of mass events. The spectacle was supported by the ideological cultural policy with the aim of creating a socialist identity of the city and the state. In that sense, as a predetermined act, the spectacle necessarily influenced the formation and appropriation of public space. Since spectacles were an important element of strengthening the new order of socioeconomic relations, the politics directly controlled their programmes, strategic aims, and tasks. Thus, the beginning of the sixties of the previous century, the approach to the spectacle reflected the strategic state determinations, but also changed depending on the internal circumstances and foreign policy. Analysing the spaces and symbols of state spectacle at the first Summit Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the paper aims to explain the method of their incorporation into the social reality of Yugoslavia, their impact on the affirmation of space, i.e. both ephemeral and permanent changes of architectural and urban space. The paper will analyse the central spaces of the Conference, symbols, models of architectural mobilisation, and the ideologisation, and politicisation of events that influenced the affirmation of public spaces and buildings of Belgrade and its presentation to the world.

The recovery from the Second World War brought significant changes and the implementation of socialist ideology in Yugoslavia that went in parallel with the emancipation of women. This is particularly noticeable in the rise of women with university education and their enrolment in various occupations, such as construction engineering and architecture. The increased interest in pursuing architectural education among women has been rising since the 1950s, when they already represented 46% of total students at Belgrade University. The rebuilding of the country meant great urbanistic and architectural projects, with radical reconstruction and reconceptualization of cities and public spaces. Young female architects embraced an opportunity to be equally involved and active in urban development. Their roles and impacts were diverse: they held positions within planning institutes, architectural bureaus, and public offices in urbanism and construction; furthermore, they were responsible engineers at the construction sites; and they became teachers and educators for the new generations of architects and civil engineers. They worked individually, in pairs, and in teams, demonstrating the ability to be actively and equally involved in the profession in every possible aspect and domain. The research positions their roles and contributions within the broader framework of the process of female emancipation in socialist Yugoslavia, focusing on three remarkable architects engaged in the postwar reconstruction of Novi Sad: Julka Majtan, Tatjana Vanjifatov Savic, and Milena Djordjevic.