Novi Sad establishes new standards in architecture within the ‘New Places’ project, as part of the preparation process for the European Capital of Culture title. Today opened for citizens, a new place in Detelinara in Rumenačka Street is another place of 36 neighbourhood spaces that included citizens and architects in its improvement.

Through cooperation with the Association of Architects of Novi Sad and the City Administration for Construction Land and Investments, the ‘Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture’ Foundation has been creating new spaces intended for fellow citizens for four years now, with the aim to expand the content during the Kaleidoscope of Culture to all parts of the city.

‘The New Places project is important for further development of Novi Sad since it shows in action what it means when the fellow citizens are given a chance to decide about the future purpose of the places where they meet every day, and after Coronavirus, I believe that they hang out and connect here. The call within which selection jury decides what the best architectural solutions that will adorn out neighbourhoods, completes the whole process of connecting citizens, independent professionals, and public sector. Within the culture of togetherness, I believe that we work in the interest of all citizens of Novi Sad,’ stressed Milan Đurić, Deputy Mayor.

The centre of Kovilj with its striking appearance, the restored space in Sremska Kamenica, now in Detelinara as well, and during this year, the ‘New Places’ in Satelit, Klisa, Begeč, Bukovac, Kisač, as well as Salajka, a neighbourhood in Novi Sad, and at the intersection of Omladinskog Pokreta and Pariske Komune Streets, will be upgraded. In addition to this, at the end of May, we are expecting a new call for the Kaleidoscope of Culture platform for five types of art, which includes the one in the field of architecture.

‘Every new place has its own characteristic, while the call, and solutions as well, improve the diversity image of Novi Sad. Of course, in case of greater improvement of a space, citizens are being asked how they would like the space to look like, and professionals implement it. When it comes to smaller neighbourhood spaces, we involve citizens, from the idea to the implementation, with the help of architects. In both cases, I hope that our approach, within which people create spaces and programmes through processes, leaves the legacy for overall development of Novi Sad even after the title year,’ said Nemanja Milenković, CEO of the ‘Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture’ Foundation.

Within the ‘New Places’ project, the following neighbourhood spaces in the city and suburbs and five cultural centres in Novi Sad will be improved and restored for the title of the European Capital of Culture: the Suburbium of the Petrovaradin Fortress, Almaš Neighbourhood, city centre, the site of Veliki Liman as well as network of cultural stations.

Photo: Uroš Dožić