Dušan Krstić: Architecture

The modernisation processes of the 20th century determined the image of Novi Sad. They were led by young, dedicated architects who, immediately after graduation, entered the professional scene and began their work. Large construction companies, such as Neimar, built new housing neighbourhoods and state-owned facilities in the capital of Vojvodina, creating a professional framework for young professionals to create and work. Among them, Dušan Krstić, a builder, professor, and theoretician, built an image of his authentic architecture, equally expressive in form and exact in the processes in space. People and their needs were at the centre of his understanding of the city and space. With dedication to filling the mosaic of the modern history of Novi Sad, the Department of Architecture and Urbanism of the Faculty of Technical Sciences and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina have launched a project to shed light on the extraordinary personality of Dušan Krstić. His comprehensive work, which ranges from architectural production to journalism, places him among the distinguished builders of Novi Sad. Likewise, his significant, albeit brief, presence at the Department influenced the education of several generations of architects, who still recall his stories about Schindler, Neutra, and Rudolph. Deeply convinced that such projects are necessary to understand the transformations of the urban environment at a specific moment, and truly rare phenomena such as Professor Krstić, we are introducing this book as a guideline for understanding his special and comprehensive personality, strong spirit, and indelible mark in the spaces of Novi Sad.

The exhibition Dušan Krstic: Architecture and public promotion of the Book was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina in May 2024.

The book was awarded the prize at the 24th Salon of Architecture in Novi Sad, in the category of publications.

Photo credits: Marko Ercegović (MSUV)