Construction of new diplomatic representation of Serbia in Canberra in the first half of 2019 – Best preliminary designs selected

(The winning design of AKVS Arhitektura) The construction of a new diplomatic-consular representation of Serbia in Canberra should begin in the first half of the next year, eKapija learns at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia. The investment is a planned capital expenditure in the current budget year and the two next ones, with a total of RSD 132 million to be set aside.

The first step in the realization of this project has already been made. The contest for the architectural design of the complex in Canberra, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Union of Architects of Serbia in May, ended recently, and the jury, which included two university professors, pronounced the solution of the AKVS Arhitektura team, consisting of Andjela Karabasevic, Vladislav Sudzum and Ana Petrovic, as the best one.

The ministry reminds that, for the first time after a long while, Serbia plans to build a new diplomatic representation and that the awarded designs will act as a basis for a detailed development of project documentation and the construction of the complex.

– Considering that this phase of the realization of the project has been completed successfully, what follows now is to obtain the necessary authorization by the recipient state, prepare the main design, obtain the building permits and select the contractor. As these activities and procedures require a certain amount of time, the construction of this facility should begin in the first half of the next year, and the deadline for the construction and the moving in will be known then as well. The general plan is for this to take place by the end of 2020 – the ministry says.

In 2018, they add, RSD 20 million is to be set aside from the budget for the construction. RSD 80 million will be set aside in 2019 and RSD 32 million in 2020.

Awards

A total of 33 works had been sent to the recently finished contest. The team that won the first prize had, according to the expert jury, provided the most complete solution, both conceptually and contextually, the ministry says.

– The winning solution is characterized by a simple and clear concept consistently implemented in all the segments – they explain.

– The elegant and modest design of the complex is based on the principles and the elements of traditional Serbian architecture, expertly translated into a modern architectural language, and the clear zoning of functional units unified by traditional porch motifs and modest proportions of the atrium provides an adequate solution to the set task. The proposed solution implies a clear, unequivocal identity and is at the same time in line with the material possibilities of the realization. Also, with its concept and division into functional units, the work allows for potential future corrections that an investor or a competent institution in Australia might demand during the further development.

AKVS Arhitektura was awarded with RSD 700,000. The second prize (RSD 500,000) went to the team consisting of Marija Krsmanovic Stringheta, Andjelka Badnjar, Milena Kordic and Pavle Kostic, whereas the third prize (RSD 300,000) went to Spring Studio, namely: Milan Bozic, Maja Dragisic, Milica Milosavljevic, Jelena Kesic and Jovan Smoljanic.

The complex of the Embassy of Serbia in Australia, let us remind, will be located at 6 Beale Crescent Street, in the quarter featuring the official residence of the Australian prime minister and a large number of diplomatic representations, most of which were built between 1990 and 2001.

Potential construction of several other diplomatic representations abroad

As eKapija learns, the ministry is considering making several other facilities the public property of the Republic of Serbia to be turned into diplomatic-consular representations abroad, “considering that, in the medium and the long term, it is economically justified, rational and suitable”.

– In that context, it's possible that some of those facilities will be made public property through construction as well – they point out for our portal, claiming that the public will be notified of this on time.

I.B.

Ministarstvo spoljnih poslova Republike Srbije

AMBASADA REPUBLIKE SRBIJE Australija

Udruženje arhitekata Srbije

SPRING STUDIO

AKVS Arhitektura

Embassy of Serbia in Canberra

diplomatic consular representation of Serbia in Canberra

Canberra

construction of the diplomatic consular representation of Serbia in Canberra

Andjela Karabasevic

Vladislav Sudzum

Ana Petrovic

Marija Krsmanovic Stringheta

Andjelka Badnjar

Milena Kordic

Pavle Kostic