Happy Orthodox Easter

Happy Easter! As you know we celebrate Orthodox Easter, we will be enjoying it with friends and family, we are taking couple days off from blogging this weekend. Today I am dying eggs and thinking of other creative things to decorate my eggs I will share some next week! We hope you enjoy your Easter weekend, if you are celebrating! Take care, Sara ox

Interview | Belgrade Streets Photography

I’m proud to present one of my blogger friends’ efforts here and invite you to see some awesome work by Belgrade Streets photography. I invited Andy to answer a few questions about his work that I have been following on his blog. I found it hard to pick my favorite photo on his blog so here is a couple I have chosen that I think sums up Belgrade Streets so well. A fresh, personal view of the city that is completely honest, and confounding to much of Serbia’s reputation. Great to see photographers, under their own motivation, creating their own work under their own voice, and finding ways to get it seen on their terms. I’m looking forward to seeing more from this photographer. Here is 10 @ 10 with Andy.

What inspired you to become a photographer and why did you choose Belgrade streets?

Photography has been a lifelong passion!

I received my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic, as a young child, one Christmas.  I remember how thrilling it was to wait to see the prints after they had been developed days later!

“belgradestreets” began in part as a response to a challenge thrown down by a friend.  It became a way to record my changing feelings for a complicated city and the people who live and work here.

Photography has become an important part of my life.

What is it about Belgrade that you are focusing on?

The people, their lives, the grit and raw beauty of a city, a country, a people in transition. I’m trying to record my perspective of a city which bears the scars of its recent history with pride, one with a unique vibrancy which touches all those who visit.

Why street photography?

I love to capture life as it is, capture a moment in time. I try to capture people and places as they are, try not to “dress them up”.  I like my images to be “real”, sometimes blunt and uncompromising.  I’d like the person seeing them to have some idea of the feeling the subject aroused in me.

And how does this reflect Belgrade/Serbia/Serbs?

I hope that my blog, and book, paint a different, a fair, picture of Belgrade, Serbia and the people who live and work here.  When I was planning to move here from Sydney, it was very hard to find information about the city, and what I could find back then was not entirely encouraging.

Things are changing now as more and more people discover the city and its people.

I’d like to think that in some way I have contributed to that discovery.

And the city and its people have captured my heart.

What are your favourite locations for shooting?

For me, it’s not so much the location.  It’s the details that I see when out on the streets. The beauty behind the crumbling facade.  The glimpse of the courtyard hidden away behind the gate or doorway.  The expression of the person looking out from the bus.  I love the hidden away streets, the clutter and anarchy which contrasts so much with the branded “identikit” streets we now see across the globe. On “belgradestreets” you really do know where you are.

Who are the photographers that influence and inspire you? What motivates you to keep going?

I admire so many photographers. However cliched it may be, I do love the work of Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

And now, through blogging and apps such as Instagram, it’s possible to find a huge, previously untapped range of images from ordinary people across the globe.  My feeling is the way in which photography has opened up in this way brings richness and depth and a new and constant challenge to those who take their photography seriously.

I love to express myself through photography.  My work on “belgradestreets” has become a personal journal and has built connections with people across the world.

For me, the big question is what next?

What are you hoping to reveal through your pictures?

That’s very simple. Life on “belgradestreets” as it is today.

How long are you planning to stay in Belgrade?

I came here on a two year contract.  That has now been extended.  Many people I know came here and stayed a lot longer than they planned.

The city, its people, make thinking about leaving difficult.

So, we shall see!

Tell us about your photographic equipment – what cameras do you use and how it helps you.

I’m lucky to own a Nikon D700 and a range of Nikon lenses accumulated over the last decade or so.  For “belgradestreets” I often leave a 50mm f1.4 lens screwed on the front, it’s light, flexible, works in any kind of light and lets me use very tight depth of field to bring out the details which have become a big part of my work.

I use my iPhone every day. My “belgradestreets” feed on instagram runs in parallel with my blog and features many shots grabbed when the moment presents itself.  Often those shots will end up on my blog or inspire a new post.

And finally, show us one of your favourite shots and tell us a bit about it.

This shot from a recent post says a lot about life on “belgradestreets”.

The words capture many people’s feeling for a city that surprises and delights.

Hope for the future is strong on “belgradestreets”.

You can, and should, also follow Belgrade Streets Blog, their Facebook page or Twitter.

Check out more pf my interviews here.

Serbia Open Cafe | Novak Djokovic

INTERIOR | ARCHITECTURE

Project: Novak Cafe |
http://www.novakcafe.rs
| Architects: Bojan Supeljak | Location: Belgrade, Serbia | Compleated: 2009

The Belgrade Tournament ATP  and one of his major player, Mr Djokovic, has requested for a new restaurant to live up to the standards requested by the ATP tournament. The studio has design a venue that favors from the best view of the tennis courts and its adjoining areas as well as providing a cozy and relaxed atmosphere, a precious luxury in the frenzy of the tournament organization.

Photo © Paolo Colombo

 

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the Australian Open 2012

I posted in the beginning of the Australian Open that Novak Djokovic is unstoppable and that he will win the AO once again – I believed in him! It’s only fair now that I say ‘I told you so!’

 Last night in Melbourne Novak Djokovic was just that – unstoppable. He wore down Rafael Nadal in the longest Grand Slam singles final in the history of professional tennis, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 after 5 hours, 53 minutes to claim his third Australian Open title.

 The 2012 Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was one of the greatest matches in tennis history, and it was a spectacular preview for what the remainder of the 2012 tennis season should be like. Showing great sportsmanship and humour despite flogging themselves to near exhaustion, the both gladiators quipped “good morning” to the crowd at the 2am presentation.

 “Rafa, you are one of the best players ever. You are one of the most respected players on tour,” Djokovic said.

 “We made history tonight. Unfortunately, there couldn’t be two winners tonight.”

 Nadal was gracious in gut-wrenching defeat.

 “Congratulations to Novak and his team; they deserve it. They are something fantastic,” the world No.2 said.

 Nadal also came out a winner after fighting for almost 6 hours – he mentioned “I will never, ever will forget this match. Even if I lost, it was very, very special to me.”

 Neither will we Nadal…Neither will we.

Not to rub it in but small Serbia last night also won Gold medal in water polo and Silver in Handball. Well done boys!

Our little Amigo [Spanish name Yes!] all Team Novak last night.

Serbian Christmas | Merry Christmas | Hristo se rodi |

Sveti Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Belgrade, Serbia

Sremski Karlovci

Castle Kosmac, Becici

Gornji Visok

Monastery Uspenje

Sirogojno

Slavinja

Novi Sad

Victor monument at Kalemegdan, Belgrade, Serbia

Reka Tara – River Tara

Adriatic sea, Bar

Adriatic sea, Ulcinj

Today is very special day in Serbia, my home country – it is Christmas! I want to wish all my family, friends and people all over the world who also celebrate it today, Merry Christmas.

Našim dragim čitaocima koji su pravoslavne veroispovesti i koji slave Božić danas, ARHITEKTURA+ želi srećan Božić, Hristos se rodi!

I wanted to share some of these beautiful photos of Serbia, Central Serbia & Montenegro done by Igor Markov. If you want to know more about Serbia visit this video

 best way to know Serbia.

 

Beton Hala | Comunale Restaurant

ARCHITECTURE

Project: Beton Hala / Comunale Restaurant | Location: Belgrade, Serbia | Architect: Aleksandar D. Rodic

Building completion: 2010 | Photographs: Ana Kostic, Marko Todorovic

Comunale restaurant is located in Belgrade, an industrial building constructed in 1937, which stretches along Sava river port, five minute walk from the central city pedestrian zone. Once warehouse with six meters ceiling height and construction grid defined by concrete columns of 5.5 meters span, the place was converted into new gathering place of Italian cuisine’s lovers. As the name suggests, seating is organized with massive communal tables, made of steel, positioned both on ground floor and gallery, with wooden benches and bar stools. Focal point is bar counter, tile covered, where guests can observe the preparation of food.

[via ArchDaily.com]

Happy New Year 2012!!

Dresden, Germany

New York, USA

Queenstown, New Zealand

Denver, Colorado

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Cinque Terre, Italy

Dyrhólaey, Iceland

Schwyz, Switzerland

Stockholm, Sweden

San Francisco, California, USA

Rome, Italy

Venice, Italy

Shanghai, China

Barcelona, Spain

Santorini, Greece

London, England

Victoria, BC, Canada

Tokyo, Japan

Paris, France

Belgrade, Serbia

Sydney, Australia

To all my dear family, friends & blog readers around the world wishing you a fabulous 2012 with full of great achievements and experiences. A meaningful chapter is waiting to be written HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you for all your support and visiting ARHITEKTURA+ in last couple weeks since its first launch. New Year is the time to unfold new horizons & realize new dreams, rediscover the strength & faith within you, to rejoice in simple pleasures & gear up for a new challenges. Wishing u a truly fulfilling 2012 and looking forward bringing you lots of great new posts in the new year!!

[images via flickr]

Square Nine Hotel, Belgrade, Serbia

ARCHITECTURE

Project:Square Nine Hotel | Location:Belgrade, Serbia | Architect:Isay Weinfeld
Date: Beginning of the project: 2005 | Building completion: February 2011

Designed by Architect Isay Weinfeld, the Square Nine Hotel is a contemporary construction integrating both modern and historical elements, as seen in many of the surrounding buildings.  Located in the heart of Belgrade’s historical center, the boutique-inspired hotel is within walking distance to shops, restaurants and Kalemegdan.

Square Nine Hotel is the first five-star hotel to open in more than a decade in Belgrade. Located right in the heart of the historic center conspiring the ideal place to stay and pamper yourselves in contemporary luxury as you discover the blossoming capital of Belgrade. One of my favorite cities in the world.

The hotel was born from the owner’s desire to be part of Belgrade’s renovation, impressing a luxurious, but more familiar character to the city.

The interior design applies materials such as stone, bronze mirrors and wood claddings, both light and dark colored, which results in very cozy ambients and the most elegant atmosphere.

Isay Weinfeld

Architect