When I last time wrote about the old grain silos in Belgrade, I said that I would definitely go to that place more often because it is very inspiring. Now the Silos are no longer old grain silos, but the cultural center of Belgrade. It is a new gathering place in my city for all lovers of urban culture.
And can you imagine what these silos used to look like? Without the murals that now adorn them, they were just gray massive buildings of Brutalist architecture.
It is evident that the buildings of Brutalist architecture are large in size and seem rather cold and rough. Concrete and simplicity dominate, and it is a completely adequate style for silos where grain was stored in the past. But today, when this place changed its purpose, there was a need to re-design this brutalist architectural masterpiece.
Murals symbolizing life and good values are painted on the walls of the silos. In my favorite mural, a woman spreads her arms towards a bee. In our tradition, there is the term "White Bee", the name for the oldest female ancestor from as many as 16 generations back. It is interesting that the silos consist of cells that resemble exactly honeycombs, which along with the symbol of the bee are used as a motif of the mural.
When you enter the silos, you are always delighted by some new design, whether it is some exhibitions or other cultural events. My last visit was on the occasion of filming a corporate video of the team I currently work with, so the interior was adapted to the needs of the filming.
It was before the New Year holidays, so the decorations were in that spirit.
I felt very excited as I went from room to room and read the thoughts on the walls and looked at the interior.
I liked the cobweb hanging from the ceiling and the intimate light where you could disconnect from reality for a moment.
There is a coffee bar inside, so you can refresh yourself in a pleasant atmosphere.
I also loved the paper flowers hanging from the ceiling and the simplicity of the design that makes a strong impression.
I sat on a chair in front of the mirror and had the impression that I was in a movie, in a room where time stood still and there was nothing to disturb the harmony of spontaneously arranged things around.
But I could not stay in that darkness for long, even though it is so charmingly designed that every place seems worth sitting in for a while.
I went out and enjoyed the view of the Danube, which makes this place even more special and breaks the monotony of the brutalist walls.
The silos design brought a new charm to the massive buildings of Brutalist architecture and made them charming and inspiring. Gray doesn't always have to be gray. Life doesn't always have to be the same either. A little color can change everything.
Thank you very much for reading.
The images and writing are original and mine.
Greetings!
Jelena