Nominator: Dejan Miljković

Nominator's statement

As a professor at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture, it is my pleasure to recommend Mr Veljko Vučenović for this year’s BIG SEE Perspectives award. Veljko is an exceptionally creative and ambitious young architect, distinguished by his ability to transform complex ideas into clear and contextually grounded architectural solutions. His work is consistently supported by strong research, analytical reasoning, and an understanding of broader spatial and social frameworks. For the past three years, he has been an invaluable member of our teaching team, demonstrating maturity,and notable pedagogical sensitivity as a student assistant in architectural design studios. Beyond the faculty, he shows great dedication to competitions. His team won Third Prize in the 2025 Košutnjak / Avala Film competition in Belgrade, and an Honorable Mention for the Razvitak complex competition in Mostar.

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URBAN REDEVELOPMENT OF THE KOŠUTNJAK AREA

The project addresses the Košutnjak area as a landscape of layered ecological, social, and cultural values, responding to its fragmented and neglected condition, particularly within the former film industry complex. Positioned outside the dominant urban matrix of Belgrade, the site calls for a context-sensitive identity rooted in topography and landscape. The concept is based on the interpolation and superposition of existing and planned green systems, preserving and enhancing forest areas through minimal intervention. Central to the design is the idea of the “threshold” as a spatial and symbolic condition between built space and nature. The proposal emphasizes research-driven landscape regeneration, biodiversity protection, and sustainable adaptation rather than restoration. New programs are organized within a linear park structured by pedestrian and cycling paths, while clustered architectural elements connected by shared platforms foster social interaction and collective life.​

“RAZVITAK” COMPLEX

The “Razvitak” project proposes the transformation of a former commercial complex in central Mostar into a contemporary mixed-use development that integrates housing, retail, and office spaces. Conceived as a dialogue between heritage and modernity, the project preserves elements of the original architectural identity through pronounced horizontal façade lines and the reintroduction of reinforced concrete panels inspired by traditional stećak motifs. The lower levels accommodate a permeable, open shopping zone organized around a central courtyard and vertical atrium, enhancing spatial continuity and natural daylight. Residential volumes are arranged as stepped lamellas that follow the urban fabric, while a 12-storey office tower acts as a vertical counterpoint to the horizontal composition. The project emphasizes adaptability, accessibility, and sustainability, contributing to the continuity of collective memory and the revitalization of the urban core.​

MONOLITH

The project proposal “MONOLITH” for the Natural History Museum in Belgrade explores the relationship between land and water through an architectural interpretation of the Belgrade ridge. The building is conceived as a continuation of the cultural space formed by the Museum of Contemporary Art. It is envisioned as a “house of nature” emerging from the ground, shaped by a tectonics of fissures that integrate the structure with the natural topography and park landscape. Rather than competing with its surroundings, the building establishes a spatial dialogue while preserving the visual dominance of the Museum of Contemporary Art. The program is organized through intuitive circulation, with underground collection storage and laboratories, public ground-level amenities, multi-level permanent and temporary exhibition spaces, and an administrative and research zone connected by elevated walkways. A rammed-earth façade and a green roof ensure full integration with the Ušće park ecosystem.​