Aero Club Building in Belgrade

(photo Rascian at Skyscraper city)

This building at the corner of Uzun Mirkova 4 and Kralja Petra Prvog 36 was built between 1932 and 1934 by architect Vojin Simenovic (1900-1978).
The Aero Club (today Air Force Society) is located in the part of the building with entrance on Uzun Mirkova Street. The gallery of Petar Dobrović (1890-1942), one of the most significant Yugoslav painters and founders of the Yugoslav modern art, is situated on the fourth floor, in the part of the building entered from Kralja Petra Street.

Historic picture of the building

This is one of the two significant works of Simeonovic (the other is the Nedeljkovic House, see picture below) that put him among the most important Serbian architects of the 20th century who by their originality and certain exploratory tendencies contributed to the richness and variety of architecture as well as to the formation of modern look and spirit of Belgrade.

Nedeljkovic House, the other
significant building by Simeonovic

All structures by Vojin Simeonović have floor construction of reinforced concrete, modern installations and facades covered with several types of artificial stone. In keeping with the prevailing practice in Belgrade architecture, the facade was the focus of attention, although the architect also took care regarding the functionality of space as well as decorative interior design.
Architect Vojin Simeonović developed personal style, a moderate, clear-cut variant of academic classicism and historism, without prominent eclectic methods.

Ground floor plan of Aero Club Building

However, some of his works exhibit elements and principles of European Art Deco style - a decorative variant of modernism. His architecture remained faithful to the ideal of aesthetic effect of architecture during the period of pure modernism in Belgrade architecture.

Simeonovic was also a pilot and belonged to Belgrade elite, enjoying the respect of his colleagues and the favour of cultural circles.

Perspective Drawing of Aero Cub Building

In his work traditional treatment of bases and facades is predominant, which indicates that his commissioners were mostly conservative. Simeonović often applied stylized neo-classicism, that is, a certain academic repertoire, but with austere, measured and considered relation of elements. The architect reduced eclectic method of combining to a certain classicistic scheme after the model of European academic examples especially those of French noblemen' architecture, XVIII and XIX century castles and villas.