A continuum between sculptural and structural form in the Sutjeska Memorial

Abstract

The Monument on the Battle of Sutjeska (1965-71), Tjentište, BiH, is an exceptional contemporary artwork in the former Yugoslavia. The monument was designed by sculptor Milorad Živković, while the structural design was developed by the engineer Đorđe Zloković. It represents a monumental sculpture/structure consisting of two symmetrically placed reinforced concrete boulders, 19m height, and penetration. In its symbolic, conceptual, and formal sense, the sculpture is related to the battle of World War II and inspired by the spirit of high modernism and the aesthetic of the so-called freeform. This paper analyses the relation between sculptural and structural forms in this work of memorial architecture. The study results from a literature review, a review of the original design documents (including project elaborate, models, and photo materials); a site visit; and an interview with the sculptor. The paper contributes to the discipline of structural critique by highlighting the lessons learned from the specific design and construction processes, such as the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration to solve the challenges that art posed; the value of integrating rational reasoning based on technological requirements with creativity to achieve design excellence; and the relevance of simple formulas for structural estimation and learning from experimental models.