Beobasta – Urban Complex | Serbia

For the version in Serbian, click here.

Prolegomena:

Proposition 1:
Given that the idea behind the project is a dynamic future (Proto-City), rather than traditional staticity (Ethno-Village), we propose a solution of a processual nature that expresses transformation.

Proposition 2:
In order to achieve what we are aiming for, we must rely on references of truthfulness.

These references are as follows:

The present—not (only) the future—is focused on health. We speak from both an economic perspective and from the standpoint of collective and individual consciousness.

The future is the coming generations—children.

The “future” (only) stands on an objective Present if it sees the Past.

A mature Present perspective understands the Past (History), and based on History (repetition) and Context, it anticipates (builds) the Future.

Thus, the main postulates outlined above—Present, Past, and Future—will serve as tools for constructing the Narrative-Design Map.

Present

The Present is a Factory. A place (in time) that represents the ontological foundation for the development of everything else. The drawn rectangle at the base offers us a symbolic image of the Earth, or rather its four sides (the Four Cardinal Directions – the Four Sides of the Square), thus providing the ideal initial context for the Present.

The Present is a thin line that exists between the Past and the Future — a paraphrase of Aristotle.
Or, more precisely, the Present is a point in space (not time) that separates two infinities.

Present — Dualism

The main (Northern) facade of the Factory represents the Dualistic Essence of the Present Moment.

The facade, divided by the line that stands between the Past and the Future, constitutes the entire position of the Present. Left — Future; Right — Past.

On the right (Past), there is a predictable rhythm because the Past has already occurred. This predictability, or the geometric regularity of the rhythm, is also visible on the Western Facade, which follows this flow. The rhythm takes the shape of the letter V, a symbol of Woman and Birth.
On the left (Future), an arrhythmic ideogram is formed due to the nature of its unpredictability, which exists only in anticipation. The arrhythmic flow extends onto the Eastern facade as a natural continuation.

Present — Homage to Rain

Homage to the Gods of Rain — The Droplets

The main design element consists of simulated raindrops that celebrate the Idea of Water as the foundation of all growth. The droplets are evenly spaced but form different ideograms depending on whether they are positioned to the left or right of the Present Moment.

The right side depicts an articulated rhythm of the already known Past — Historical Repetition.

Homage to the Rain Gods — The Droplets

The left side of the building depicts the unpredictability (arrhythmia) of the Future, yet with implications of Past Rhythms.

The material of the “Future Droplets” shares the same shade as the facade cladding of the “Past,” and vice versa — the “Past Droplets” are materialized in the facade cladding of the Future. Here, we obtain the implication of the Future within the Past, and the Past within the Future — an elaborated Yin and Yang symbol illustrating the overlap of two temporal directions at the boundary of the Present moment.

Present — The Chimney

Redefining the new Factory as a place of life’s birth rather than pollution.
The wooden Chimney as an Alchemical Symbol of industrial transformation.

The Chimney as a Symbol — Deconstruction of the Symbol

At first reading — The archetypal (industrial) design of the old Factory — the silhouette of a familiar archaic image.

At second reading — A circle inscribed within the rectangular form, which gives us the beginning for what follows and represents one of the main motifs of the entire campus — the Map of Civilization.

At third reading — A landmark within the complex symbolically represented as a Lighthouse.

Present — The Staircase

On the symbolic interpretations of the Spiral Staircase

Spiral staircases are used in art (and also in psychoanalysis and dreams) as symbols of Individuation.

The staircase is positioned at the center (the Line of the Present) and visually divides the building into two parts — Future and Past.

The staircase begins at the “Historical Side” of the base (Origin) and ends in the “Future” of the Roof (Goal).
This placement of the element is quite precise and fully aligns with the concept of development.

Lighthouse — Watchtower

The watchtower is located on the “Future” part of the Roof, which contextually aligns with what we aim to convey:

“The completeness of the Circle (Wholeness) resides in the Future, which has the capacity to see the Past.”

Myths and Facts — Planters as Encyclopedic Content — Educational Apparatus

Glamping

Past

Landscape Installation

A mature and synthetic vision of the Present through the constituents of the Past. Here, we pay tribute to History and draw the Map of Civilization.

The Time Polygon — Map of Civilization

Description and Concept:

The Time Polygon “Map of Civilization” is designed as a unique educational and recreational space that guides children and adults on an interactive journey through time. Inspired by the Cosmic Calendar and Montessori Methodology, this polygon is organized into a series of concentric circles, with each circle representing a key period in the development of human civilization. Through exploration, children and adults move backward through history, starting from the present, getting acquainted with the most important events, cultures, and figures that have shaped the world as we know it today.

Structure and Design — The Polygon as an Educational Playground for Children

Starting Circle — The Present:

The journey through the polygon begins immediately after the factory, which serves as the visual exponent of the Present. This circle represents the modern era and the starting point for their journey backward through time.

The starting circle is designed to gradually introduce children to the concept of time and history, featuring interactive elements that prepare them for deeper exploration of the past.

Concentric Circles:

As children move away from the starting circle—the “Present”—they transition into earlier epochs such as the Renaissance, the Middle Ages, Antiquity, and finally ancient civilizations like Ancient Greece and Sumerian culture. These circles are physically marked by special bands (markers), creating visually distinct boundaries between different historical periods.

Within all the circles combined, there are about 200 specially designed planters. These planters are not merely aesthetic elements but also key educational tools. Each planter denotes an important historical figure or event, and their position within the circle corresponds to the time period they belong to. For example, in the Renaissance circle, children might encounter a planter dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, while in the Antiquity circle, they could find a planter dedicated to Aristotle.

The plants growing in these planters symbolize longevity, vitality, and the lasting impact of those historical figures on the world as we know it today.

Planters as Historical Monuments:

Each planter within the circle represents a small interactive monument. On the planter, there are brief biographies and key characteristics of the figure or event it symbolizes. The planters are designed to allow for constant rearrangement — old figures and events can be replaced with new ones, introducing new personalities and occurrences into focus. This flexibility enables the polygon to remain dynamic and continually engaging for visitors.

Interactive Elements:

Journey Through Time and Missions:

At the start of the game, children receive a mission — a task to find and discover a certain number of key historical figures strategically placed throughout the polygon. This mission begins in the starting circle, the “Present,” where children are given a map displaying the different circles and the locations of planters containing hidden clues.

As children move from one circle to another, using the map as a guide, they arrive at planters containing information or puzzles that they must solve in order to proceed further.

Inside each planter, there is a hidden drawer containing a puzzle related to the respective figure or event. These puzzles are designed to encourage children to explore, think critically, and interact with their surroundings.

The drawers in the planters allow for flexibility in tasks — for example, Leonardo da Vinci might be part of one mission focusing on the “Mona Lisa,” while in another mission, children explore the “Last Supper.” In this way, tasks and missions can be continually refreshed, offering children new challenges with each visit to the polygon.

Conclusion:

This game concept offers children the opportunity to learn about the past and significant historical figures in an interactive and enjoyable way. Through the search for planters and solving puzzles, children gain an understanding of how “visually” distant these figures are from us in terms of time. This “hide and seek” game not only encourages critical thinking and an investigative spirit but also enables children to connect historical events with concrete personalities, making the past more tangible and comprehensible. In this way, learning becomes a dynamic experience that leaves a lasting impression on children about important moments in history.

Interactive Elements:

Thematic Path:

Children move through the polygon following a Thematic Path, designed in the shape of a growing and branching plant, symbolizing the expansion and development of knowledge.

Practical Workshops: Workshops Through the Epochs

A series of diverse workshops is proposed, covering key aspects of civilization’s development and thematically linked to specific historical periods.

Workshop “Beginnings of Civilization” (Neolithic, Early Bronze Age, Early Civilizations up to 2000 BCE)
Workshop “Cultures and Empires” (2000 BCE – 500 CE)
Workshop “Middle Ages and Feudalism” (500 – 1300 CE)
Workshop “Renaissance and Discoveries” (1300 – 1700 CE)
Workshop “Industrial Revolution” (1750 – 1900 CE)
Workshop “The Modern World” (1900 CE – Present)

These workshops offer children and adults the opportunity to experience key aspects of civilization’s development through hands-on activities, enabling a deeper understanding of history and its impact on today’s world. Each workshop is thematically connected to a specific period, but together they provide a comprehensive insight into the evolution of human civilization.

Garden of Wisdom and Finale:

At the end of their journey through history, children arrive at the final “Garden of Wisdom,” where they collectively plant the seeds or plants they have gathered during the game (from the drawers in the planters). This garden symbolizes the culmination of their learning and progress, where the knowledge gained is transformed into a tangible act — planting a living symbol that will grow and bloom as a representation of their educational journey.

After the planting, a small ceremony is held where each child receives a certificate or a “Guardian of Knowledge” badge as recognition for their participation and successful completion of the mission. This ceremony further strengthens their sense of achievement and provides children with a lasting memento of their journey through history.

Children’s Playground

Game Theory – The Relationship Between the Circle and the Square

In relational dynamics, the Circle and the Square stand in deep, fundamental opposition. Their conflict is not merely aesthetic, but archetypal: the Square is the exponent of adulthood—a crystallization of mature consciousness that strives for clarity, stability, and defined boundaries with the outside world. It is a form that knows how to say, “here is where I end, and there is where you begin.” In contrast, the Circle is a symbolic representation of childhood potential—an open infinity, an unbounded and unrestrained movement that knows neither beginning nor end. The Circle is the eternal impulse of play, freedom, and a naivety that sees the world as an endless field of possibilities.

The playground, as a part of the proto-city, remains the only fragment of the urban fabric that follows an organic, circular stylistic language—mimicking the rhythm of nature, and the childlike perception of time and space—a rhythm that expands, spins, and multiplies without rigid rules. The transparent moments of this architecture of naivety are not accidental, but necessary: they preserve the memory of childhood’s open heart, still unframed by the concerns of adulthood.

Yet it is important to note — that circular installation can exist only because it rests upon a stable foundation, a square paving laid down by the adult generation. The foundation is square, static, and serious. This urban composition, with a square base and a circular top, offers us a refined image of a deeper principle that transcends the playground itself: we find the same principle in the image of a factory — where the base, the foundation of the facility, retains the square, solid character of the adult world, while the top, the chimney, emerges in a circular form, as a sign of release, exhalation, transformation. Thus, through this subtle mimicry, we are presented with two architectural constructions greeting each other in the same pose — affirming one and the same eternal principle: that stability and freedom, boundaries and infinity, are inseparable and mutually dependent poles of the same being.

Sport

Leonardo da Vinci – Treatise on Painting (paraphrased excerpt):

“Observe the plant: it does not come into being by itself. It depends on the soil that nourishes it, the rain that waters it, the sun that gives it warmth and light, and the wind that spreads its seed. Thus, the plant is not merely what we see—it is the sum of all these influences, a part of a larger cycle of life. In the same way, one who wishes to paint nature must understand all causes and effects, must grasp how one thing gives rise to another, and how nothing exists in isolation, but as part of an endless web of reasons and consequences.”

Just as, according to Da Vinci’s definition, a plant is not merely a plant but a visible moment within a larger process, so too is the ideogram not a mere sign, but the eidetic exponent of the entire product in its totality.

The Beobast ideogram is not merely a sign, but a condensed story of the entire life cycle of a product — from seed to table. The sun within it represents the original idea and the light that initiates growth; the clouds and sky reflect the strength and breadth of the vision that allows that idea to expand and evolve. The rain embodies the multiplicity of processes — the work on the land, careful cultivation, nurturing, and effort through various stages of ripening. The plant symbolizes the dual nature of action — rooted in tradition yet reaching toward innovation. The earth, as the feminine principle, bears witness to the matter from which all things emerge and to the dedication to preserving the natural cycle. In this way, the ideogram becomes a reflection of Beobast’s philosophy: no part of the process stands alone — cultivation, production, and delivery are inseparable threads of a single fabric of life, devoted to simplicity, quality, and deep respect for nature.