Journey Through Time: Preserving Cultural Heritage in the Process of Reconstruction and Repurposing – – A Case Study

This paper will analyze the reconstruction of a residential building in an old pre-war building located in the heart of Belgrade. The building is the work of our renowned architect Aleksandar Đorđević, whose facade is protected as a cultural monument. The project's goal was to preserve historical heritage while simultaneously adapting the building to contemporary functional requirements, in line with the specifics of repurposing the entire ground floor from residential to commercial use. The reconstruction process was carried out with special attention to the techniques and materials used at the time of the original construction, while simultaneously considering modern building standards and functionality of space. The paper will thoroughly examine all interior elements, analyzing original sources and comparing the reconstructed elements executed according to the requirements of the period from which the building originates, to achieve complete fidelity to the original design. Special emphasis will be placed on the analysis of the previous era and the value of cultural heritage, providing a deeper insight into the methodology of preserving cultural heritage in urban environments and enabling the integration of these objects into the modern era. Through this transformation from a residential to a commercial space for a contemporary polyclinic, the building not only retain its historical and cultural significance, but will also meet contemporary societal needs. Thus, we can conclude that the result is a building that successfully merges rich historical tradition with the functionality and demands of modern commercial space, offering significant scholarly contributions in the field of cultural heritage preservation and adaptation.