Architecture as a Mediator of Socio-Spatial Resilience: The Case of E-57 Workers’ Micro-Community in Split, Croatia

This study explores the socio-spatial relationship between dwelling and labour through the case of the E-57 housing complex in Split, Croatia, designed by Vuko Bombardelli for Jugovinil factory workers. It examines how architectural configuration, together with the institutional framework of the workers’ collective, shaped social cohesion in this residential community. Combining archival research, scholarly literature and oral testimonies, the study analyses how these socio-spatial relations persisted after the collapse of the industrial system. The findings indicate that the spatial organisation of E-57 functioned as a durable infrastructure that facilitated everyday interaction, accumulated social capital, and mediated long-term community resilience. By situating this case within broader discussions on modernist housing and post-socialist transformation, the article contributes to international debates on the social agency of architecture and the capacity of residential environments to sustain social cohesion beyond their original institutional context.