Dobrivoje Tošković

Dobrivoje Tošković (; 1927 – 25 January 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav architect, urban planner, and university professor. His work, particularly in the context of the Non-Aligned Movement, represented a distinct "third way" in urban planning, grounded in humanism and cultural sensitivity.

Considered an "ambassador without a decree," he left a profound mark through his projects in India, Tanzania, and Libya, as well as through the creation of urban plans for numerous cities in Serbia. His life's work is the master plan for the city of Bidhannagar (New Kolkata) in India. He was a full member of the Academy of Engineering Sciences of Serbia.

Early life and education Tošković was born in 1927 in the Serbian village of Draginac. He completed his undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade. He also undertook postgraduate studies in the Netherlands.

During his high school years in Valjevo, he was taught the Serbian language by the acclaimed poet Desanka Maksimović. This literary mentorship is considered to have significantly influenced his later humanistic approach and clarity of expression, equipping him with the communicative and interpretive tools necessary for his context-sensitive planning.

International career

Bidhannagar (Salt Lake City), India The project that defined Tošković's career emerged while he was working for the Serbian company "Ivan Milutinović" on the drainage of a salt lake near Kolkata in 1965. He was invited to participate in an international competition for a new city to be built on the reclaimed land.

His solution was considered revolutionary for its time, creating a more humane and higher-quality concept compared to the works of other world-renowned modernists like Le Corbusier in Chandigarh.

Mentorship in Republika Srpska Tošković played a crucial role in the post-war development of the academic community in Republika Srpska. He provided "selfless support for the founding and development" of the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Banja Luka, where he taught until 2004. As a professor and mentor to numerous students, masters, and doctoral candidates, he directly shaped a new generation of professionals in the region.

Legacy Dobrivoje Tošković's lasting influence is seen through his extensive academic work and institution-building. He had a long and impactful teaching career as a professor at the Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade, in the department of spatial planning. He also expanded his global reach as a lecturer at universities in Mosul, Iraq, and Helsinki, Finland.

His legacy is one of a more humane, context-sensitive modernism—a "third way" of urbanism forged in the unique geopolitical context of non-aligned Yugoslavia. His personal qualities, described as having high "professional integrity" and "human warmth," were the foundation of a professional methodology that viewed cities not as abstract designs but as homes for people.