Ljiljana Bakić

Ljiljana Bakić (Serbian Cyrillic: Љиљана Бакић; 1939 – 9 July 2022) was a Serbian architect who designed buildings in her home country and abroad. She worked both alone and with her husband architect Dragoljub Bakić. She was a published author and essayist.

Background Born Ljiljana Vucović in Belgrade, she studied architecture at the University of Belgrade from 1957 to 1962. In 1970, the couple worked in Finland where they perfected their modernist approach at the Alvar Aalto studio.

Bakić is best known for her work on the Pionir Sports Hall, a multi-functional building she co-designed with her husband in 1973. With close to 6,000 seats, it is the second largest arena in Belgrade. The complex consists of a sports hall, a swimming pool and a velodrome. Renamed the Aleksandar Nikolić Hall in 2016, it was built in the post-modernist style. The building is characterized by layered balconies and roofs, punctuated by numerous windows that admit natural light.

From 1974 to 1975, Bakić worked alone designing the "Institute for Rehabilitation from Non-specific Lung Diseases" in Soko Banja. The facility was built with the needs of the patients in mind. From 1994 to 2001, the couple worked mostly from an office in Harare.

Bakić was a member of the Academy of Architects of Serbia. She was also a writer, having published "The Anatomy of B&B Architecture", a monograph detailing her and her husband's career, as well as the socio-political elements that influenced their architectural works.

Awards and distinctions In 1974, Bakić and her husband were awarded the "Grand Prix of the Belgrade Architecture Salon" for their design of the Pionir Sports Hall.