The construction of New Belgrade began in 1947 when a youth work action was organized. Its task was to prepare the ground for the start of construction and to establish facilities for accommodating brigades that would be building New Belgrade.
Construction officially commenced on April 11, 1948, in several locations, including the Palace of the Federation (SIV Building), Student City, Hotel Jugoslavija, the KBC Bežanijska Kosa building (initially intended for the Faculty of Forestry), and the Tošin bunar settlement (Pavilions).
The first structure erected was the building of the Workers’ University, now known as the Polytechnic Academy, officially inaugurated on November 29, 1949. However, due to the economic crisis and tensions between Yugoslavia and the USSR shortly after the initiation of New Belgrade’s construction, the project was halted in 1950.
In the early 1960s, a massive resurgence in the construction of New Belgrade took place. Initially, the focus was on the area around Fontana – Bloks 1, 2, 3, and 4, followed by Bloks 21, 28, and 29, as well as Bloks 45 and 70.
