- Room 401, Roland Levinsky Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 585160
- nikolina.bobic@plymouth.ac.uk

Profiles
Dr Nikolina Bobic
Lecturer in Architecture (History & Theory)
School of Art, Design and Architecture (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business)
Position
Lecturer in Architecture
BA History, Theory and Critical Context Stream Leader
Head BA (Hons) Architecture Admissions and Marketing
Biography
Nikolina Bobic is an academic and architect. At the broad level, her research delves into the historical and theoretical concepts to do with politics and space; the ways in which architecture and urban space operate within or are constructed by politics. Likewise, the ways through which architecture and urban space can be transformed to enact and construct alternative political realities. At a specific level, Nikolina's research addresses balkanization (geopolitical fragmentation), borders, and (post)conflict - how these notions manifest at the complex intersection of architecture, urbanism, military, media, economics, technology, literature and film.
At present, Nikolina is working on the co-edited The Routledge Handbook of Architecture, Urban Space and Politics, Vol I: Violence, Spectacle and Data (forthcoming in late 2021); and, The Routledge Handbook of Architecture, Urban Space and Politics, Vol II: Ecology, Social Participation and Marginalities (forthcoming mid-2022). She is the co-editor of the peer-reviewed Interstices: A Journal of Architecture and Related Arts thematic issue 20 'Political Matters' (December 2020). Her authored Balkanization and Global Politics: Remaking Cities and Architecture was published in 2019 by Routledge. In the same year, she co-convened the international conference Political Matters: Spatial Thinking of the Alternative in Auckland, NZ.
Nikolina holds a PhD in Architecture from The University of Sydney, Australia. Prior to joining the University of Plymouth in November 2014 as a Lecturer in Architecture, Nikolina taught in Architecture and Sociology at the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology in Australia. Currently, she is the module leader for Architectural History and Theory at HKU Space Architecture. In July 2019 she was invited to support teaching in Architecture at the University of Auckland, NZ. Her industry experience is in residential architecture. The predominant concentration while working as an architect was on exploring and exploiting the interface between internal and external spaces, the means by which were addressed through materiality and close consideration of the context.
Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice.
The University of Plymouth, UK, 2015.
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture).
The University of Sydney, Australia, 2014
Bachelor of Architecture – Honours Class 1.
Bachelor of Arts – Major in Sociology.
The University of New South Wales, Australia, 2005.
Awards & Funding
Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) to support PhD studies.
The University of Sydney Top-up Grant.
The University of New South Wales U/G Entry Scholarship.
Qualifications
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK (FHEA), since 2015.
Registered Architect, New South Wales, Australia - since 2008 (NSWARB 8077).
Professional Experience
Project and Assistant Architect in residential architecture. Virginia Kerridge Architect (VKA), Sydney.
Project Architect:
New 3 storey House in Bondi (2004 – 08); Alteration / Addition to a Heritage Terrace in Elizabeth Bay (2006 – 08); Alteration / Addition to a House in Bronte Beach (2006 – 08).
Assistant Architect:
Alteration/ Addition to a House in Bronte (2005 – 08); New House in Kingscliff (2006 – 08); New Cottage and Farmhouse in Hunter Valley (2007 – 08); Alteration / Addition to a House in Coogee (2006 – 07); New House in Bronte (2005 – 06); Alteration /Addition to Kerridge House + Apartment (2004).
Membership
European Architectural History Network (EAHN).
Architectural Humanities Research Association (AHRA).
Society of Architectural Historians Australia and New Zealand (SAHANZ).
Australian Institute of Architects (AIA).
New South Wales Architects Registration Board (NSWARB).
Teaching interests
Teaching
2014 – current
Lecturer in Architecture. Plymouth University, UK.
Currently, Module Leader in:
History, Theory and Critical Context - Yrs 2 and 3.
Tutor in:
History, Theory and Critical Context - Yr 1.
Design Studio - Yrs 2 and 3.
PhD Supervision:
Current other academic roles:
Editor-in-chief of the School's History, Theory and Critical Context Journal: 2016 - current.
Member of/Reviewer for the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Ethics Sub-committee: 2017 - current.
Subject (Architecture) Champion of the Equality, Diversity + Inclusivity Committee: 2019 - current.
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Academic Offence Panel Member: 2020 - current.
Previously, taught in and contributed towards the following Modules:
Communications - Yr 1.
Design Praxis - Yrs 1 and 2.
Emerging Research in Architecture - Masters Yr 2.
Urban Methodologies - Masters Yr 1.
Re-Thinking Architecture - Masters Yr 2.
2009 – 2014
Academic Staff in Architecture and Sociology. The University of Sydney, Australia.
Courses taught in Architecture:
Design Studio - Yrs 1, 2 and 3.
Architectural History and Theory - Yrs 2 and 3.
Architectural Communications - Yrs 1 and 2.
Architectural Technologies - Yrs 1 and 3.
Courses taught in Sociology:
Sociology of Terror - Senior Level.
Urban Sociology - Senior Level.
2009 – 2014
Academic Staff in Architecture. The University of New South Wales, Australia.
Courses taught in Architecture:
Design Studio - Yrs 1 and 2.
Architectural History and Theory - Yr 2.
Architectural Communications - Yr 1.
2013
Academic Staff in Architecture. The University of Technology, Australia.
Courses taught in Architecture:
Design Studio - Yr 2.
Staff serving as external examiners
Research interests
Primary Research
Spatial Violence.
Balkanism, Balkanization and Borders.
Urbicide.
(Post)conflict.
Urban and architectural re-construction.
Humanitarianism and Human Rights.
Counter practises and systems.
Other Research
2010 - 'Green Desires – Rethinking Sustainability’.
Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning. The University of Sydney, Australia.
Creative Practice and Artistic Projects
‘Political Aesthetics: Forming Fact and Fiction’.
2013 Postgraduate Research Visions Exhibition [solo piece as part of group exhibition].
The University of Sydney, Australia.
‘Bondi House’.
2007 Biennale in Venice - Australian Abundant Pavilion.
(made a model that was exhibited for Virginia Kerridge Architect stand - VKA, Sydney).
Roles on External Bodies
Reviewer for the following journals, conferences, symposiums, books and grants:
- National Science Center - Krakow, Poland.
- Architecture on the Borderline: Boundary Politics and Built Space.
- Architecture Philosophy.
- Cultural Dynamics Journal.
- Fabrications.
- Cubic Journal
- SAHANZ, Australia/NewZealand.
- Temporal Formal as part of the ‘Expanded Architecture’ in Sydney, Australia, 2014/15.
- Perception in Architecture. Here and Now at ANCB the Metropolitan Laboratory in Berlin, Germany, 2014.
Haghighi, F. and Bobic, N. eds (Dec, 2020), 'Political Matters (thematic issue),' Interstices: A Journal of Architecture and Related Arts 20.
Bobic, N. (2017), ‘Belgrade (de)Void of Identity: Politics of Time, Politics of Control, Politics of Difference’, Cultural Dynamics, 29 (1-2), 3 – 22.
Bobic, N. (2015), 'War Machine: Media and Technology during Operation Allied Force,' Fabrications, 25(3), 398 – 416.
Bobic, N. (2015), 'New Belgrade After 1999: Spatial Violence as De-socialisation, De-Romanisation, and De-historisation,' Architectural Theory Review, 19(3), 355 – 375.
Bobic, N. (2012), ‘Belgrade in Formation(s): Dobrovic’s Generalstab Complex,’ Fabrications, 21(1), 6 – 27.
Bobic, N. and Haghighi, F. eds. The Routledge Handbook of Architecture, Urban Space and Politics, Vol II: Ecology, Social Participation and Marginalities, New York: Routledge (forthcoming mid-late 2022).
Bobic, N. and Haghighi, F. eds. The Routledge Handbook of Architecture, Urban Space and Politics, Vol I: Violence, Spectacle and Data, New York: Routledge (forthcoming late 2021).
Bobic, N. (2019), Balkanization and Global Politics: Remaking Cities and Architecture, London: Routledge.
Bobic, N. (2017), 'New Belgrade After 1999: Spatial Violence as De-socialisation, De-Romanisation, and De-historisation.' In Spatial Violence: Studies in Architecture, eds. Andrew Herscher and Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi, 87 – 108. London: Routledge.
Bobic, N. (2013), ‘New Belgrade and the Park of Friendship: Politicisation of Landscape and History.’ In Architecture, Politics, Art. Dakam Press: Turkey, 62 – 77.
Bobic, N. and Hill, G. (2011), ‘Songs Sustained Us: Theorizing NATO’s ‘Humanitarian’ Targeting of Belgrade,’ in Theory of Architecture, Dakam Press: Turkey, 345 – 361.
Bobic, N. (2019), 'Transition and Control: Urban Development Along Belgrade’s Waterfront. International Conference on Cities and Change,' - Three Decades of Post-Socialist Transition, May 17-18, Darmstadt [Germany].
Bobic, N. (2018), 'Belgrade: Reconstructing Balkanism, Reconstructing Rights,' - 8th International Conference on Building Resilience, 14-16 November, Lisbon [Portugal].
Bobic, N. (2017), '(De)stabilising History: Event as an Operative Tool of Power in Belgrade' / Chaired a session at: 14th AHRA International Conference: Architecture, Festival and the City, 16-18 November, Birmingham [UK].
Bobic, N. (2014), ‘Re-negotiating Balkanism: Body De-stabilised in Belgrade’s Republic Square,’ Translation – Proceedings from the 31st Annual Sahanz Conference, Auckland [New Zealand], 213 – 223.
Bobic, N. (2013), ‘Balkanising Myths: Historical (Re)formations of New Belgrade,’ Open – Proceedings from the 30th Annual Sahanz Conference, Gold Coast (Australia), 299 – 312.
Bobic, N. (2012), ‘New Belgrade’s Park of Friendship: Mobilizing Leisure,’ Fabulation: Myth, Nature, Heritage – Proceedings from the 29th Annual Sahanz Conference, Launceston [Australia], 111 – 123.
Bobic, N. (2010), ‘Multipetal Difference of Balkan(ization): Weizman’s Boundaries,’ Inclusion and the Space of Difference - International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments [Beirut, Lebanon], 1 – 16.
Bobic, N. (2010), ‘Kristeva’s Abject(ions): the Generalstab and Chaotic Becomings of Belgrade,’ Imagining...– Proceedings from the 27th Annual Sahanz Conference, Newcastle [Australia], 46 – 61.
Conferences Organised
Haghighi, F., Bobic, N., Douglas, A. and Hedges, S. (2019), Political Matters: Spatial Thinking of the Alternative, Auckland, NZ.
Book Reviews
Bobic, N. (2018), ‘Architecture: Politics of Time, Politics of Control, Politics of Difference’ by Daniel Grinceri. Fabrications, 28:3, 433 – 435.Additional information
Art
Nikolina’s research also deploys her own art [drawing, painting, photography and mixed media] as an experimental tool to explore several ideas:
- connections between control, violence and resistance;
- memory, identity and history as constructs of ‘visibility’;
- legitimacy of art as evidence.