Community creativity booster method

In the context of a post-socialist society in transition, where support systems for local communities are not sufficiently developed, there are many weak points within the decision-making processes for development of certain open public space on local level. One of them is that participation of the youth in such processes is not established in any formal sense. Guided by this thought, the ‘Community creativity booster method’ was established through the collaboration of two research units of the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Architecture (hereinafter UB-AF). After that, we continued developing it through several subjects within regular classes of UB-AF, which opens up possibilities for its further improvement. This method could be used in various ways, and it can influence strengthening the sense of community and belonging to society as well as to stimulate regeneration and strengthening the capacity of institutions while establishing relations between the civil, public and private sectors of society through a cyclical participatory process. Its main goal is to stimulate and engage different generations and institutions to participate in the process of improvement, development or placemaking within the open public space which certain local community is using trough youth engagement. In the entire process, the academic institution should use an enabling leadership style in its role of process facilitator

Possibilities and Scope of Comprehensive Renovation of Multifamily Residential Buildings in Cultural-Historic Areas: A Case Study of a Protected Building in the Old Part of Belgrade

The paper analyses the possibilities and scopes of comprehensive renovation of multifamily residential buildings located in the central urban core within cultural-historic areas, where the buildings are protected as cultural monuments. A considerable number of these buildings was constructed before thermal protection in construction appeared in domestic building regulations, meaning that they often do not meet modern standards of residential comfort. The renovation of such buildings is subject to specific conditions, with limited possibilities for intervention, raising questions about the benefits and ultimate outcomes of a such renovation. The paper examines the possibilities of renovating protected buildings and determines whether significant energy saving and spatial improvements can be achieved for these buildings. The study presents an example of comprehensive building renovation in Belgrade in an area protected as a cultural-historical entity. The research analyses renovation options to achieve the maximum possible energy saving by expanding the usable space. Based on the Knauf software simulations, the energy savings for heating compared to the existing state are 34% in Solution 1 and 69% in Solution 2. The goal of the research is to ascertain possibilities of comprehensive renovation of protected residential buildings without compromising their original architectural and historical values

Преглед и вредновање урбаних вила у Сарајеву изграђених између два светска рата

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the typology of the urban villas constructed in Sarajevo in the first half of the 20th century, which are considered worth preserving as part of Bosnia and Herzegovina's significant architectural heritage from that period. An integral methodology for evaluating 20th-century architectural heritage was applied in the case of 43 urban villas identified through a comprehensive literature review. The findings are presented in a tabular overview of urban villas, accompanied by a description of the applied evaluation methodology, a verification of the level of authenticity and integrity of each villa, and recommendations for their protection and preservation

Action placemaking in Belgrade, Serbia: gardening as a game-changer of an adaptive urban system

Urban gardens have an important role in reconnecting nature and urban environment since their notion is related to culture and everyday life. Focusing on the Belgrade area of Donji Dorcol, the paper examines the application of the urban gardening approach, based on the synergy of dwelling culture and specific social and cultural needs of local inhabitants. Urban gardens in Belgrade are developed spontaneously (often illegally) as self-organized citizens’ acts. Nevertheless, they promote the values of an active relationship between users and immediate residential surrounding, contributing to the overall comfort of residents and their attitude toward the living environment. Also, urban gardens are not only the places for producing food in financially challenging times, but, above all, the specific nodes associated with socialisation and a “sense of home”. Recognising the benefits of urban gardens, while raising the awareness of this concept in a city, influences the upgraded perception of urban green infrastructure. Consequently, the effects of the action placemaking directed to the future creation of new garden spots could benefit the city on several levels - from the improvement of landscape quality, to the (co)creation and elaboration of an Adaptive Urban System for Belgrade

Unpacking the Nexus – A Narrative Exploration of Infrastructural Landscapes [abstract]

Where the natural and the infrastructural converge, newly delineated territories emerge as hybrids. Infrastructure of the 21st century dissolves the liminality of the natural-artificial notion. This paper investigates the role of infrastructure in redefining the natural within the landscape and its position in shaping and sustaining new territories. This approach positions architecture as a medium and a complex system that generates new social, ecological, and technological relations. The concept of territory within contemporary architectural discourse is further examined through the operationalization of natural landscapes, resulting in the creation of a multi-layered landscape, where relational and experiential interactions unfold, further expanding the scope of the discussion. From a perspective of relational ontology, this paper views natural landscapes as a result of their interrelations rather than inherent properties, analysing how infrastructure generates new territories that become social constructs. Using a research by design methodology, this paper leverages student projects as experimental cases to understand transformations, exploring the relationships established by infrastructural interventions in natural scapes. Narrative spatial analysis is employed to investigate how infrastructures interact with natural landscapes and which new forms of hybrid territories could emerge through this process. The methodological framework demonstrates how a holistic, multi-scalar approach to analytical mapping can be employed to offer a deeper understanding of how infrastructures redefine ecosystems, reshape landscapes, therefore territories, and open space for new social, ecological, and technological interactions in contemporary contexts. Positioning itself into a wider scientific scope, this research investigates the capacity of infrastructures to support positive development of future cities by addressing the interdependencies between nature and infrastructure

Aesthetic Theories and their Paths in Architecture: Milutin Borisavljević and his Scientific Approach to Aesthetics of Architecture

Aesthetics as a philosophical discipline emerged in the 18th century, though key aesthetic questions were already present in its pre-philosophical phase in antiquity. The task of separating architectural aesthetic thought from the broader development of philosophical aesthetics remains largely unfinished, with few architects having addressed it directly. One of the pioneers in this area was Milutin Borisavljević, who, in the 1920s, earned his doctorate at the Sorbonne in Paris in the field of aesthetics. Borisavljević focused on the aesthetic experience of architecture and laid the foundation for studying aesthetics of architecture on scientific grounds. While philosophical aesthetics maintained a speculative and deductive research apparatus, Borisavljević’s approach prioritized experimentation as the most reliable and objective method. He developed an original aesthetic framework grounded in experimental psychology, visual perception physiology, and neurological studies. In his exploration of the aesthetic experience of architecture, Borisavljević paid particular attention to phenomena such as harmony, composition, rhythm, proportion, symmetry, and asymmetry. Seeking to establish the laws governing the sensory experience of architecture, he remained faithful to the classical tradition of the École des Beaux-Arts, applying its principles in practice through numerous residential buildings and villas constructed in Belgrade between the two world wars. This paper examines the early formation of aesthetic thought beginning in antiquity, tracing the relationship between architecture and nature, as well as between architecture and human nature — a central focus of Borisavljević’s scientific aesthetics of architecture. The enduring challenge of defining criteria and rules for explaining architectural beauty and its sensory effects on humans continues to inspire, enriching the dialogue between engineering and art

Between Memory and Everyday Life: Urban Design and the Role of Citizens in the Management of the Memorial Park “October in Kragujevac”

The Memorial Park, “October in Kragujevac,” in addition to its memorial and symbolic value, is one of the largest memorial and landscape-designed city parks in Southeastern Europe. Methods of management, maintenance, landscaping, artistic design, construction, and space use by residents have changed over time. This research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods. Critical analysis of primary sources, mainly urban planning documents, is used to understand changes in management models and maintenance patterns. A survey was also conducted via a mobile application (Viber group: “City and Me KG”) among residents to assess their willingness to participate in managing and maintaining the space, as well as attitudes toward program content planned for specific areas. The first part outlines the urban development timeline of the Memorial Park and presents various models of management, maintenance, and use that arose due to historical events, government, and social systems. The park’s evolution relative to the city’s growth is depicted, showing its transition from peripheral space to the central urban park. The second part explores citizens’ interest in urban management and participatory design, along with attitudes toward possible changes to existing features and adding new elements for daily use, without compromising heritage, symbolism, or respect for victims. The survey also examines recognition of the park’s ecological microclimate and ecosystem functions within the city. The results suggest the potential for a new management strategy and creation of open urban spaces—landscape-designed memorial parks that meet community needs within cultural and ecological systems

Brownfields Data as a Spatial Resource for Urban Planning: A Banjaluka Case Study

In the post-industrial era, many cities have experienced the decline of traditional industries, leading to the widespread emergence of brownfields. Abandoned industrial sites represent a significant spatial resource, and their regeneration is considered an opportunity for sustainable urban development. Thus, spatial strategies for sustainable brownfield regeneration call for a thorough understanding of the spatial character and distribution of brownfields in a city. In the context of the City of Banjaluka (Bosnia and Herzegovina), this topic has not been researched, nor have brownfields been identified and mapped at the city level. Based on historical data and scientific literature, industrial brownfields in Banjaluka are mapped using available GIS data and further analysed to determine their spatial distribution and characteristics. This research shows an uneven distribution of agglomerated and dispersed brownfields within the city and the existence of various types of brownfields arising from their relationship with the city, their environment, and each other. The research contributes to the spatial characterisation of brownfields by defining a spatial analysis model based on the theory of industrial location. Moreover, the research affirms the need for more substantial consideration of brownfields in the urban and spatial planning process

Introducing the dataset for measuring centrality for sustainability - a case study of Pecinci municipality, Serbia

The paper presents a novel way of integrating data for sustainable planning of central activities at the spatial planning level. The method is demonstrated through a case study of the Plan of Central Activities for the Municipality of Pecinci, Serbia. The current theories and practices of planning central activities in Serbia primarily rely on functional factors of network flow. However, this approach aims to enhance the current practice of data utilisation for the sustainable development of central activities and integrative central places. This innovative approach considers a broader range of factors, such as economic vitality and social equity, to create a more comprehensive and holistic plan for central activities. By incorporating these additional dimensions into the planning process, the method offers a more sustainable and inclusive framework for future development in of central areas and their networks.This is the peer-reviewed version of the article: Tatjana Mrđenovic Research Associate Professor, Introducing the dataset for measuring centrality for sustainability - a case study of Pecinci municipality, Serbia, Data in Brief (2025), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2025.11171

Creative Industries for Rural Settlement Regeneration: A Case Study of the Village of Medna

While creative industries are typically associated with big cities, recent EU research shows that famous creative hotspots are located in rural areas. Creative industries serve an essential role in helping rural economies. Culture can play an important part, and so can offering creative courses in rural areas that are far from universities and cultural hubs. Rural areas boast a combination of natural and architectural heritage, which gives them an advantage in terms of quality of life and economic potential. Yet, most rural areas in Europe have been faced with economic, social and environmental problems, resulting in their devastation. The village of Medna is located in the Municipality of Mrkonjić Grad, the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This area has been continuously inhabited since pre-Roman times, as evidenced by many archaeological sites, the medieval stećci tombstone graveyards and the Prizren fortress. Also, the Roman Salona–Servitium road passed through the area. The village boasts fine examples of vernacular architecture, an important element of the local cultural identity. It is also known for its honey products and fruit brandy (plum, pear, apple). The area is faced with depopulation, a lot of the building heritage has collapsed or is derelict, and the extraction of ore in the village is leading to an ecological crisis. This paper deals with the possibility of rural regeneration of the village of Medna by identifying its potential and proposing innovation economic activities to ensure sustainable development. It presents a project done with architecture students of the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy at Banja Luka University. The case study of village Medna focused on the excellence of the preserved local cultural and natural heritage to identify the local resources – the area’s distinctive elements and characteristics – for creative economy stimulation. The Medna regeneration strategy involves raising the awareness of the local population about the value of the local heritage and disseminating this information to the wider community