Cultural Landscape Of Former Yugoslavia And Mediteranian Cities – Planning On Edges And Crossroads

Abstract

This research aims to open up a discussion about Mediterranean cities in the former Yugoslavia’s republics: Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia and Montenegro. Although located in different states, it is possible to trace historical underpins and cultural landscape that have shaped those cities for years – the tradition of a fortified city, the urban matrix, city structure, street proportions and local materials. The challenges that are set ahead planners are how to define universalities and similarities between those cities and yet to pertain authenticity and uniqueness of the very place when introducing new urban form into the urban matrix. Sensitive geopolitical situation and sociopolitical history on one side, and unique landscape and cityscape on the other, present main starting point for the research. The paper will briefly review the history of the development of several cities and consider its impact on planning and design practice. Those cities, although different in its scale and located on the edge of their own countries, are significantly closer to each other and banded by the Mediterranean sea. The focus of the project will be on researching how these various states treat its cultural heritage and on which goals and values they direct urban development. Analysis of above-stated relations could provide comprehensive insights into changes and challenges of the Mediterranean cities development’s trajectories and contradictions. This paper will argue for the value of understanding cross border understanding of cities, faced with various social and political contexts by recognizing their effects and benefits on urban development.