'Eco-Infill' as an alternative strategy for postindustrial landscape in the light of climate change: The case of Belgrade shipyard

Abstract

At this moment, and under the circumstances that surround us, we have recognized as a definite global challenge the problem of climate change, and in general, the ecological misbalance of cities. In an attempt to meet this challenge, we will try to discuss possibilities of implementing the 'Eco-Infill' strategy (fragments of nature incorporated into abandoned artificial environment) as a viable, somewhat 'alternative', urban development strategy. The contemporary matrix of the post-industrial urban landscape is dotted with large and small fragments of abandoned spaces, which need to be incorporated into the city texture. Belgrade is a city with a potential, one of the larger capitals of the region, standing on the threshold of the European Union and undergoing an intensive process of political, economic and social transition. Similar to other large cities, it was previously an industrial city, but is now increasingly relying on the tertiary sector, promoting itself through its geographical, morphological, and cultural advantages. The consequences of privatization during transition and an exceptionally long and difficult political and economic crisis produced Brownfield and other abandoned spaces of the city centre with a complicated proprietary-ownership status, and no realistic guidelines for a much needed regeneration of the city centre in terms of contemporary problems linked to ecological, social and cultural values. In this article, there is a tendency to define principles on which the transformation of these abandoned places is based on and to try to apply these strategies onto the Belgrade shipyard on the river Sava. If we accept the previously set general views, these spaces can become crucial in developing a strategy for mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Although these effects are primarily aimed at confronting climate change, they are bound to upgrade the quality of life and offer new life styles, potentially affecting all aspects of urban life, considering that most of the eco-infill we are talking about consists of active public space.

U ovom trenutku, i pod okolnostima koje nas okružuju, prepoznali smo kao globalni izazov problem klimatskih promena, i uopšte, ekološku neravnotežu u gradovima. Kao jedan od odgovora na ovakav izazov, predlažemo mogućnost primene strategije 'Eko-ispune' (fragmenti prirode inkorporirani u napušteno okruženje) kao održivu, donekle 'alternativnu', strategiju urbanog razvoja. Savremena matrica post-industrijskog urbanog pejzaža obiluje većim i manjim fragmentima napuštenih prostora, koje je potrebno uključiti u teksturu grada. Beograd je grad sa potencijalom, jedan od većih gradova u regionu, pozicioniran na pragu Evropske unije, ali istovremeno grad koji prolazi kroz intenzivan proces političke, ekonomske i društvene tranzicije. Slično drugim velikim gradovima, koji su ranije bili industrijski, sada se sve više oslanja na tercijarni sektor, promovišući sebe kroz geografske, morfološke i kulturne karakteristike. Posledice privatizacije tokom tranzicije i izuzetno dug i težak period političke i ekonomske krize proizveli su brojne braunfild i druge napuštene prostore u gradskim centrima i duž obala reka, koje karakteriše komplikovan vlasničko-imovinski status, pri čemu ne postoje konkretne smernice za preko potrebnom regeneracijom grada u pogledu odgovora na savremene izazove u vezi sa ekološkim, društvenim i kulturnim vrednostima. Ovaj rad definiše principa na osnovu kojih je moguća transformasati napuštene prostore. pri čemu kao studiju slučaja za ispitivanje mogućnosti primene ovih principa u Beogradu ispituje primer Beogradskog brodogradilišta na reci Savi. Ako prihvatimo prethodno postavljene opšte stavove, ovi prostori mogu postati ključni u razvoju strategije za ublažavanje efekata i prilagođavanje na klimatske promene. Iako su benefiti ovakvih intervencija prvenstveno usmereni na suočavanje sa klimatskim promenama, oni imaju za cilj i da unaprede kvalitet života, da ponude nove stilove života, i potencijalno utiču na sve aspekte urbanog života, s obzirom da je primenom'eco-infill' strategije nastaju aktivni javni prostori.