Implementing the concept of Albergo Diffuso through urban planning: the case of “venac” historic core in Sombor, Serbia

Abstract

‘Albergo Diffuso’ is an innovative concept in urban planning and design, where a hotel is dispersed through urban fabric, usually occupying several historic buildings under one ownership in a smaller community – village, town or small city. In this way, Albergo Diffuso enables their guests to easily participate in local urban life. The roots of the concept are were related to the urban decline of small historic settlements in Italy in the late 20th century. Hence, this concept belongs to international efforts to regenerate small shrinking cities as a new normality in urbanisation. However, two concepts – Albergo Diffuso and shrinking cities – have not been adequately interlinked; usually the physical aspect (‘design’) of Albergo Diffuso has been in spotlight. The other important issues, such as the adaptations of local urban planning and regulative documents and their impact on local property market have not been properly considered. This is the presentation of one such attempt in the City of Sombor in northwestern Serbia. Sombor ‘old town’, known as “Venac/Coronet”, is under state protection as the best-preserved core of any medium sized city at national level. Nevertheless, the relative isolation of Sombor from major communication corridors has caused its significant economical and demographic shrinkage last decades. The recent development of cultural tourism along the nearby Danube has slowed this process, but it has also imposed new challenges for the urban heritage of Sombor, such as a collision between developing property market and the aforementioned protective measures for local heritage. One of the efforts of local authorities to mediate this is to create a new urban plan for “Venac”, where local urban experts propose innovative measures, including regulations for Albergo Diffuso projects. The aim is to explain work on this plan and expected effects on urban development and local property market. The Sombor case is even more important, as it can be a national pilot to address sustainable tourism development in shrinking cities.