Planning Capital Cities

districts designed in line with the mixed-use principle,

an urban density and architectural accomplishments

which would improve Belgrade’s appearance and

significance.^60 The plan envisages the construction

of residential and commercial buildings, objects

for cultural facilities, a congress centre, a school, a

nursery and a hotel. The main landmark of the area

would be a 250 meters high skyscraper, symbolising

the meeting of the two rivers.

The City Parliament adopted a Detailed Regulation

Plan for an area of 470 hectares in Ada Huja in

accordance with the Spatial Program for the territory

in December 2012. For zone A of 95 hectares the

following is planned: a radical transformation of

the area from predominantly commercial purposes

to central functions, i.e. an extension of the existing

central zone of the City to the Danube’s riverbank, the

spatial and functional integration of the area into the

urban fabric by constructing a new transportation and

infrastructure network, the development of integrated

uses of the urban centre, and the repairing, improving

and protecting of the environment as well as the

creation of conditions for achieving the environmental

standards of the new “city waterfront” according to

the principles of sustainable development.^61

However, despite the high quality approach which was in line with the

contemporary town planning principles, the main goal of the project and its

owner was to offer big investment possibilities to everyone interested in investing

in the location.^62 The main subject of attention of the media and the public was

the controversial privatization of the Port of Belgrade and not the quality of the

project. Although a large number of planning prerequisites for the continuation

of the project were determined, an unresolved situation with the ownership

of land and the significantly reduced interests of the new government elected

in May 2014 currently put aside the project. Since it is not actual it cannot be

classified into any of the Anholt’s categories, but it could be characterised as a

solid base for a successful urban development.

The Ada Bridge is a segment of the Inner City Semi-Ring Road (ICSRR) directed

around the city, the central parts of New Belgrade and Zemun. It could be found

in the first version of the Belgrade Spatial Plan for 2021.^63 It is marked as one

of the priority projects of the City of Belgrade Development Strategy defined

as an inner main road semi ring, stage I, with a bridge across Ada Ciganlija. For

the purpose of the project, the Urban Institute of Belgrade developed a Plan of

Detailed Regulation that was adopted in September 2007.

Belgrade: The quest for the desired city image

Fig. 12
The project “City on Water” by Daniel Libeskind Studio urban
design. (Belgrade Port Company)