Planning Capital Cities

Abstracts

Eva Vaništa Lazarević

Urban regeneration tools (city branding) in Belgrade after the

democratic change in 2000 – social frame

The sociologic appearance of the present city shows its dark and gloomy side. The
consequences are reflected in the process of urban renewal and regeneration.
The urban regeneration as a method of sustainable development is seen
today through the prism of some definitely new and unusual characteristics.
The processes are affected, although in Europe as in Serbia, by a whirlpool of
sociological, ecological, economical and other changes, due to the period of
recession dating from the last decade of the 20th century till the even worse
worldwide economic collapse of 2008. In Serbia, the situation seems to be even
worse as the country is passing through the difficult transitional period and the
post-civil-war era. During the late 1990s however, some banks and investors
have tried to participate in financing some acceptable forms of sustainable
accommodation in order to launch into the regeneration of the city, but finished
rather unsuccessful.

Nevertheless, with the appearances of the first civil societies after the
democratic changes in 2000, the Association for Urban Regeneration is
established in 2004 as a non-governmental Organization, focusing on the
collaboration between the Municipality, the University and the investors/
sponsors. It is founded following the European model, as an interdisciplinary
expert team, ready to provide the process. The democratic changes in 2000
introduced some new society’s paradigms, but a critical professional mass ready
to leave the old, strongly centralized governmental position, isn’t yet reached.
The urban regeneration processes stay strategically in dependence from the
governance without involving some other possible actors like agencies, NGOs
and the public.