- Belgrade - European Metropolis, Transformations through Space and Time    692 kb by    Grozdanic, Milica | milica.grozdanic@urbel.com    Short Outline This paper examines the system of urban planning and development in Serbia in the period of transition (which is characterized by market economy and privatisation) and the actual Belgrade practice. Abstract City form is an expression of the spiritual, social, historical, spatial and physical continuity. If it is not exposed to physical destruction or devastation, it has a tendency of growth and development according to certain principles. In the center of this process is a man with his rational, emotional and creative nature. Not long since the practice of urban planning in Serbia has been not efficient. System of planning offered definitive ''picture'' of desirable city state, instead of urban planning and development as the process which should take place within its ''trajectories''. That is the way to include the factor of ''possibilities'', not only needs and wishes in the process of planning. It is important especially nowadays, in period of transition, which is characterized by market economy and privatisation. The idea of ''static'' plans has been pressing back by dynamic planning process. According to the achieved level of social reforms, we have been leaving practice of extensive urban planning towards urban renewal and reconstruction, in order to improve the human rights and the quality of urban ambient and environment. New method of urban planning should have to simplify the content of the plan and the procedure, also it should be more explicit, transparent, flexible, to establish continuity, better coordination among all the participants and to be selective and efficient in solving the main problems of development. The rational use of land as the rare and limited recourse, is one of the aims of planning. But, in practice those aims are not fully implemented, because of the real imperfections of urban legislation and regulation and personal weaknesses some of the participants in the process of planning and building, which sometimes, unfortunatelly, cause bad urban design and functions. The above assertions would be analysed and presented in the study according to the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Being situated at the intersection of the main roads between The East and The West where almost all European political, ethnic and cultural movements have been passing through, Belgrade is one of the oldest and the most destroyed cities in Europe. Researching experiences and messages from the past, through the various cultural and temporal layers, we aspire to affirm memory and to establish continuity in the process of urban regeneration and tranformation. Actual practice will be taken into consideration, in order to recognize the importance and responsibility of various participants which create physical structure and city form. Keywords continuity, dynamic planning process, urban regeneration, transformation, human rights Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2008: Urban Growth without Sprawl   Click to open the full paper as pdf document   Click to send an email to the author(s) of this paper