Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.59.2.1
Post-earthquake Renewal of Zagreb’s Donji grad from the Perspective of Tenants
Anđelina Svirčić Gotovac
orcid.org/0000-0001-9462-0734
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia
Jelena Zlatar Gamberožić
orcid.org/0000-0002-5835-3744
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia
Mirjana Adamović
orcid.org/0000-0002-2132-9345
; Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
After the earthquakes that hit Zagreb and Petrinja, the post-earthquake reconstruction and renewal
of apartments and buildings became a key topic in the City of Zagreb and in the area of
central Croatia. In the process of planning the post-earthquake rehabilitation and renewal, the
involvement of residents is emphasized as one of the key factors of its success. Bearing that in
mind, the research was conducted using the qualitative method of semi-structured interviews
on a sample of apartment owners and representatives of co-owners in Zagreb’s Donji grad
(N = 27). The paper presents the respondents’ opinions on the type of sustained damage and
difficulties they encounter regarding the efficiency of the city and state government institutions.
The research further indicates the problems within the buildings, including insufficient
maintenance fees and (dis)satisfaction with the representatives of co-owners and managers
of the buildings. The results show that the rehabilitation of buildings is slow and the whole
renovation process is not in line with the expectations of respondents. Despite subsidies and
the adoption of the Reconstruction Act, tenants will have to rely significantly on their own
finances, despite the co-financing opportunities. Regarding the project of the complete city
centre renewal after the earthquake, residents expect careful planning that combines residential
and commercial development, balances the old and the new and preserves the city identity.
They also expect the renewal that contributes to sustainable living conditions in the city centre,
meets the citizens’ needs and raises the quality of living, avoiding the increasingly radical
processes of touristification, apartmanisation and emigration from the city core.
Keywords
urban renewal; post-earthquake reconstruction; city centre; interviews; Zagreb
Hrčak ID:
265435
URI
Publication date:
12.11.2021.
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