Original scientific paper
Actors of the Flower Square reconstruction in Zagreb
Anđelina Svirčić-Gotovac
orcid.org/0000-0001-9462-0734
; Institut for Social Research in Zagreb
Jelena Zlatar
orcid.org/0000-0002-5835-3744
; Institut for Social Research in Zagreb
Abstract
The case of the residential – business complex in Flower Square in Zagreb is interesting in
many ways. Actors involved in the project in 2007 and at the beginning of 2008 are analysed
in the discourse analysis of three daily papers (Jutarnji list, Večernji list and Vjesnik).
Briefly, the investor Tomo Horvatinčić presented his building project to the public at the
end of 2006. The project immediately generated a heated discussion about the building
and demolition in the square and two opposing parties emerged: those who supported
the whole project and those who were against it from the very beginning. Those in favour
of the project claimed that it was necessary to take care of the run-down buildings in the
centre of Zagreb and the project was in fact in the best interest of all citizens. Those against
emphasized a threat to the public space and public interest, traffic congestion, disregard of
cultural and historical heritage of the place. This polarization brought out the main actors
involved in the case of Flower square: they are political, economic, professional/expert and
civil society actors. The civil sector (Pravo na grad, Zelena akcija etc.) and some professionals
(architects, town planners, actors, sociologists and others) opposed demolition in
the square and organized protests. The impression prevailed in public that certain town
institutions and the Mayor of town Milan Bandić himself, strongly supported the project
from the start since the Master city plan changed several times. Eventually, the project was
somewhat modified due to the public and media reactions and the main investor even
“threatened” to give it up. Regardless of the final case scenario, the question remains: how
will this project, if finished, be incorporated into the centre of the city?
Keywords
Zagreb; Flower square; actors; public space; reconstruction; gentrification; discourse analysis
Hrčak ID:
24963
URI
Publication date:
5.6.2008.
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