Paper short abstract:

All spatial changes have primarily been the result of desires and objectives of various spatial actors. They may be individuals, groups or institutions who protect their own specific interests and values and offer every day life projects wishing to realize them.

Paper long abstract:

In the period of post-socialism and in the context of social transition, influenced by various trends, Croatia, along with other transitional countries, encounters numerous changes, both in its social structure and its space.

Urban renewal is originally a process that started in the sixties and the seventies of the 20th century and is connected to the preservation and reconstruction of the historical heritage. All spatial and social changes as well as urban renewal and urban regeneration are guided by the wishes and goals of various actors. They may be individuals, groups or institutions whose position in the social structure enables them to use the resources of the society at their will and protecting their own specific interests and values. Their acts produce a new, specific form of urban renewal, even though it may be completely out of context of the city. Hence a trend of overbuilding, loss of public space, unplanned building etc.

This paper is about spatial changes that have taken place in Zagreb in the last ten years through processes of urban transformation and urban renewal and examples of business towers and shopping centres built throughout that period. Problems of urban renewal and regeneration will be more closely observed in the period 2000-2009.

Research will be based on qualitative methodology, that is historical-comparative method which includes half-structured interviews with the actors and textual analysis of interviews.