PERSPECTIVES ON SUSTAINABILITY: CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF ZAGREB

UNIC City Lab “Perspectives on Sustainability: Case Study of the City of Zagreb” was organised by UNIC Centre for City Futures, University of Zagreb, in cooperation with Alberto Quintavalla, Renée Knoop, Deniz Karagoz from Erasmus University Rotterdam. The City Lab was held from 18 – 20 May 2026. It was delivered through an interdisciplinary programme dedicated to sustainability, circular economy, climate resilience, collaborative governance, and sustainable urban development. The programme brought together representatives of the University of Zagreb, the City of Zagreb, research institutions, and civil society organisations through expert lectures, workshops, interactive discussions, field visits, and experiential learning activities.

Programme Monday, 18th May 2026.

13:00 – 17.00 Location: ZG Forum, Gajeva 27 Welcoming speech from CCF co-director Assistant Professor Ivana Carević, PhD, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering Green public procurement and circular economy in the Croatian construction sector

Assistant Professor Domagoj Nakić, PhD, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering Sustainability and Circular Economy Research in Civil and Environmental Engineering — From Wastewater Treatment to Construction Materials Discussion

Tuesday, 19th May 2026. 9.30 – 12.00 Cycling experience Zagreb Greenway project City of Zagreb, City Office for Municipal Self-Government, Transport, Communal Services, Civil Protection and Safety Hosts and guides: Marko Velzek Description of a route: Start: Savski most at 9:30, End: Branimirova 71b. Route will follow River Sava with views of the three bridges that are essential for urban mobility. Cycling with three stops will last 60 to 90 minutes Section 1. Savski most – sculpture „Noge“ (500 m), example of a Flower meadow project Section 2. Sculpture – Most slobode app 1500 m. Short stop and picture of the bridge and the Sava River Section 3. Most slobode – Most mladosti, app..2000 m End of the constructed part of the Greenway cycling route. Cyclers will be able to compare the old and newly renovated appearance of the embankment crown Section 4. Most mladosti – Branimirova 71 b (parallel to Marin Držić avenue) – 3000 m Section 5. Section of the constructed part of the Zagreb – East cycling route (under the railway overpass) – 1200 m in one way, 2400 m for return

14.00 – 16.00 City of Zagreb and Society for Sustainable Development (DOOR) Presentation of the Horizon project JUST4CARE – JUSTice for Communities Adaptation and REsilience: Workshop on Building a Climate-Resilient City

Miljenka Kuhar, Executive Director, Society for Sustainable Development (DOOR)

Ana Jukić, City of Zagreb, City Office for Social Protection, Health, War Veterans and Persons with Disabilities Location: ZG Forum, Gajeva 27

16.30 – 18.30 City Lab on collaborative governance, post-industrial cities, and sustainability. The session is organised as a teaching-oriented interactive format combining guided discussion and group work. REPIC joint study programme students and EUR students, with the guidance of professors of law and architecture, discuss selected themes from their research and reflect on their sustainability aspects. Location: Faculty of Architecture, Fra Andrije Kačića Miošića 26, room 221.

Facilitators:

Associate Professor Kristina Careva, PhD, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architectural Design

Associate Professor Teo Giljević, PhD, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Department of Administrative Science

Professor Goranka Lalić Novak, PhD, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Department of Administrative Science

Associate Professor Rene Lisac, PhD, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architectural Design

Associate Professor Tijana Vukojičić Tomić, PhD, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Department of Administrative Science

Wednesday 20th May 2026.

9.30 – 10.30

Green projects of the City of Zagreb

Barbara Tomičević, City of Zagreb, City Office for Municipal Self-Government, Transport,Communal Services, Civil Protection and Safety Location: ZG Forum, Gajeva 27

10.45 – 12.00 Field visit Green courtyards

Visit to several courtyards in historic urban core as part of ActGreen project Hosts and guides: Associate Professor Iva Rechner Dika, PhD, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Division of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Nebojša Ivančević, City of Zagreb, Senior expert advisor