Zagreb's central districts see least investment due to density, focus shifts to markets and green spaces

Zagreb's central districts, Gornji and Donji Grad, have experienced the least capital investment because of their dense populations and lack of space for major new construction or infrastructure projects. Dunja Mazzocco Drvar, head of the City Office for Economy, Ecological Sustainability, and Strategic Planning, explained this during a Večernjak tribune event.

“

Gornji and Donji Grad are parts with the least capital investments because the population density is high, there are no areas for building large capital projects or new infrastructure.

Despite the constraints, the city is prioritizing the modernization of its markets. This includes a new management strategy for city markets, developed through a participatory process involving citizens. Some markets, like Branimirova, have suffered damage from earthquakes and long-term neglect, prompting plans for architectural competitions to redesign them. The goal is to give markets a new life beyond their operating hours, incorporating citizen suggestions.

Another significant project is the greening of Kvaternikov trg. The square is undergoing reconstruction to become a more pleasant public space, aiming to replace its concrete appearance with abundant greenery. This initiative seeks to create an inviting area where citizens can relax without necessarily needing to visit cafes.

“

One of the biggest things we are doing is focused on city markets. This is a new strategy for managing city markets, which is an intensive participatory process, we involve citizens a lot in thinking about what markets should look like in the future.

Looking ahead, Mazzocco Drvar highlighted the ongoing work on a waste management model, introduced in recent years. This model is considered fairer as it charges residents based on the amount of waste they produce, rather than the size of their living space. The system encourages waste sorting at the source and specialized collection, contributing to waste reduction and increased recycling rates. Additionally, the city is implementing measures to combat climate change, including extensive greening and tree planting across the city.

“

It is a big step forward that happened in the last few years. We introduced a new model that is much fairer for citizens because it relates to charging for waste based on the quantity of waste disposed of, not as before based on the square footage of the space they live in.