Revitalizing Zagreb

Transforming Former Industrial Sites into Vibrant Urban Hubs

Zagreb Tram (Image courtesy of Theorivierenlaan at Pixabay)

There’s always a lot of noise about the need to build upon brownfield sites. Zagreb shows what can be achieved.

Zagreb, Croatia's capital and largest city, has undergone a huge urban transformation in the post-socialist era, leveraging the redevelopment of former industrial sites, the brownfield sites, as a cornerstone for regeneration.

These sites are remnants of the city's heavy industrialization during the socialist period. They were once engines of economic growth but became symbols of decay following the 1990s transition to democracy.

By thinking deeply about what to do with these areas near the city center, Zagreb has addressed longstanding urban challenges while fostering sustainable growth.

The city of Zagreb faced many challenges, but the upside has been huge including urban coherence and livability.

Challenges Faced by Zagreb

Zagreb's urban landscape was shaped by rapid industrialization in the mid-20th century, when the city became Yugoslavia's premier industrial hub. However, the collapse of socialism in the early 1990s, coupled with the Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995), triggered deindustrialization, economic instability, and social upheaval.

Former factories and warehouses near the city centre, which had been strategically located for rail and road access, fell into disuse, leaving contaminated brownfields that blighted neighbourhoods.

Key challenges included environmental contamination from heavy metals and chemicals, which posed health risks and deterred investment (Sumpor, 2009). Economically, unemployment soared as industries shuttered; by 2000, Zagreb's industrial sector had shrunk by over 40%, exacerbating poverty in peripheral areas (Cavić & Tvrdy, 2014).

Socially, the war displaced residents and fragmented communities, while urban sprawl strained infrastructure, leading to disconnected east-west transit links. Politically, the transition diminished state oversight, empowering private investors but resulting in sporadic, profit-driven development without cohesive planning (Cavić & Tvrdy, 2014).