Rijeka is a city best described by the term heterogeneity. Its history is marked by an almost continuous growth and prosperity, it is a city developed impulsively, only having a few grand urban interventions, the impact of which has never gone beyond the city limits.
In the first part of the thesis, I analyse the development of Rijeka, a city that had experienced the power of urban planning only in the second half of the 20. century, when due to mass immigration caused by the exponential industrial growth, skyscrapers were introduced into the city's panorama. Their dispersion formed a collective identity that perceived industry as the heart of the city, but today, almost thirty years after its demise, these same buildings are a constant reminder of disillusionment. I recognize the importance of creating new districts, such as the Trsat university campus and the Benčić art district, however, I also believe that the aforementioned programs must be expanded beyond their borders if we want to implement them into the identity of the entire city.
The second part of the thesis focuses on current urban plans that are aimed at the revitalization and creation of a new identity of Rijeka as a city of a university and culture. Through the synthesis of both parts of the thesis, I summarize substantive conclusions – both about the understanding of the city and the importance of its decentralization in the process of forming a collective identity. I see the potential for further development of the educational and cultural programs within the renovation of a secession theatre located in the very city centre and in the upgrading its degraded surroundings. Programs including extracurricular activities aimed at a younger population are placed in the old theatre while the secondary school for art and design is located in another part of the site. Both buildings are connected through a public space, where parts of both programs meet. I aim to continue the idea of Rijeka as a city of culture.
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