The Role of Identity in Shaping Resilient Open Public Spaces Surrounding Small Urban Streams

Abstract

Open public spaces surrounding small urban streams are faced with a growing number of problems in the last few decades as a result of climate change. Frequent floods and droughts made most of these areas non-functional, abandoned and devastated for the better part of the year. Majority of the spaces surrounding small urban streams currently are not capable to adapt and transform in accordance with new ecological challenges. In order to create public spaces that live year-round, it is necessary to design them according to principles of resilient design. The socio-ecological resilience, an interdisciplinary concept based in ecology, offers a conceptual ground for the principles for creation of resilient spaces, i.e. spaces that are resilient to the changes and utilize natural disturbances for the improvement of space. According to this concept, one of the most important qualities of resilience is preservation of identity in times of natural disturbances and recovery. In this paper we will analyse the question of identity of open public spaces surrounding small urban streams in the context of resilience, based on the case of watercourses in Belgrade. The goal of this research is to identify the elements that shape the identity of open public spaces and to determine their role in the future revitalization of these spaces, in order to realize year-round uniform quality of space.