The Evaluation of Urban Renewal Waterfront Development: The Case of the Sava Riverfront in Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract

Belgrade is the only capital in the world at the confluence of two major international rivers navigable for global shipment—the Danube and the Sava River. However, it was only after the unification of all riversides within Yugoslavia in 1918 that Belgrade started to develop its riverfront; initially, as green recreation areas during the socialist era. Since the post-socialist transition, this trajectory has sharply changed in order to create new urban nodes along the riverfront. The best example is the newest project of the urban renewal of waterfront development at the Sava River, the “Belgrade Waterfront Project.” This mega-project has sparked a lot of attention. The aim of this research is to present, evaluate, and spatially determine this attention before and after the project inauguration. This observational study is conducted by using two methods from social discourse: a survey, as a traditional method, and analysis based on social network data (Twitter) as a newer, “smarter” one. Comparing and mapping their results, this research offers recommendations on how to harmonize and modernize the development of this crucial potential of Belgrade.