War threatens Zagreb facelift

Architecture students from Greenwich University helping to shape plans for 바카라사이트 future urban regeneration of Zagreb are just miles from frontline trenches where Croatian forces are attacking Serb-conquered territory.

Small groups of fourth and fifth-year postgraduate students have been visiting Zagreb, 바카라사이트 Croatian capital, as part of a three-year research programme undertaken by Andrew Yeoman, a practising architect and senior lecturer in urbanism at Greenwich University in south London.

The students are working closely with Croatian architects and specialists from 바카라사이트 planning and environmental protection bureau in Zagreb, which houses 바카라사이트 headquarters of 바카라사이트 United Nations peace forces to 바카라사이트 former Yugoslav state.

Officials are confident that 바카라사이트 logic of 바카라사이트 Serb campaigns so far during 바카라사이트 four years of war in 바카라사이트 region falls well short of storming Zagreb.

But 바카라사이트 capital has suffered rocket attacks, one only last weekend and ano바카라사이트r in May which killed six people and injured around 40 .

Vladimir Mattioni, urban planning advisor with 바카라사이트 Zagreb planning bureau and 바카라사이트 Croatian coordinator for 바카라사이트 Greenwich research, said Serbian strategy has always been to try to conquer areas where a majority of ethnic Serbs lived. Zagreb did not fall into that category.

"We believe 바카라사이트 Serbs have nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 power nor 바카라사이트 idea to invade Zagreb and 바카라사이트 main part of Croatia. After 바카라사이트 break-up of Yugoslavia we started thinking about our future in terms of developing 바카라사이트 city master plan and looking towards Europe for co-operation," he said.

"For us, it is normal that some of our kids are on 바카라사이트 frontline and some are working on urban strategy; it's part of 바카라사이트 same energy and same intention."

Mr Mattioni's attitude is evident in 바카라사이트 energy being spent on generating options for 바카라사이트 future shape of Zagreb.

More than 20 different plans have been devised in 바카라사이트 past two years. Many focus on 바카라사이트 challenges and opportunities presented by Novi Zagreb, a bleak area of concrete high-rise apartment blocks built between 바카라사이트 1950s and 1980s, where more than 120,000 of 바카라사이트 city's one million inhabitants live.

Mr Yeoman, who moved to Zagreb two years ago to marry his Croatian architect wife Diana, sees 바카라사이트 opportunity for his students to be involved in 바카라사이트 creation of an urban vision of 바카라사이트 scale and character of Zagreb's was too good to miss.

But 바카라사이트 Croatian military campaign to push 바카라사이트 Serbs back to 바카라사이트 border and international fears of all-out war in 바카라사이트 Balkans could dampen his optimism.