Spatium

Editorial No. 53

Jasna Petrić — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Efficient, yet insufficient: Investigating Transit-Oriented Policies at the national level

Mohammad Hamed Abdi, Mahta Mirmoghtadaee — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The initial design concept of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) has emerged as a key urban policy to address urbanization challenges worldwide, drawing on an integrated transportation and land use planning approach. Although TOD policies are typically formulated at the local level, addressing related subjects such as parking and zoning codes, some governance systems elevate them to the national level to guide lower-tier policies. For instance, in Iran – a newcomer to TOD – a national TOD policy has recently been introduced as part of a TOD policy package. However, there remains uncertainty about the extent to which a national guideline can contribute to successful TOD implementation, support local tiers, and ensure the achievement of TOD goals. The present research aims to address this gap by shedding light on the Iranian experience through a qualitative approach. The findings indicate that a National Transit-Oriented Development Guideline (NTODG) is among the 'efficient' instruments available to governments for advancing TOD culture – particularly in developing-country cities as newcomers to TOD, where the integration of transport and land use faces numerous challenges. However, NTODGs tend to be “insufficient” on their own, as they must be coordinated with other related policies under a “stable” political system and planning framework to turn TOD aspirations into reality.

Resistance and engagement in mining communities: Experiences from Bor and Majdanpek (Serbia)

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Extracting resources without considering the needs of the local community and adequate environmental protection can deepen existing inequalities between social groups, creating opportunities for ecological conflicts. This, in turn, gives rise to various forms of activism opposing the exclusion of individuals and social groups from decision-making processes related to the management of natural resources. The first part of the paper explores the concepts of participatory, professional, and transactional activism. Additionally, the theoretical framework includes the concepts of environmental distribution conflicts and mining conflicts. These concepts will be illustrated through an analysis of mining areas in Eastern Serbia, firstly by providing a contextual overview of broader local community engagement in Bor and Majdanpek based on the analysis of secondary sources, and secondly by analyzing the results of a survey conducted with the residents of Bor and Majdanpek between July and September 2024 (N=300). In the concluding section, based on the contextual analysis and empirical findings, the sources of motivation and types of citizen engagement in Bor and Majdanpek are interpreted in relation to different conceptualizations of activism that may lead to social conflict expressed through collective action resisting mining activities.

Territorial capital as a driver of regional competitiveness: A theoretical framework

Andrea Andrejević Panić, Slobodan Cvetanović — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The paper analyzes contemporary theoretical approaches to explaining the elements of territorial capital, which are recognized as key drivers of improving regional competitiveness. Special emphasis is placed on the decomposition of territorial capital depending on ownership structure and materiality. The paper thoroughly examines the characteristics of the elements of territorial capital, with a particular focus on their contribution to the growth of regional competitiveness. The research is based on the application of descriptive economic analysis, enriched with visual representations that depict the concept of territorial capital and regional competitiveness. Descriptive analytical tools have enabled the precise description of the essential features of various components of territorial capital, while visual representations have further enhanced the understanding and interpretation of the core concepts investigated in the study. In the course of the research, classical and contemporary sources were utilized to analyze the nature and key determinants of endogenous growth, as well as the essence of the concepts of regional competitiveness and territorial capital. A specific methodological approach was directed towards the systematization and analysis of territorial capital categories, with typological research methods predominantly employed to achieve precise classification and interpretation of relevant components. The results of the research indicate that the improvement of regional competitiveness largely depends on the efficient and effective utilization of available territorial capital. The primary task of policymakers is to facilitate networking, cooperation, and coordination among entrepreneurial and other participants in developmental processes, with the goal of creating synergies that contribute to sustainable development and regional competitiveness.

Urban land use and the spatial targets of terrorist attacks in Maiduguri city, Northeast Nigeria

Abdullahi Babagana, Faisal Umar, AbdulMajeed Olaremi Shittu, Joy Joshua Maina — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This research investigated the relationship between urban land use and terrorist attacks in attack places of Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria – a city significantly affected by insurgency and urban vulnerabilities. Analysing 402 terrorist incidents recorded between 2010 and 2020, the research identifies critical correlations between land uses and attack types. Results revealed that tertiary institutions, motor parks, and Jumaat mosques were the riskiest facilities for bomb attacks, increasing their likelihood by 265%, 205%, and 218%, respectively, due to their capacity to attract large crowds and influence routine activities. Markets and schools were found to be key predictors of armed assaults. At the same time, facilities such as public offices, hotels, and recreation areas demonstrated resilience to bomb attacks, reducing their likelihood by 63%, 90%, and 79%, respectively, due to their controlled access and security measures. Notably, certain land uses, including markets and IDP camps, exhibited no significant correlation with bomb attacks, contrary to expectations. These findings highlight the critical role of urban planning in mitigating vulnerabilities by strategically integrating high-risk and resilient land uses. The study emphasized the need for urban planners and policymakers to incorporate counterterrorism measures into land-use planning to foster safer and more resilient cities in conflict-prone regions.

Continuous urban planning in the context of authoritarian neoliberalism

Vesna Teofilović — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The paper is dedicated to exploring the applicability of continuous urban planning as an existing instrument of urban planning to contemporary authoritarian-neoliberal tendencies. The aim is to illuminate, through a scientific-methodological approach, the extent to which urban planning is capable of adequately managing the changes manifested in the socio-spatial matrix of authoritarian neoliberalism using its decades-long developed instrument. The research focuses on identifying and analyzing aspects of continuous urban planning and authoritarian neoliberalism, based on relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical analysis of Belgrade context, which interpret the role and position of continuous urban planning in the challenges of the contemporary context of authoritarian neoliberalism. The research results show how the illuminated authoritarian-neoliberal mechanisms, principles and tendencies in urban development reshape the role and position of contemporary urban planning instruments, with potential directions for their improvement aimed at increasing the resilience of urban planning to contemporary societal challenges.

Reflections on climate change challenges in family house design

Munaza Parviz, Maroš Finka — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Climate change is increasingly influencing how residential spaces are designed and used. While much attention has been given to dense urban environments, single-family homes in suburban and rural areas remain largely absent from mainstream climate strategies, despite their significant environmental footprint. This paper introduces a conceptual framework for climate-resilient housing, built around four key strategies: adaptation, mitigation, prevention, and compensation. It takes into account not only technical performance but also the spatial, ecological and social dimensions of housing. The study applies a qualitative and interpretive research approach, combining typological building analysis, environmental performance data, and literature on sustainable planning. To explore how the framework might be implemented in practice, three European case studies are used: Vauban in Freiburg, BedZED in London, and Aspern Die Seestadt in Vienna. Each of these offers a distinct model of sustainable housing development and provides a valuable basis for comparative analysis. By connecting local housing typologies with broader environmental systems, the framework contributes to a more integrated understanding of how single-family homes can actively support climate resilience. The findings offer a foundation for developing more adaptive, resource-conscious and socially inclusive approaches to residential design.

Unpacking community-based architectural pedagogy: A systematic review of current scholarship

Muhammad Nelza Mulki Iqbal, Tanzil Shafique — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Community-based architectural pedagogy encompasses a diverse range of practices – such as live projects, design-build studios, participatory design, and service-learning – yet the fragmented terminology and varying theoretical underpinnings pose challenges to understanding its broader educational impact. This systematic review examines ninety-five peer-reviewed and Scopus-indexed publications from 2014–2024 to explore how various approaches address student learning and community participation. Using a mixed-method approach, we combine a systematic quantitative literature review (SQLR) with qualitative thematic analysis to identify five pedagogical orientations: Community-Driven & Participatory Approaches, Experiential & Design-Build Pedagogy, Sustainability & Resilience, Digital & Interdisciplinary Innovation, and Culture, Heritage & Pedagogical Frameworks. While some papers prioritize student learning or community impact, the majority pursue a balanced synergy between both. Furthermore, the review also identifies six recurring pedagogical strategies employed in community-based design education: hands-on fabrication, collaborative design, place-based learning, digital engagement, sustainable and regenerative design, and community-driven engagement. However, limitations such as tokenism, scalability, and digital access persist. Findings reveal a Western-dominated field, characterized by a concentration of projects and scholarship in the U.S. and European regions with limited representation from non-English contexts, although there is growing global interest. Future models should be able to prioritize longitudinal impact, equitable power-sharing, and scalable hybrid models. This study advances discourse on balancing educational goals with meaningful community engagement.