Park as the Basis of the City

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Park as the Basis of the City is a proposal for a new residential district in Podgorica, conceived as an extension of the existing urban fabric. The project addresses high-density housing by shifting focus from individual buildings to a shared spatial system, where landscape and infrastructure become the primary organizing elements.

Instead of treating open space as residual, the park is established as the structural core of the neighborhood. A continuous system of open spaces connects multiple residential blocks into a coherent urban entity, enabling both spatial and social continuity. This shared landscape operates simultaneously as public space, environmental infrastructure, and a framework for collective living.

The proposal introduces a model of coordinated development, where multiple stakeholders contribute to a unified spatial outcome. The park is not a final layer, but a foundational system that guides the positioning of buildings, circulation, and program, redefining the relationship between private and public space.

Water management plays a key role in shaping the landscape. A system of retention and recirculation integrates stormwater into the spatial experience, supporting irrigation, microclimate regulation, and seasonal variation, while making infrastructure visible and legible.

The architectural and landscape strategy responds to Mediterranean conditions through a balance of density, openness, and resilient vegetation. The project proposes a shift from a collection of buildings toward a collective spatial system, where the park becomes the fundamental infrastructure of urban life.