This paper aims to explore industrial heritage of Belgrade that is located in the city center and therefore, has considerable potential for future architectural and urban development of the Serbian capital. The whole Belgrade riverfront area along the Sava and the Danube Rivers has a large number of abandoned industrial buildings that have significant value and need to be preserved and revitalized. This paper represents a research project conducted by lecturers at the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade in the course History and Theory 1—Visual Culture in Architectural Theory and Practice. In order to provide productive research, we have employed the case study method based on the old Mint “A.D.”, which we have chosen as a characteristic example of Belgrade’s industrial heritage architecture. An important goal of this research is to provide professional information and raise public awareness about the importance and potential of industrial heritage for the future economic, cultural, social and tourist development of the city. This paper analyzes possibilities to comprehend the problems of the city’s industrial heritage protection regarding its historical and urban context, its genesis, authenticity, identity, cultural, architectural, economic, social, productive, creative and environmental values. According to that, the main goal of this research is concentrated on the sustainable preservation of specific cultural tangible and intangible values, spirit of the place, city identity and historic cityscape values that characterize industrial heritage in the social, cultural, natural and built environmental systems.

Urban regeneration is often driven by economic interests, while the preservation of the meaning and memory of a place is neglected. This could be considered as a reason a series of civil initiatives emerged in Belgrade to prevent damage to the built heritage and to indicate the need for stronger citizen involvement in the city’s development processes. This paper will focus on the issues of the Belgrade waterfront industrial heritage protection process by exploring eleven case studies, observed through a framework that includes key actors in the protection process. In order to determine the level of citizen participation in this process, the degree of their activity was studied by analyzing the social media content through which they communicate about this particular topic. Furthermore, possibilities of different approaches in presentation and utilization of the abandoned industrial heritage will be investigated, in order to define common procedures that will be in line with the city development goals, citizen expectations and heritage protection measures.

The industrial heritage of the city of Belgrade is the focus of this research, which highlights the possibilities of preserving industrial heritage from the perspective of a contemporary context and sustainable development. Guided by theoretical principles on the preservation of cultural and industrial heritage, their values, authenticity and spirit of place, as well as the idea of the necessity of integrating industrial heritage into the contemporary context, this paper aims to examine the possibilities for the preservation of industrial heritage following theoretically established principles, with the introduction of new uses and sustainable solutions. The analysis of the case studies of Belgrade’s industrial heritage presented in this paper results from research conducted by the teachers, associates and students of the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture. The research focuses on the possibilities of translating the principles of preserving cultural and industrial heritage from their theoretical definition to practical application. The students’ conceptual solutions for protection, revitalisation and presentation of the analysed case studies represent the research results. An important aspect of this paper is defining the criteria for valorising students’ conceptual solutions, which are aligned with the principles of preserving cultural heritage and establishing sustainable development. The valorisation of students’ conceptual solutions through a defined set of criteria indicates real possibilities for the simultaneous preservation of all the values of industrial heritage and its transformation into a social, ecological and economic resource of the contemporary city.

In 2006, the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Committee inscribed four Serbian medieval shrines from Kosovo and Metohija on the World Heritage List, in danger due to difficulties in their preservation and management, as well as the damage they suffered during ethnic conflicts, namely: the Church of Bogorodica Ljeviška in Prizren and the Peć Patriarchate, Dečani and Gračanica monasteries. In accordance with United Nations Resolution 1244, they are currently under the control of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and Metohija. However, in addition to these monuments, the cultural and demographic identity of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija is illustrated by over 1,500 established cultural assets (monasteries, churches, cemeteries, etc.) that testify to the centuries-old presence of the Serbian people and Orthodox faith in this area and their material and spiritual culture, as works of the overall European cultural heritage created in the intertwining of the influences of Eastern and Western Christianity and culture. The inclusion of these four cultural assets of great importance for Serbia in the international system of protection and monitoring has led to initiating the consideration of a comprehensive and long-term view of cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija at the international level as a key element in establishing better cultural and overall relations between Serbs and the Albanian population. The paper discusses the problems and possibilities of improving the protection and presentation of World Cultural and Natural Heritage in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the expansion of the list, through the integration of international, national and local protection, and understanding of this area as a specific cultural landscape. Presenting the value of the heritage as a comprehensive cultural landscape which combines natural tangible and intangible aspects, as well as the organization of cultural, educational and other activities, would encourage respect for the diversity, integrity and identity of others, which is an unavoidable condition in the process of European integration currently opposed by ethnic groups.

The City of Belgrade is situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube. Accordingly, this geographical position has strongly shaped Belgrade's strategic and geopolitical significance, as well as its identity. In the last two decades, the development of several mega-projects in the area of Belgrade waterfront has had a negative impact on the cultural heritage of Belgrade and its historical cityscape, affecting its urban morphology and typology. The reason for this is that urban regeneration is most often driven by economic interests, while the preservation of meaning and the memory of a place are neglected. Along with these processes, several civic initiatives have emerged that aim to prevent damage to the built heritage and to indicate the need for stronger involvement of citizens in the city's planning and development processes. In order to discontinue the tendency of being driven by economic interest and demonstrate a will to achieve further sustainable development, it is necessary to redefine the procedure for protecting valuable cultural heritage. This could be achieved by creating a new approach to protecting cultural heritage in the domain of urban design and planning, taking into account all the values, tradition, authenticity and identity of a place. Accordingly, the paper will focus on the issues of protecting Belgrade's waterfront heritage, its historical and urban context, its genesis, and its cultural and architectural characteristics. Furthermore, the possibilities for different approaches to the presentation and modern utilization of the abandoned and ruined waterfront heritage will be investigated, in order to define new, common procedures that will be in line with city development goals, citizen expectations and heritage protection measures.

The Roman Limes, the former natural border of the Roman Empire, has been recognized as a cultural landscape with exceptional universal values of international importance by the relevant organization for the protection of cultural and natural heritage - UNESCO. The Danube River is an integral part of the Roman Limes, a testimony to the culture and traditions of the peoples who lived on the banks of the Danube, as well as cultural heritage in general. Within the part of the Danube River that passes through the Republic of Serbia, the Djerdap segment stands out. It includes sites of different historical periods (prehistoric, ancient and medieval) and is significant cultural heritage on an international level. However, most of the sites are underwater as a result of the construction of the Djerdap Hydroelectric Power Plant. Consequently, insufficient access to its cultural heritage has led to its insufficient presentation and promotion, but also a lack of information about the existence of the cultural heritage. Therefore, the main goals of this paper are to spread knowledge about Djerdap's cultural and natural heritage, to promote its importance, to identify potential for integrating the cultural heritage into contemporary trends through the affirmation of cultural routes, and to establish sustainable development of the cultural landscape. The results of the research are presented through an urban architectural project that represents the sublimation of critical attitudes formed with regard to the protection, presentation and promotion of cultural heritage. The project draws from a literature analysis, case studies and examples of good practice relevant to the research. The expected results of the research include raising awareness of the importance of Djerdap's cultural heritage through promoting a cultural route and forming a potential model for the use of its cultural heritage in the process of establishing sustainable development of the cultural landscape.