Between Memory and Everyday Life: Urban Design and the Role of Citizens in the Management of the Memorial Park “October in Kragujevac”

Aleksandra Djukic, Emilija Jović (), Jovana Stefanović, Lazar Mandić and Veroljub Trifunović
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Aleksandra Djukic: Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Bul. kralja Aleksandra 73/2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Emilija Jović: Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Bul. kralja Aleksandra 73/2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Jovana Stefanović: Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Bul. kralja Aleksandra 73/2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Lazar Mandić: PE Urban Planning—Kragujevac, Kralja Petra I St 23, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
Veroljub Trifunović: Independent Researcher, Moravska St 9, 34 000 Kraguuevac, Serbia

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-27

Abstract: The Memorial Park, “October in Kragujevac,” in addition to its memorial and symbolic value, is one of the largest memorial and landscape-designed city parks in Southeastern Europe. Methods of management, maintenance, landscaping, artistic design, construction, and space use by residents have changed over time. This research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods. Critical analysis of primary sources, mainly urban planning documents, is used to understand changes in management models and maintenance patterns. A survey was also conducted via a mobile application (Viber group: “City and Me KG”) among residents to assess their willingness to participate in managing and maintaining the space, as well as attitudes toward program content planned for specific areas. The first part outlines the urban development timeline of the Memorial Park and presents various models of management, maintenance, and use that arose due to historical events, government, and social systems. The park’s evolution relative to the city’s growth is depicted, showing its transition from peripheral space to the central urban park. The second part explores citizens’ interest in urban management and participatory design, along with attitudes toward possible changes to existing features and adding new elements for daily use, without compromising heritage, symbolism, or respect for victims. The survey also examines recognition of the park’s ecological microclimate and ecosystem functions within the city. The results suggest the potential for a new management strategy and creation of open urban spaces—landscape-designed memorial parks that meet community needs within cultural and ecological systems.

Keywords: memorial park “October in Kragujevac”; management models; participatory urban design; ecosystem approach; memorial park landscape design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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