CHALLENGES

Budva is a historic town on the coast of Montenegro, which is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Tourism is also the most important sector in the city’s economy, but its development is overshadowed by summer congestion and infrastructural deficiencies. The XXI. By the turn of the 20th century, mass tourism transformed the coastal image of the city: huge hotel complexes, dramatically different from their surroundings, were built, far surpassing the character of the medieval old town in scale. Budva has increasingly lost its uniqueness and is threatened by the facelessness of mass tourism.

In 2022, the city was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture, and in preparation for this, an international design competition was launched to rethink the built and landscape environment and image of the coast.

CONCEPT

NEW IDENTITY / In our tender work, we aimed to formulate Budva’s new identity and improve the quality of tourism, but it was also particularly important that the city remain livable and accessible to its residents. With our thesis, the XX. In the second half of the 20th century, we went back to the period of “proportionate tourism” characteristic of the area and formulated the following goals for this:

• MARK / A new identity worthy of Budva’s history and position marks it on the cultural map.
• CONNECT / To return the coast to the city dwellers in everyday use, to strengthen the connection between the city, nature and local residents.
• BALANCE / Increasing tourism without increasing crowding, by extending use in time and space.

MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN

The coast of the bay stretches like a regular curve in the geographical space of the city, and we strengthened its distinctive appearance in our plan both in a symbolic and physical sense. The curve of the bay and the opposite island were turned on and completed into a circle – which was thus suitable for stringing together the environmental, usage and cultural layers to mark (MARK), connect (CONNECT) and balance (BALANCE).

CIRCLE: BALANCED USE IN TIME AND SPACE

• spatial extension of the use of the beach: by increasing the power of the less frequented coastal areas, overused places can be relieved, the extension of the promenade gives the opportunity to explore previously unused places

NEW IDENTITY: CULTURAL PROMENADE

• the cultural promenade extends the cultural functions and contents present in the old town to the entire area
• new magnets: attractive attractions at the landward ends of the boardwalk / the Ship Museum commemorates the period of the Venetian Republic, the maritime museum and diving center draws attention to Budva’s special coastal and natural location

GREEN RIBBON: INTEGRAL MOTIF ON THE COAST

• coordinated visual image on the coast: a visual image based on traditions, a promenade that is renewed in both its green and built elements connects and balances the different areas
• the coverings feature a public space design inspired by the folk textile treasure, thus elevating the local folk culture into the contemporary space, a coordinated, uniform design that fits the given character

NEW URBAN AXIS: THE CONNECTION OF THE SEASIDE AND THE CITY

• urban connections: new elements of the pedestrian network ensure access from the city to the coast
• green and blue network: designation and reinforcement of green corridors, towards the mountains and along the coast

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In our plan, we were looking for a new character worthy of Budva’s history and reflecting the sunny, seaside location, showing cultural values and green, which simultaneously strengthens the traditional values of the city and gives it a new image, making it attractive to visitors and livable for the people who live there.