Ana Maria Pacetti: Sparking Community Spirit

Ana Maria Pacetti’s “Sparking Community Spirit” delves into a layer of Zagreb that embodies a strong sense of community—interwoven throughout the Trnje municipality as an archipelago of planned, albeit unfinished, 20th-century modernizations amidst a landscape reminiscent of village life (see: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZSlSxbvK-U2oP9KRkHGvWm47wA2ZZFCO).

This area bears the marks of industrialization’s byproducts, with shanty towns nestled along the alluvial lands beside the meandering backwaters of the river Sava. Here, this condition is perceived as an opportunity to reconnect with nature, almost making one forget the over-urbanized surroundings.

An exploration of the area through an “uneventful walk” reveals spaces that break down the strict confines of private property, creating room for shared coexistence. These spaces facilitate neighborly conversations on balconies, courteous requests not to park in someone else’s spot, impromptu fruit picking from trees, or a spontaneous detour to gather vegetables from gardens. To emphasize this potential, a provocation is introduced, suggesting the implementation of temporary, low-cost interventions to be collectively constructed in public areas primarily occupied by cars or those that remain empty.