# Urban ecology within multidisciplinary educative framework
[](https://hub.ufzg.hr/uploads/images/gallery/2024-09/logo-stoo2-1-no.png) | **Teaching (Today for) Tomorrow:** **Bridging the Gap between the Classroom and Reality** 3rd International Scientific and Art Conference Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb in cooperation with the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts |
##### **Tamara Zaninović1, Ana Sopina2, Bojana Bojanić Obad Šćitaroci3, Vesna Gulin Beljak4, Mirela Sertić Perić5** *University of Zagreb Faculty of Architecture1,2,3, Croatia* *University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science4,5, Croatia* *tmaric@arhitekt.unizg.hr* |
**Section - Education for sustainable development** | **Paper number: 35** | **Category: Preliminary communication** |
##### **Abstract** |
Urban ecology explores how living organisms, including humans, interact with each other and their environment in urban settings. It is an interdisciplinary field that connects biology, urban planning and other disciplines. This paper presents how urban ecology topics are integrated into educative framework of University of Zagreb through the methodology and results of collaboration between students and teachers of two faculties (Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, and Faculty of Architecture, Department of Urban Planning, Spatial Planning, and Landscape Architecture) of the University of Zagreb. This collaboration demonstrates the successful application of a multidisciplinary approach in teaching and learning, evolving into an inter- and transdisciplinary approach, underlining its importance in addressing the pressing challenges of sustainable urban development. The collaboration began in the 2020/2021 academic year with the introduction of the *Urban Ecology* elective as part of the Master’s degree programme in Environmental Sciences at the Faculty of Science, and linking its content with the *Design Studio III – Landscape Architecture* course, an integral compulsory component of the Bachelor's degree programme in Architecture. Over the course of four academic years (2020 - 2024), the teaching methodology evolved through the integration of multidisciplinary lectures and participatory efforts that involve local communities in the students' project development process. Students' projects focus on different sites within a common urban context, such as the New Zagreb neighbourhoods - an outstanding example of modernist and post-modernist urban planning in Zagreb, Croatia. The results of the student projects show the importance of integrating urban/landscape design and ecological solutions. The projects have demonstrated how such integration can improve urban liveability and sustainability. The success of this collaborative framework is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and highlights the value of a multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary approach to planning sustainable urban solutions. |
***Key words:*** |
interdisciplinary; exhibitions; project-based learning; public space; Zagreb |
Structure and organisation of semester | **Lectures** **UE + DS** | **Seminar ** **UE (FoS)** | **Workshops** **DS (FoA)** | **Exhibitions ** **UE + DS** |
SEMESTER PREPARATION BLOCK **September** | \_**meetings** with teachers and local community | / | / | / |
1. BLOCK - CONTEXT Introduction to the assignment **October** | \_**introduction lectures** – assignment presentation, urban development \_**field lectures** – teachers and local community | \_** selecting location ** \_definition of **research topic** \_interpretation of **good practices** | \_**selecting location** \_research of **location context** \_**theoretical background** \_interpretation of **project examples** | / |
2. BLOCK – CONCEPT Application of research topics **November** | \_**conceptual lectures** – landscape ideas, ecological and social aspects | \_**application **of research topic within the selected location \_**project programme** | \_**concept and programme** of wider urban landscape system | \_exhibition of **student projects posters from previous **academic year |
3. BLOCK – DESIGN SOLUTIONS **December and January** | \_**design lectures** – urban design, product design, materials and construction | \_preparation of **project seminar** \_**poster** finalisation | \_**conceptual landscape solution** of public space \_**poster** finalisation | \_**final presentations** with critics \_final presentation of **project posters** |
POST-SEMESTER BLOCK | \_**round table** on results of the New Zagreb series | / | / | \_**public exhibitions** in places of local communities and fairs |
**Series assignment** | ** ** | **New Zagreb East** ** ** | **New Zagreb South** ** ** | **New Zagreb West** ** ** |
**Local communities / neighbourhood** | Zapruđe, Utrina, Travno and Dugave | Utrina, Sopot, Siget and Trnsko | Kajzerica, Savski gaj, Lanište and Trnsko | |
**Academic year** | 2021/2022 | 2022/2023 | 2023/2024 | |
**Assignment aim** | Revitalisation of neighbourhoods & transformation of public spaces | Revitalisation & reaffirmation of crucial public spaces | (Re)connecting & transforming public spaces into places | |
**Assignment moto** | Heritage Revitalisation | Community Spaces | Slash city | |
**Assignment sites** | 4 neighbourhoods\* | 6 locations | 7 locations | |
**Number of students** | FoS = 5 FoA = 100 | FoS = 1 FoA = 132 FoAgr = 21 | FoS = 12 FoA = 101 | |
**Number of project proposals at the Faculty of Science (FoS) \_ Urban *Ecology course*** | 5 seminars 1 common presentation | 1 poster 1 seminar | 6 posters 7 seminars | |
**Number of project proposals at the Faculty of Architecture (FoA) \_ *Design Studio III - Landscape Architecture*** | 43 posters and booklets | 56 posters and booklets | 54 posters and booklets | |
**Number of project proposals at the Faculty of Agronomy (FoAgr) \_ *Urban Landscape Design* and *Studio 1 – Landscape Design*** | / | 25 posters | / |
** ** **Cohabitation between people and the natural world** ** ** 1 2 3 4 5 |
     |
1 project **Borderline**; authors: students Ema Kundić, Marta Lulić; ,2021/2022, New Zagreb East 2 project **Buzzing Park of Kajerica**; authors: students Katja Bukivć, Ana Erić; FoS, 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 3 project **Bird Oasis** in Kajzerica; author: student Maša Gošev; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 4 project **Vau Park**; authors: students Lana Majhut, Paula Mazerekić; , 2022/2023, New Zagreb South 5 project **Jungle EsoundScape**; authors: students Rahela Benčić, Paula Budija; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West |
** ** **Renaturalisation, natural based solutions, water sensitive approach** ** ** 1 2 3 4 5 |
     |
1 project **Dugave on water** – Renaturalisation of the invisible river; authors: students Magdalena Tusun, Antonia Vrdoljak; ., 2021/2022, New Zagreb East 2 project **Border**; authors: students Karla Klobučar, Jurica Koren; , 2021/2022, New Zagreb East 3 project **Restoring Wings to (River) Sava**; authors: students Dora Dubravac, Marija Meklav; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 4 project **Sava on Sava**; authors: students Mila Erceg, Ana Grgić; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 5 project **Time Layers**; authors: students Luka Šarić, David Štrbac; , 2021/2022, New Zagreb East |
** ** **Food production - urban gardens and food distribution - urban markets** ** ** 1 2 3 4 5 |
     |
1 project **Rail -** **Linear Garden System**; authors: students Tonka Ileković, Ana Imrović; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 2 project **South Park**; authors: students Karla Sabo, Petra Stepušin; , 2022/2023, New Zagreb South 3 project **tr** • **(g+žnica)**; authors: students Mario Miličić, Ana Maria Milić; FoA, 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 4 project **Savski G.A.J.**; authors: students Petra Bakotić, Emma Čović; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 5 project **Savski Gaj under Roof**; author: student Ria Ivandić; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West |
** ** **Educative parks and centres** ** ** 1 2 3 4 5 |
     |
1 project **Dispersed** **School**; author: student Damjan Borovina; , 2022/2023, New Zagreb South 2 project **Sava in Kajzerica – Educational park**; author: student Miha Jurić; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 3 project **The Magical World of Soil Biodiversity**; author: student Marija Dadić; 2022/2023, New Zagreb South 4 project **Spotstar**; authors: students Iris Antunović, Lana Bedrina; , 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 5 project **Waldorf Park**; author: student Ana Berać; ., 2022/2023, New Zagreb South |
** ** **Contemplative places and healing gardens** ** ** 1 2 3 4 5 |
     |
1 project **Step of the Senses**; authors: students Barbara Tomorad, Luka Žulić; FoA, 2021/2022, New Zagreb East 2 project **L****et's Listen the Park**; authors: students Dominik Feješ, Luka Dropuljić; FoA, 2021/2022, New Zagreb East 3 project **Secret Life of Emotions**; authors: students Antea Dujić, Iva Žaja; FoA, 2023/2024, New Zagreb West 4 project **Cosmos**; author: student Sandro Barić; FoA, 2022/2023, New Zagreb South 5 project **Utrine Narrative**; authors: students Kristina Milin, Petra Mihaljević; FoA, 2021/2022, New Zagreb East |
* * |
**Series assignment** | ** ** | **New Zagreb East** ** ** | **New Zagreb South** ** ** | **New Zagreb West** ** ** |
**Local communities / neighbourhood** | Zapruđe, Utrina, Travno and Dugave | Utrina, Sopot, Siget and Trnsko | Kajzerica, Savski gaj, Lanište and Trnsko | |
**Academic year** | 2021/2022 | 2022/2023 | 2023/2024 | |
**Assignment aim** | Revitalisation of neighbourhoods & transformation of public spaces | Revitalisation & reaffirmation of crucial public spaces | (Re)connecting & transforming public spaces into places | |
**Assignment moto** | Heritage Revitalisation | Community Spaces | Slash city | |
**Exhibitions with lectures for students** | Zagreb Society of Architects (DAZ) 2.-11.11.2022. | Zagreb Society of Architects (DAZ) 6.-10.11.2023. | Zagreb Society of Architects (DAZ) 4.-8.11.2024. | |
**Exhibitions organised by local communities** | / | April 2022 Museum of Contemporary Art (MSU) 27.5.2023. | Park Mladenaca, Q’ART 07.07.2024. | |
**Conferences, workshops/webinars and symposia** | Exhibition of selected 10 student posters (5 from Faculty of Architecture and 5 from Faculty of Science) with video presentation about the series assignments in New Zagreb called *Urban Ecology – synergy of biology and urban planning* at Science Fair, Technical Museum, Zagreb 22.–27.04.2024. | |||
Round table discussion where the idea and achieved multidisciplinary collaboration was explained with introduction to new series assignment (*Old New Zagreb – Ulica grada Vukovara*) at DAZ 8.11.2024. | ||||
Lecture on the series assignments and student’s projects with discussion at *Nexus Implementation: Potential and Opportunities*, 05.–06.11.2024. (online conference) |
[](https://hub.ufzg.hr/uploads/images/gallery/2024-09/logo-stoo2-1-no.png) | **Odgoj danas za sutra:** **Premošćivanje jaza između učionice i realnosti** 3\. međunarodna znanstvena i umjetnička konferencija Učiteljskoga fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu Suvremene teme u odgoju i obrazovanju – STOO4 u suradnji s Hrvatskom akademijom znanosti i umjetnosti |
**Urbana ekologija unutar multidisciplinarnog edukativnog okvira** **Urbana ekologija u okviru multidisciplinarne edukacije** |
##### **Sažetak** |
Urbana ekologija istražuje kako živi organizmi, uključujući i ljude, međusobno utječu jedni na druge i na svoj okoliš u urbanim područjima. To je interdisciplinarno područje koje povezuje biologiju, urbanističko planiranje i druge discipline. Ovaj rad pokazuje kako su teme urbane ekologije integrirane u edukacijski okvir Sveučilišta u Zagrebu kroz pregled metodologije i rezultata suradnje studenata i nastavnika dvaju fakulteta (Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet, Biološki odsjek i Arhitektonski fakultet, Katedra za urbanizam, prostorno planiranje i pejsažnu arhitekturu). Ova suradnja pokazuje uspješnu primjenu multidisciplinarnog pristupa u poučavanju i učenju, koji se postupno razvija u inter- i transdisciplinarni okvir, i naglašava važnost takve suradnje u rješavanju gorućih izazova održivog urbanog razvoja. Suradnja je započela u akademskoj godini 2020./2021. uvođenjem izbornog predmeta *Urbana ekologija* u sklopu diplomskog studija Znanosti o okolišu na Prirodoslovno-matematičkom fakultetu te njegovim sadržajnim povezivanjem s kolegijem *Studio 3 - Pejsažna arhitektura*, obaveznim kolegijem sveučilišnog prijediplomskog studija Arhitekture i urbanizma. Tijekom tri akademske godine (2020. - 2024.) metodologija nastave razvijala se kroz integraciju multidisciplinarnih predavanja i participativnih napora koji uključuju lokalne zajednice u proces razvoja studentskih projekata. Studentski projekti fokusiraju se na različite lokacije unutar zajedničkog urbanog konteksta, kao što su novozagrebačke četvrti, koje predstavljaju vrijedan primjer modernističkog i postmodernističkog urbanog planiranja u Zagrebu, Hrvatska. Rezultati studentskih projekata pokazuju važnost integracije urbanističkog projektiranja i ekoloških rješenja. Projekti su pokazali kako takva integracija može unaprijediti kvalitetu urbanog života i doprinijeti održivosti urbanih sredina. Uspjeh ovog okvira suradnje u skladu je s ciljevima održivog razvoja i naglašava vrijednost multi-, inter- i transdisciplinarnog pristupa u planiranju održivih urbanih rješenja. |
***Ključne riječi:*** |
interdisciplinarnost; izložbe; javni prostor; projektno učenje; Zagreb |