SUBURBIS: From Identification and Genesis to a Regeneration Model for the Banja Luka Periphery

The acceleration of urban processes is a reality of the 21st century, making the creation and disappearance of settlements increasingly complicated to track. The time available to address the consequences of metabolic transformations is becoming shorter. The approach through urban regeneration should provide the necessary degree of regulation and control over processes that can accommodate the individual aspect of planning, which is key to creating a successful, socially sustainable, and compact community. A strong community is fundamental to a sustainable and resilient environment.

Suburban forms of settlements, from their emergence to the present day, are the subject of many studies, primarily due to the complex issues of the phenomenon itself and the inexhaustible topic of what they can (or should) be. This study focuses on researching the results of the process of merging urban and rural patterns in urban peripheral zones, specifically the phenomenon of suburbs as the outcome of the transformation of previously established settlement forms. The aim is to find an adequate model for suburban regeneration, explored through literature and adapted to the local context of the Banja Luka periphery. There is a need for identification, clear nomenclature and classification of suburbis in order to get a clearer picture of what is the subject of the research. The significance of the research lies in a new perspective for observing these settlement forms and proposing an approach to regeneration that could also be applied in a regional planning context. Thoughtful regeneration (based on experiences and recommendations from the literature) should guide the settlement towards a meaningful completion of the city, a place with improved quality of life for its residents. A general regeneration plan for the settlement is proposed, with 6 recommendations, focusing on the City Garden project, which should include all the mentioned recommendations and connect the settlement with the city and other suburban settlements (ultimately contributing to the formation of a regenerated suburban layer).