Restless Cities: Lessons from Central Europe

Restless Cities: Lessons from Central Europe is a publication that reflects a year-long training programme of the Prague office of the Heinrich- Böll-Foundation focusing on understanding the political aspects of urban planning in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. It consists of four thematic chapters that offer introductions into each topic, short texts by selected invited experts, participants' views, and key learnings about sustainability and politics. The authors of the texts are not just the experts who con- tributed to the training programme, but also the participants themselves share their learnings and views herein. We hope this book will help readers to understand the o en-invisible areas where urban planning moves from the realm of expertise-only into the realm of political action and that it will inspire readers to further politi- cal learning and engagement.

Cooperation: Zdenka Lammelova

Client: Heinrich-Boll Stiftung, ev Prague Office

Published: autumn 2018

ISBN: 978-80-907076-9-6

booksMilota SidorovaSeptember 16, 2018Heinrish Boll Stiftungpolitics, policies, urban planning, urbanism, bratislava, budapest, prague, brno

Manual of Outdoor Advertising, Obchodna street, Bratislava, Slovakia

I have edited the first manual of outdoor advertising in Bratislava. The publication follows almost 3 years long process of community development along with more than a year long participator process on the topic of outdoor advertising in Obchodna street.

Client: Obchodna a okolie, ngo, The City of Bratislava

Published: May 2018

ISBN: 978–80–972849–1–6

You can download the publication here:

booksMilota SidorovaMay 16, 2018bratislava, outdoor advertising, manual, participation

Panenska and Surroundings Revitalisation, Study of Public Needs, Bratislava, Slovakia

From the fall 2017 until May 2018 we conducted a participatory process exploring needs and opinions of residents of Bratislava-Old Town in the area of Panenska and its surroundings. The study was used as a preparatory material for emerging Manual of Public Spaces in this district.

Cooperation: Punkt, ngo

Client: Bratislava - Old Town

Published: Spring 2018

study, urban planningMilota SidorovaMarch 4, 2018participation, bratislava, urbanism, urban planning

Obchodná Street Retail Study, Bratislava, Slovakia

The socio-economic retail study of Obchodna Street is the first of its kind in Slovakia and helps to identify key problems and potentials of this historically important shopping destination. The study was commissioned by the citizens' initiative Obchodna ulica a okolie (Obchodna Street neighbourhood) which brings together business owners and stakeholders with the aim to develop a long-term vision and coordinated concept for a new business improvement district in this part of the city.

The research combines qualitative and quantitative methods based on interviews with more than 120 businesses, providing an overview of the economic and social aspects of the street to inform and steer its future transformation. Engaging visual interpretation of key statistics is complemented by ethnographic profiles of selected businesses that capture the people and local character of this dynamically changing urban space. An audit of public space, access and movement help build up a holistic picture of the area's potentials.

Despite rapidly changing retail trends and new urban developments affecting the city, the study reveals that Obchodna Street has a good basis and realistic potential for positive transformation. The findings show resilience against shopping malls that aggressively expanded into central areas of Bratislava in 1990s influencing general consumer habits. The fact that almost half of the shops on Obchodna Street are independent is precisely its competitive advantage over generic experience offered by the shopping malls.

However, the content and spatial diversity of the retail offer is often negatively interpreted through formal inconsistency, lack of parking or lack of greenery. Paradoxically, diversity, inclusiveness and good public transport accessibility are fundamental qualitative parameters for long-term sustainability of this unique place.

Collaboration: Marko&Placemakers

Authors: Petra Marko, Milota Sidorová, Igor Marko

Published: November 2015