{"id":1375,"date":"2009-10-01T12:00:25","date_gmt":"2009-10-01T10:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stealth.ultd.net\/stealth\/updates\/?p=1375"},"modified":"2018-05-29T14:04:24","modified_gmt":"2018-05-29T12:04:24","slug":"cities-log","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stealth.ultd.net\/?p=1375","title":{"rendered":"Cities Log"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cities Log<\/em> is a chronology of spatial issues, depicting the often conflicting developments of post-Yugoslav and Albanian cities (Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Podgorica, Prishtina, Pula, Skopje, Tirana and Zagreb). It is based on a series of conversations made with professionals in the field of architecture and urban issues during several weeks of travel through cities in the region. Along eight topics (privatisation, real estate, clientalism, legalisation and legislation, building identity, infrastructure, the role of architects, and the struggle for collective space) Cities Log<\/em> depicts a rough section through the developments of these cities during a one year (Summer 2008 – 2009) period, set in the context of fast capital investments, newly emerging power relations and the challenges brought forward by new citizens engagement. STEALTH made the first edition of Cities Log<\/em> for the Tirana International Contemporary Art Biannual in 2009.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Cities Log at Hotel Dajti, Tirana International Contemporary Art Biannual.<\/p><\/div>\n

[struggle for common space]<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cities Log<\/em>\u00a0reads like placed between a crime scene investigation and an entertaining plot – however always touching upon the unfavourable reality of common interest today. While up until the 1990’s cities in the Western Balkans developed largely outside the mechanisms of the real estate market, today privatisation, clientalism, and the creative abuse of legal instruments seem commonplace in a context impacted by\u00a0wild\u00a0urbanisation and swift shifts of capital investments – set within the horizon of a neoliberal context.<\/p>\n

At the same time, in these same cities a counter force starts emerging that tackles specific cases of dominance of the urban space by privileged groups. Here and there inhabitants start organising themselves, civil organisations start turning their gaze to the city and journalists begin digging through the issues. With these first, uneasy struggles for common space taking shape, the fight for civil society and common interest is finally entering the physical domain of the city. This document features only a limited overview of urban issues from the period 2008-2010. However, it makes it obvious that the question – to whom belongs the city? – becomes increasingly relevant when the field of play – and indeed often literally the ground – in the city is drawn up and divided between various market forces, private interests, siding local governments and opposition forces.<\/p>\n