From Brownfield to Blue-Green Future
The Co-Innovation Lab at the former Sljeme meat-processing factory in Sesvete transforms a neglected post-industrial site into a living laboratory for sustainable urban regeneration. Through collaboration between city officials, researchers, students, local communities, developers, and civil society, the lab explores how NbS can drive climate resilience, improve environmental quality, and create vibrant public spaces.
Aligned with the objectives of the proGIreg project, which promotes urban regeneration with and for citizens, the lab focuses on using nature as a catalyst for change to reconnect people, ecosystems, and the urban fabric.
Co-innovation Lab 2 is a collaboration among the North West Croatia Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA), the City of Zagreb, the University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, and GDi LTD.
Nature as a Driver of Urban Transformation
The lab focuses on addressing urban heat islands, flash flooding, air pollution, and biodiversity loss by weaving nature back into the urban fabric. Integrated greening strategies and innovative stormwater management solutions form the backbone of this transformation.
Key interventions include linear park corridors and interconnected blue-green infrastructure, designed to cool the new Sesvete urban area, manage water retention naturally, support improvement of biodiversity, and create inviting public spaces for everyday use – recreation, leisure and wellbeing.
Planned activities
- Hackathons and workshops to bring together diverse stakeholders and generate innovative NbS concepts for the site
- Pilot interventions that test NbS solutions in real urban conditions
- Monitoring and evaluation to assess environmental, social, and economic impacts and support replication and upscaling
The photos are provided by the City of Zagreb