E15 HR NIN THE WINTER USE OF SUMMER STRATEGY

The morphology of the terrain on which the town-island formed in the shallow lagoon contributes to the
unusual imagery and distinguishes Nin as a town with one of the three salt ponds on the eastern
Adriatic coast that have been in operation since ancient times. The rich historical heritage, the
proximity of large tourist resorts and the city of Zadar, resulted in the fact that the population of Nin
(2,750 inhabitants in winter) explodes fivefold in the summer months (14,000 in the summer), which is
a record number in Croatia.

Providing only seasonal accommodation facilities, as a support to 'tourist' environment (natural and
cultural sights, beaches ...) creates a monofunctional housing ghetto within the city area. In the winter
when the surrounding activators disappear and tourists leave, these parts of the city turn into
dormitories. Small towns (villages) do not have urban power or social potential to resist the six months
of hibernation. Summer modes of community motivated by profit completely disappear in winter. But
small towns can be an appropriate place to explore and plan different sustainability models that we
can call the winter use of summer strategy.
NIN / LOCATION / HISTORICAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The City of Nin is situated in the lowest and flattest part of agricurtural area between the mountains of
Velebit, the Krka River and the sea (the most fertile part of Dalmatia, located in the hinterland of
Zadar).
The geography of the surrounding area of Nin is characterized by alteration of limestone karst and
alluvial deposit, resulting in fertile agricultural land. The importance of soil in the historical-geographic
development of Nin as an urban center is quite evident from the degree of their valorization, which is
evident in the thousand year long tradition of agriculture as the economic base of this area.
In an extremely delicate flat landscape, appearing even gentler compared with the neighboring Velebit
mountain, the harmonious spatial relation of the built area and the natural environment is preserved.

Nin originated on a small sandy shoal, which is today an oval shaped island, measuring about 0.3 km2
of surface and with the altitude up to 4 m above sea level, connected to the mainland by two bridges.
It is situated on the lagoon mouth of the Miljašić jaruga stream, called Ričina, which flows from the
southeast. The stream ran from the south side of Nin until the beginning of the 20th century, flooding
the wider area southeast of today's saltworks, creating wetlands and depositing peloid rocks in the
port. The stream caused problems, but at the same time brought about favorable conditions for the
first settlement of the area, by providing plenty of fresh water for agriculture and daily use.

Nin was founded in the 9th century BCE in a previously uninhabited area. Development of the Liburn
community can be continuously monitored, from the foundation of the settlement up to the beginning
of the Common era when Aenona became a significant center and capital of one of 14 Liburnian
municipalities. By then, the settlement covered the whole surface of the island with a radial-concentric
street layout, common to Liburn settlements.

Roman dominance in the 1st Century CE did not bring changes to the layout of settlements of minor
importance. Integrating the irregular plan of the city into a hierarchically fragmented urban network of
Roman urbs quadrata ensured continuity of development of Nin, its geographical integrity and
independence of the community, at the same time enabling its political and economical accession to
the Roman state system with municipal organization. Unlike the neighboring newly-built Zadar
/Iadera/, Nin has never been a Roman town in the true sense, but its openness to new urbanity and
civilization brought by Rome can be attributed to the prosperity of the strong Liburnian indigenous
community in the Roman municipal system.

Within the city walls, on the surface of cca 15 hectares, there was a city whose new orthogonal layout
has been adapted to bridges - major inbound and outbound routes. The main city streets were
determined by these paths, and their intersection was at the city Forum. It is assumed that the road
from Zadar was continued from the southern city gate to the Forum as cardo, and the one beginning at
the upper city gate as decumanus, indicating the insertion of the Roman urban scheme modified
according to the existing conditions.

The monumental Forum was in the north-west, instead of being in the geometric center. Public,
political and cultural events took place on the Forum, and since there was no theatre or amphitheatre,
this is probably where public performances and competitions took place. In the center of the Forum
there was also a magnificent temple, probably on the site of an older sanctuary.
Throughout the city there are remains of ancient structures - streets, sidewalks, residential buildings
/villa urbana/, shops, baths... The population of Nin counted around 4000 inhabitants at that time.

It is assumed that, at the time of the establishment of the Nin municipality, the land was meliorated
and developed, in particular the area of today's saltworks, the settlement of Zdrijac, Ninsko blato and
the island with the city. The seafront was probably at the site of today's sunken stone shoal, Ploče,
which is clearly visible at a depth of 0.8-1.3m. The drinking water supply was organized by the Roman
municipality of Nin, with a complex system, via an aqueduct from the water spring in Boljkovac, 4
kilometers away. The Roman era, a relatively long peaceful period, provided the harmonious
economic and cultural progress of this region.

In the 4th century, due to the large migrations, significant changes began at the borders of the Empire.
The economic weakening of Rome and the events that took place in the following centuries, technical
supervision of the extremely complex mouth of Miljašić jaruga was discontinued, primarily because of
the difficulty of funding such large interventions. Absence of comprehensive works on maintenance of
buildings began to endanger vital functions of the city. For several centuries, Nin might have lived on
the hertitage of a stable Roman Empire, but without the maintenance of all the city's facilities and
functions, the quality of the social standard has gradually diminished.

At the time of the young Croatian duchy, who, as a vassal of Byzantine Empire, had their capital in
Nin, in the neighborhood of Zadar - the center of Byzantine Dalmatia, the town continues its urban
history thanks to its geo-strategic position. Opportunities were brought by the Frankish conquests in
the early 9th century, as their views on ecclesiastical jurisdiction coincided with the interests of
Croatian rulers. Thus, after 812, the Latin or Byzantine dioceses on the Croatian territory were
abandoned. The cities of Zadar, Trogir and Split remain under Byzantine rule, and the land of Croatian
rulers came under the rule of Franks under the leadership of Charlemagne. Since then, Nin has been
confirmed as the center of Frankish Croatia. A new center was built with a basilica, ruler's court,
bishop's palace and other public buildings. This was the most prominent period in Nin's history in
Croatia. The configuration of the low, sheltered coastline around Nin contributed to the construction
and accommodation of the Croatian naval fleet.

In the age of Venetian domination, although strategically important to the new ruler, Nin gradually
declined. In 1348 malaria was first mentioned in Nin. The noble population started leaving the city and
it became a major problem for the Venetian government due to the unhealthy environment with
declining population, and relatively large urban heritage, fortress and territory system generating costs
that exceeded the city's revenue. In the mid-15th century, the authorities sought to boost the
populating of Nin by allocating municipal land to new residents, but this did not stop depopulation
because the main causes of malaria and other contagious diseases were not eliminated.

Newcomers have been mostly rural population, so the town turned into a village with numerous ruins
and few inhabitants. The decline of Nin was also accelerated by the Turkish invasion, and by the end
of the century the city and its surroundings were thoroughly ravaged. Nin was finally destroyed at the
time of the so-called War of Candia between Venice and the Turks, when, the Venetians destroyed the
city on April 28, 1646 for strategic reasons.

The state of Nin was more or less unchanged until the arrival of the Austrian administration at the end
of the 18th century. In 1786, large plantations of tobacco and other cultures were introduced, industrial
and factory buildings were built on the site of today's village Grbe, a network of amelioration channels
was built along the Miljašići harbor and land was divided into plots. Under the management of the
Zadar marquis Girolamo Manfrini, the estate was well maintained, but later the results were weaker,
because of malaria, bad health conditions and poor treatment of the peasants, whose number was
insufficient to tend to the vast plantations. In 1828 Nin lost the last institution of the medieval town
when the Nin bishopric was abolished by the pope.

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN LAND CADASTRE MAP FROM 19.TH C. 20.TH C. - URBAN PLANNING ON AUST.-HUNG. LAND CADASTRE MAP
Nin – a productive town

Existing 'summer-winter' scenario brings a number of problems to the functioning of everyday life.
Programming of the development and planning of new public public spaces are burdened by seasonal
(tourist) population. The basic task of future urban development is to create a balance between the
productive (4 summer months) and the unproductive part of the year. To be "more productive" for Nin
means re-utilizing the city's public and private accomodation and facilities created under the pressure
of seasonal tourism in the winter period as well. In Ždrijac neighborhood - the strategic site perimeter -
the problems identified at the city level are strongly perceived, making it a suitable site for exploring
new trends in development.

The development strategy of the City of Nin 2016-2020 states: 'The City of Nin aims to develop a
sustainable year-round tourism, based on: marine tourism (sun and sea), culture tourism (3000-year-
old history), health tourism (medicinal mud), sport and rereation tourism (bicycling, kite surfing, wind
surfing) and industrial tourism (saltworks, birdwatching).
The reality is that in the following years the economic growth of Nin will be based on tourism, so one of
the directions of future development of this core activity must be its adjustment to the contemporary
needs as well as finding new programs to improve the tourist offer. The proclaimed goal of reaching
all-year tourism is difficult to achieve without stronger support of the local population. Until now, the
tourism was based on landscape and historical features that needs to be complemented by new
products that will broaden the base of potential users. Residents of the city need to generate these
new offers.

The analysis and consideration of productivity in small monofunctional (tourist) towns may often lead
to incorrect conclusions. If we consider productivity in the narrowest sense as the ratio of invested
funds and resources to the achieved results, we will find that good results can sometimes be achieved
with very little (sometimes barely any) investment because tourism is an “inert” system based on the
concept of “sun and sea”, which always meets the expectations of a large number of tourists. In such
cases, even modest results ensure that the ratio of investment to results stays in the positive zone.
However, this is not a desirable direction for a location’s tourist development, as there are negative
sides to it, such as functional problems (mass tourism, insufficient capacity of infrastructural resources,
uncontrolled construction, environmental pollution...). Successful tourist locations (towns) must control
the tourism industry-related processes, and the simplest and the most efficient way to do so is by
ensuring continuous investment. There is no profit without investment. Investment allows us to define
and plan the desirable results. This leads us to the key moment in which most investors make
mistakes because they see planning exclusively as a means of reaching the seasonal figures, which
can be compared to "putting out the fire".
Programming, urban planning and design must be based on forecasts, remaining focused on new
developments and aimed at generating new values.

A town is truly a living organism. Its vital energy is found in the space in which it develops and grows,
as well as in its residents. Programming and planning activities must always be performed taking into
consideration the needs of the town’s residents. The needs of its temporary residents (tourists) can
only be one of the factors, and by no means the only factor. The local tourist potential has been almost
fully reached and it can be upgraded only by revitalising the space, including:
- transforming the town which “only lives in the summer” into a town with year-round events;
- creating a programme and plan based on the principles of “green infrastructure*”, which needs to
result in functional changes in the residential area, thus producing a powerful effect on the lifestyle
habits and way of life of the town’s residents;
- working towards transforming the living environment into a changing organism, and towards a final
design which will be something more than the sum of multiplication of circular urban economies.
* Green infrastructure is a strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features
designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services such as water purification, air quality, space for recreation
and climate mitigation and adaptation. This network of green (land) and blue (water) spaces can improve environmental
conditions and therefore citizens' health and quality of life. It also supports a green economy, creates job opportunities and
enhances biodiversity. The Natura 2000 network constitutes the backbone of the EU green infrastructure.

Green infrastructure planning is a successfully tested tool to provide environmental, economic and social benefits through
natural solutions and help reduce dependence on 'grey' infrastructure that is often more expensive to build and maintain.

The European Commission has developed a Green Infrastructure Strategy. This strategy aims to ensure that the protection,
restoration, creation and enhancement of green infrastructure become an integral part of spatial planning and territorial
development whenever it offers a better alternative, or is complementary, to standard grey choices.

Socio-economic parameters
According to the population census of 2011, the Town of Nin has 1,132 residents - 2,744 together with
the surrounding areas.
In the Town of Nin, the working population (age 15 – 64) accounts for 66 % of the total population, and
the average age of its residents is 43.4 years. The ageing index, which shows the ratio of persons
over the age of 60 to persons under the age of 20, is 140.7. The old-age coefficient, which shows the
share of persons over the age of 60 in the total population, is 28.4.

The Town of Nin has an economic development index of 109.29 %, which puts it into the above-
average developed category of the local administrative units in the Republic of Croatia.
The oldest economic activity in the Town of Nin is salt production, today carried out at Nin Saltworks,
where salt is extracted through a traditional process, using the effects of the sun and the weather.
Next to the Salt Processing Plant, there is a fish hatchery operated by the company Cromaris, where
sea bass and sea bream fry are cultivated using sea water from the lagoon.
The hatchery, opened in 2015, is one of the largest and most modern hatcheries in Europe. With its
output of 6,000 tonnes, it is one of the ten largest European producers of sea bream and sea bass.
In 2014, 42 companies were registered in the Town of Nin, with a total of 153 employees.
All of these companies fall into the category of small enterprises. They mostly perform the activities of
accommodation provision and food preparation and service, followed by construction, administrative
and ancillary services. The development of entrepreneurship is also supported through the
development and construction of three entrepreneurial zones.

The Nin area is highly suitable for the development of tourist economy, Mediterranean-specific
agriculture and an economy based on its seashore location, which will be the fundamental factors in
the development of this part of Zadar County.
The Extreme Sports Centre is located on the beach of Ždrijac (project site), where sports equipment is
sold and various sports activities are offered (windsurfing, sailing school, kayaking, kitesurfing).
The development of Nin is focused on the sustainable development of sea-based tourism. A part of
the local population is employed in the tourism industry, and they also perform the activities of
apartment rental, food preparation and service, souvenir sale etc.
Zaton Holiday Resort (apartments and camping) plays a key role in the Nin area, as it accounts for
almost 60 % of tourist stays in this area.

In 2018, Nin visited 155,744 tourists and achieved 1,318,745 overnight stays.

According to the official data on the categorised facilities, the Nin area has a capacity of 12,000 beds,
out of which 8,000 are located at Zaton Holiday Resort.

The Nin area has a significant agricultural potential, especially for viniculture, vegetable and fruit
growing. This lowland area between the Velebit mountain, the Krka river and the sea comprises
approximately 30 % of the total Dalmatian agricultural area.
The Town of Nin possesses the necessary prerequisites for ecological agriculture. A total of 83 farms
are registered in the Nin area.

There is one nursery and one primary school in Nin. There are no secondary schools, higher or adult
education institutions.

According to the data from the Register of Associations in the Republic of Croatia, there are 32
registered and active associations in the Town of Nin. Sports associations are the most numerous (16
in total), followed by cultural associations:
Sports associations:
Five-a-side football club “Aenona” Nin
Boules club “Grgur Ninski”
Basketball club “Grgur”
Five-a-side football club “Azine”
Five-a-side football club “Poljica brig”
Five-a-side football club “Zaton”
Five-a-side football club “Žerava”
Motor boating club “Nautilus”
Nin Majorettes
Hunting association “Jarebica” Nin
Hunting association “Jarebica 1923” Nin
Minigolf club “Zaton”
Parachute club “Gavran”
Sports fishing association “Pestoć” – Zaton
Equestrian club “Nin”
Cultural associations:
Folk ensemble “Branimir” Nin, including “Branimir” tambura orchestra
Folk ensemble “Kuntrada”
Dalmatian male klapa group “Condura” Nin
Matica Hrvatska Nin
Other associations:
“Velebit” Association
Women’s Association “Aenona” Nin
Association for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle “Mare vitalis”
The Youth Association of Nin
Volunteer firefighters’ association “Pljusak” Nin
Nin Accommodation Renters’ Association
Citizens’ association of family and holiday home owners Bilotinjak Nin
Citizens’ association of family and holiday home owners Ninske vodice Nin
Citizens’ association of land and holiday home owners Lapti
Nin German Shorthaired Pointers Owners’ and Lovers’ Club
Nin Kennel Club
Funeral company “Zaton”
Funeral company “Miljašić”

Climate
The Town of Nin has a Mediterranean climate, with dry and hot summers. The average temperature is
25 °C in the summer (with an average sea temperature of 23 °C) and 7°C in the winter. An essential
characteristic of this climate is the regular rhythm of the seasons, with no periods of continuously high
or low temperatures, or long periods of drought or rain.
These three characteristics define the local climate:
- stable and pleasant weather in the summer and early autumn,
- unstable, dry and cold weather in the colder half of the year.
There are two types of weather with jugo wind in the colder half of the year:
- cyclonic with jugo wind – cloudy and wet with strong wind and large waves, heavy rain and
thunderstorms,
- anticyclonic with jugo wind – warm weather with clear skies and lower humidity.
Air circulation is characterised by strong winds. The dominant wind direction is northwest across the
northeast to the southeast quadrant. Similarly to the neighbouring islands of Pag and Vir, the bura
wind has a strong influence, although it is milder in comparison. Bura has left a strong mark on the
vegetation, lithology, and agriculture, and it has conditioned the orientation and layout of buildings,
villages, and harbours. Its influence must not be overlooked when intervening into the space, and the
interventions must take into account the strong wind impacts and salt sediments.
Strategic site perimeter:
The historical centre of Nin, Saltworks, Miljašić Jaruga stream, brickyard, sandy beach along the
Ždrijac neighborhood

The historical centre of Nin is located on a low and flat oval-shaped island approx. 450 m in length,
with an area of approximately 19 ha and a maximum height of 4 m above sea level. It is connected
with the land by two bridges and lies at the mouth of the Miljašić Jaruga stream, also known as Ričina,
which flows into the lagoon,. The lagoon is separated from Nin Bay by a low sandy shoal and a
shallow sea passage. The island has been inhabited ever since antiquity.
The Church of the Holy Cross, built in the 9th century, is one of the town’s symbols. It is located in the
centre of the island, where the town developed in the Early Middle Ages. In the era of the Croatian
rulers it served as the court chapel of the nearby duke’s court. It has been completely restored.
Near the Church of the Holy Cross, you can find the remains of residential buildings dating from
antiquity and late antiquity (1st – 6th century), as well as the ruins of a Croatian Pre-Romanesque
necropolis which partly reveal an antique settlement. The Church represents a calendar of sorts, as
the play of sunbeams inside the church can be used to determine the exact dates of the solstice and
equinox (i.e. the beginning dates of the seasons of the year). With its prominent position and beauty, it
dominates the surrounding area. The Church is also a symbol of the Zadar region, appearing on the
flag and coat of arms of Zadar County.
The small area of the island used to contain 12 churches and 3 monasteries, of which 3 churches
have been fully preserved to this day: the Church of St. Ambrose, the Church of St. Anselm, and the
Church of the Holy Cross.
The walls of Nin were built in the Middle Ages on the remains of the Roman fortifications. They follow
the perimeter of the island in a curvy line and include two gates – at the lower, Duchess’ Bridge, and
the Upper Bridge. The preserved remains of the walls date back to the 15th – 18th century. Nin has
been a member of the European Walled Towns (EWT) association since 1992. The walls are given a
lot of attention, they are studied systematically and according to plan, and the remains are renovated
and conserved.
The Venetians destroyed the city in 1646 for strategic reasons, and in 1900 malaria struck the town
due to excessive amount of mud and poor maintenance of the shallow lagoon, reducing the number of
its residents to 200.
Nin played an important part in the Croatian history and was thus granted town status, extending also
to the surrounding villages under its administrative jurisdiction.

Nin Saltworks, extending over 55 ha, it originates from the Ancient Roman era.
The plant has a production capacity of 3000 - 5000 tonnes. Salt is produced in a traditional manner,
through the natural evaporation of the sea water.
Next to the Saltworks, you can find the Salt Museum, and tourist can also visit the shallow pools where
salt is extracted.
The plant area, with its low, muddy and sandy shores and deep lagoons with shallow and swampy
parts is also a valuable ornithological area inhabited by as many as 280 bird species at times.
These kinds of habitats are endangered not only in Croatia, but also in Europe, and they are covered
by the EU’s Habitats Directive and included in the Natura 2000 network.
Next to the Saltworks, there is also a modern fish hatchery, from which fry is transported to open-air
cages for further cultivation. The hatchery covers the area of 7,300 m2, whereas the area of the of the
plant is 5,300 m2.

Miljašić Jaruga stream / Up to the beginning of the 20th century, the Miljašić Jaruga stream (with a
total length of 25 km) flowed into the sea in the south of Nin and flooded the wider Nin area to the
southeast of the town, where the Saltworks plant stands today, thus forming wetlands and causing the
deposit of peloids.
Systematic cleaning and maintenance was the only way to enable large ships to access the well-
protected natural harbour on the northwest side of the town.
Even though the stream was causing problems, it was also what attracted the first settlers to the area,
as it offered an abundance of fresh water for agricultural and household use.
In the period from 1903 to 1909, the mouth of the stream was redirected by cutting a channel directly
to Nin Bay. This prevented agricultural surfaces from becoming swamps, which, along with the
improved medical prevention activities, had a positive effect on the vital statistics.
In addition to its economic value, the agricultural area along the Miljašić Jaruga stream also has a
significant landscape value. Together with the Saltworks, this area is an oasis of unspoilt nature in the
developed landscape. The remains of several water mills can be found along the Miljašić Jaruga.
Brickyard / Brick making has been practiced in Nin for centuries. Clay objects were made already in
the era of the Liburnians, Ancient Romans, and early Croats. Brick making activity was renewed in
1893 when a brickyard with an oven was constructed east of Nin, by the sea, in an area rich in top-
quality clay.
The successful operation of the brickyard was interrupted in 1907 by a fire which destroyed the plant.
The brick and tile industry was renewed in 1955.
The brickyard went out of operation in the 1980s due to a lack of quality raw material.
The technological process of production and the need for ever larger open-air storage spaces for the
finished products have shaped the brickyard on a line defined by an extraordinary rhythm of
architectonic elements, in contrast with the chimney above the circular oven.
No resorts have been built in the area surrounding the brickyard because it was designated as an
industrial zone in the plans.
It has recently been redesignated as a tourist zone – T2 tourist resort.
The location of the plot is extraordinary, as it is situated in the first unused area located at a walking
distance from the historic town core.
The construction of a small eastern detour (for which plans have been made) around the island of Nin
and a road in the direction of Vrsi which would circle the whole town, would contribute significantly to
the appeal of the plot, which is already valuable due to its location on the seashore, near the river and
its mouth as a natural shelter for ships.
The brickyard has become a toponym, and its chimney has been an important point of reference for
travellers on land and at sea for decades now.
The brickyard area has been defined in the current spatial planning documentation as a zone
designated for new tourism and service facilities, and such transformation of this almost completely
undeveloped part of the town represents an opportunity to design, at the concept, planning, and
tendering level, spaces and facilities which will contribute to the urban development of this highly
monofunctional town.

Nin is known for its sandy beaches, among which the sandy beach along the Ždrijac neighborhood
and the Queen’s Beach (Kraljičina plaža) are considered to be the most beautiful.
Long sandy beaches are highly appealing because their clean and shallow sea makes them ideal for a
family holiday with small children or kite surfing, and also because they are a rarity on the Croatian
coast.
Project site – Ždrijac neighborhood

The village of Ždrijac was named after the sandy shoal which encloses the lagoon around the Nin
peninsula in the north.
The Ždrijac neighborhood is located to the northeast of the centre of Nin and is delimited by the sea
(the lagoon) in the west, the beach (shoal) after which it was named in the north, the channel of
Miljašić Jaruga stream in the east and the Salt Processing Plant in the south.

The village was established as a tourist resort in the 1970s and 1980s, with houses constructed by
people who lived outside of Nin.
It was a village which “lived only during the summer” and was empty for the rest of the year, so the
investments in utility services were adequate only for temporary use, and the variety of public spaces
was not even considered.
The second wave of “urbanisation” started in the second half of 1990s, when the people who came
only during the summer started to spend more time in the village. In this manner, the character of
Ždrijac gradually began to change, as the holiday homes slowly became residences.
In this period, a change in the ownership structure occurred, with the former owners selling their
houses to the local residents, who then used them as family homes.
The tourism boom at the beginning of the 2000s (accompanied by the crash of all other economic
activities) resulted in the transformation of holiday and family homes into apartment buildings to be
rented to tourists during the summer months.

Today there are a large number of holiday homes and apartments in the village, but the
accommodation capacity of this part of the town is insufficient in the summer, whereas there are
almost no permanent residents in the winter. The built-up part of the village is characterised by
numerous buildings on small plots.

The hybrid character of the village left a strong mark on its appearance. Various structures and
upgrades; old and new; continuous increase in the number of storeys, all on the fragile foundation of a
weekend resort.
Illegal construction resulted in the almost complete absence of investment in the utility infrastructure,
and it’s especially tragic that the construction of each new apartment was not only excessive, but also
had a negative effect on the tourist appeal of Ždrijac.
The town has never really “seriously dealt with” this area and quality changes have not been
introduced by spatial planning.
In spite of the above, due to its exceptional location, the Ždrijac neighborhood has the potential to
become a place where programmes initiated by local residents can be implemented with the aim of
contributing to a greater urban activity and the introduction of year-round events, which should also
provide an initial impetus for the improvement of the tourist offer.

Providing only seasonal accommodation facilities, as a support to 'tourist' environment (natural and
cultural sights, beaches ...) creates a monofunctional housing ghetto within the city area. In the winter
when the surrounding activators disappear and tourists leave, these parts of the city turn into
dormitories. Small towns (villages) do not have urban power or social potential to resist the six months
of hibernation. Summer modes of community motivated by profit completely disappear in winter. But
small towns can be an appropriate place to explore and plan different sustainability models that we
can call the summer strategy for winter life. Planning of all areas in the resort (public spaces, social
standard buildings, infrastructure and recreational areas, catering facilities, including private houses
for tourism) must have a clear off-season use. Planning of reusable (and thus more productive)
spaces, both public and private, can enrich the off-season life in the resort and encourage residents to
create a different social and business infrastructure. The task is to create projects following
contemporary (innovative) planning methods that will reinterpret the hybrid character of the resort in
the program sense, and maintain the vitality of the settlement (the city), which is the basic precondition
for sustainable development. If these activities make a small shift towards creating a different city, all
actors can be satisfied.
Project site – project tasks:

'West wing' is a wide promenade along the western edge of Zdrijac neighborhood, placed next to the
saltworks, the beach and old town which gives it the possibility to become the new town centre.
This is the starting point for tourists and visitors who come to visit the old city center and salt museums
or to go swimming. This is part of the Ždrijac neighborhood with significance at the level of the City –
an addition which becomes more important than the whole.
This area is organized as a parking lot during the summer period but is empty in the winter, with no
clearly defined purpose.
The difference between summer and winter (in season and off season) use of this space together with
its already existing hybrid character result in a competition brief in line with the postulates of
'productive city'. Competitors are expected to plan and design the area of the western perimeter of the
project site ('west wing'), which will be used as a parking lot for the large number of cars in the
summer, and as a public zone with playgrounds, green areas, recreational areas in the winter; at the
same time suitable for accepting new activities/programmes (plug-in) that will contribute to a higher
quality of urban life throughout the year.

Competitors should propose new ways of using this space by tourists and residents of the
neighborhood in the summer, and the residents of the wider area in the winter, as well as the
possibility of developing a new model of tourism. The term „model of tourism“ should be regarded in
the widest sense, as any qualitative change affecting the lives of both the residents and tourists.

This space has to be seen as an infrastructure strip (not just extended street corridor) - a space where
underground channels are placed in function of the fish hatchery, at the same time considering the
possibility of its upgrading and the connection with neighboring traffic and pedestrian corridors.

As part of the graphic material, a variant of the western perimeter of the project site is available
providing the competitors with the outline of basic functional requirements. Competitors should only
consider this solution as part of the spatial data, and their autonomous, innovative design is expected
in accordance with the brief.
'Beach life' – The shallow sea and long sandy beaches in Nin are equally enjoyed by different groups
of visitors. This is the most valuable, but also most vulnerable place in the Nin area. This fluid
ecosystem survived a series of transformations - from the ancient harbor (under the sea the remnants
of the former coast line are visible) to today's long sandy shoal, which has almost disappeared during
a catastrophic flood in the fall of 2010.

The sandy beach along the Ždrijac neighborhood is included in the project site, although it is a
functional part of the city due to its strong influence on the urban transformation of the border area.
The Zdrijac neighborhood itself was built because of the beach.
Baech life is a term that describes the strong connection between the city's functioning and the
seafront, resulting in a series of synergic effects.
How do Nin and its beach cohabitate? Could this coexistence be any different? Does the Ždrijac
neighborhood have the characteristics of a coastal village – in what way is it linked to the sea? Could
we change something, and what would be the modalities and dangers of these changes? What new
features can we offer tourists and the off-season inhabitants? Does the sensitivity of the ecosystem
necessarily mean absence of any intervention in space? Temporary spaces (facilities) in winter
instead of temporary spaces (facilities) in the summer?
Through their vision of this area, competitors will create a roadmap of urban (and tourist) development
of the city.

In the wider area of the City of Nin, there is no social center that would encourage daily meetings of
residents (children's playgrounds, spaces for gathering, entertainment or leisure for all ages, reading
of daily papers and playing of card and chess games, occasional market for local agricultural products,
a place to hold cultural events) so planning and programming such a center could be the first step of
the new beach life strategy. Programming and dimensioning is left to the contestants, and the planned
location is on building lot no.1214 (owned by the City of Nin), located next to the border of the beach
and the western perimeter of the project site *.

As part of the graphic material, a variant of the beach design and the northern perimeter of the project
site is available providing the competitors with the outline of basic functional requirements.
Competitors should only consider this solution as part of the spatial data, and their autonomous,
innovative design is expected in accordance with the brief.
* within the building area of the neighborhood, public and business buildings can be built under the following conditions:
minimum plot area: 600m2
maximum number of floors: basement + ground floor + 2 floors
maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.4
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.8
maximum height of the building: 12.0 m

The Municipal Spatial Plan of Nin defines the whole area of Zdrijac (project site) as an archaeological site.

These conditions are given to provide competitors with an idea of the existing building regulation. Competitors can adhere to the
above conditions, but also propose new building rules for the site.

'River (be / in) side' - Miljašić jaruga or Ričina defines the eastern perimeter of the project site. Its
channeling in northern direction stopped further deterioration of the Nin lagoon and provided favorable
conditions for construction of the Ždrijac neighborhood. The current appearance of the channel in the
contact zone with Ždrijac represents a different picture compared to the usual postcard pictures of
Dalmatia. Planned residential construction on both sides of the river, as well as a planned road
passing along the eastern coast, leaves little room for 're-urbanization'. Competitors are asked to
analyse spatial possibilities from a new angle to create - under these limited conditions – a spatial
simultaneity defined in the title of the task:
riverside - how to build (the appearance of) the coastline - the most exclusive spaces?
river beside - how does the river affect (define) Ždrijac and brick plant areas (wider zones)?
river inside - river as a green infrastructure – a 'street' or something entirely different?
'Fish, salt and greenery' are the ingredients of a good Dalmatian meal, but also the task 'served' to
the competitors. The southern perimeter of the project site is characterized by a wide area covered by
lower vegetation, shrubbery, abandoned fields and gardens.
The site boundary is defined by the road passing by the saltworks and the hatchery.
On the south side are the shiny salt fields spreading in their millennial functionality, and the rebuilt
(modernized) fish factory. The proper network of paths defined by the salt harvesting fields further
emphasizes order and organization. The fish hatchery leaves a similar impression. On the other side is
a chaotic web of neglected and unused green surfaces.

In immediate vicinity, different zones stand next to each other in unusual coexistence. Saltworks area
was used 2000 years ago and is perceived as part of nature. Saltworks is open to visitors. The fish
hatchery is a strictly closed and controlled area. Zdrijac is a neighborhood with family houses and
holiday homes, built in the past 50 years, and has characteristics of urban sprawl. It is regarded by
many as an example of what a 'city' should not be. Derelict green (private) lots in the southern part of
project site are awaiting the same fate.

Competitors will examine modalities of community life in such an environment. Does it exist at all?
What are the programs, projects, urban interventions that can be introduced to improve this model?
The existing salt museum with its spatial capacities does not meet the needs of an increasing number
of tourist visits. Competitors need to propose a sketch of a new salt museum (new presentation
spaces) along the southern perimeter of project site (across the existing museum and saltworks).
Programming and dimensioning is left to the competitors *.

* within the building area of the neighborhood, public and business buildings can be built under the following conditions:
minimum plot area: 600m2
maximum number of floors: basement + ground floor + 2 floors
maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.4
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.8
maximum height of the building: 12.0 m

The Municipal Spatial Plan of Nin defines the whole area of Zdrijac (project site) as an archaeological site.

These conditions are given to provide competitors with an idea of the existing building regulation. Competitors can adhere to the
above conditions, but also propose new building rules for the site.
'Nin dwellings' - Classic apartment is no longer a desirable lodging for tourists, and because of its
primary emphasis on utility it is not suitable for family housing. This is the premise that we used to
present the last task to the contestants. Many will not agree but accepting it opens up more interesting
scenarios.

The usual apartment (holiday home) is a product of the international style and modernization
processes of 20th century housing. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen with dining area, a living
room and a balcony, became a postulate following which most of the housing was built in the last 70
years. This model was equally applicable in the construction of holiday apartments, so today's tourists
are living in small apartments in houses or apartment buildings. And when the tourists leave, the
apartments are vacant or the owners live there in the winter period and adapt their needs to the
premises primarily intended for tourism.
This model of tourism can exist in cities and in less attractive destinations. We consider Nin (Zdrijac) a
destination where such a form of tourist accommodation in private facilities will soon show all the
deficiencies compared to the potential of some other models. Also, if we want the neighborhoods or
parts of a city where the majority of homes are tourist apartments to become the place for permanent
inhabitants and be the guarantee of development, we have to think about the new modalities of tourist
units that are suitable for all-year life, work and business activities. We need a new typology.

'Nin dwellings' is the name of this task, and the task is characterized by a powerful ambiguity. It is the
name of a neighborhood located to the south of Ždrijac. This is the area where the people of Nin used
to have farms in the past centuries, and stayed there during the seasonal acitivity. It was a temporary
residence outside of home (secondary housing) - something like Ždrijac neighborhood. But this is
where the similarities end. In Nin dwellings people lived and worked in nature, they had direct contact
with nature, in some way nature and their environment dictated all their actions and activities. The
principles of 'green infrastructure' have existed for centuries in the daily life of the local population.
The entire project site (Zdrijac neighborhood) is defined in the existing planning documents as an area
where construction is allowed *, so the area will be completely built in the future. Could the new
construction of Nin dwellings (a task for defining a new residential typology) look less like apartments,
and more like Nin dwellings (spaces for temporary living in intense contact with nature)?
'Nin dwellings, apart from the names, are also a description of the task - to design a typology that can
satisfy the need for modified apartment tourism in the summer period and at the same time suitable for
the year round modalities of life.

Competitors have to propose a different model of living and tourism, modifying and upgrading the
existing urban matrix within the project site. The new model have to be based on economic reality
because private landowners (owning almost all available land) will expect financial viability and
investment viability through private investments. On the other hand, the interest of the City and of the
community should be directed towards the urban renewal of space aiming to completely change the
level of communal equipment, traffic infrastructure and the quality of public space.

* within the building area of the heighborhood, residential and business buildings can be built on building plots under the
following conditions:
- The building plot must have a car access min. 5.0 m wide
- parking must be provided on the plot (minimum 1 car per housing unit)
- minimum 20% of plot surface must be covered by protective and decorative greenery using native plant species

construction of the following types of residential buildings is allowed:

residential building type A can have up to two (2) apartments

maximum number of floors: basement + ground floor + first floor
maximum height of the building: 7.5 m

detached house:
minimum plot area: 350m2
maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.3
maximum Floor area ratio (above ground): 0.6
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.8

semi-detached house:
minimum plot area: 300m2
maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.35
maximum Floor area ratio (above ground): 0.7
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.8

row houses:
minimum plot area: 300m2
maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.35
maximum Floor area ratio (above ground): 0.7
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.9
residential building type B can have up to four (4) apartments
maximum number of floors: basement + ground floor + 2 floors
maximum height of the building: 9.0 m

detached house:
minimum plot area: 600m2
maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.3
maximum Floor area ratio (above ground): 0.6
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.8

semi-detached house:
minimum plot area: 450m2
maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.35
maximum Floor area ratio (above ground): 0.7
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.8

residential building type C can have up to ten (10) apartments.

maximum number of floors: basement + ground floor + 2 floors
maximum height of the building: 9.0 m

minimum plot area: 1000m2

maximum Building Coverage Ratio: 0.3
maximum Floor area ratio (above ground): 0.6
maximum Floor area ratio: 0.8

The Municipal Spatial Plan of Nin defines the whole area of Zdrijac (project site) as an archaeological site.

These conditions are given to provide competitors with an idea of the existing building regulation. Competitors can adhere to the
above conditions, but also propose new building rules for the site.

Through these five topics, problems and defined tasks are presented that competitors have to resolve
by critical, explorative and innovative thinking.
Although the tasks are defined as separate and related to particular zones within the site, competitors
are given the option of choosing whether their design will be clearly folowing these entities, whether a
particular topic will be given a greater or lesser emphasis, and whether they will create some new
thematic links at the level of the competition site.
The results obtained should be the basis for the city's institutions to define new urban and tourism
development strategies, as a basis for developing new detailed urban plans and as a solution that will
possibly be implemented, depending on the quality of the design and property issues.

You can find more information about city and space at:

https://ispu.mgipu.hr/ 
https://geoportal.dgu.hr/ 
https://www.nin.hr/en 

 
EUROPAN 15 – NIN (HR) SITE BRIEF

SITE REPRESENTATIVE

M.Sc. Danijel Žamboki, B.Sc.Econ.

Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning
Directorate for Physical Planning, Legal Affairs and European Union Programmes
Assistant Minister

Vjekoslav Žele, M.Arch.

Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning
Sector for EU Programmes and Projects
Head of Department
Mail: Vjekoslav.Zele@mgipu.hr

ACTOR(S) INVOLVED

Jozo Mustać, B.Sc.C.E.

City of Nin, Head of the Department of Communal Affairs

D.Sc.Marija Dejanović
Nin Tourist Board, Director

TEAM REPRESENTATIVE
Architect
EXPECTED SKILLS REGARDING THE SITE'S ISSUES AND CHARACTERISTICS
-

COMMUNICATION
Communication after the competition (with the events dates when known)

JURY - 1ST EVALUATION

Without the participation of the site representatives

POST-COMPETITION INTERMEDIATE PROCEDURE

Presentation of the rewarded teams to the site representative(s), followed by a
discussion.

Workshop onsite with the rewarded teams (winner(s), runner(s)-up, special mention(s))
allowing the site representative(s) to choose a team for the implementation phase.

In the case where site falls under public market regulations, organization of a 2nd step
as a paid contractual study and/or workshop, involving the rewarded teams (maximum
3) to further develop their projects and approaches and to allow the site
representative(s) to choose one or more team(s) for the implementation phase.