The Coastline is for Everyone's Everyday Use

This article is from the archive of Roca Gallery. It was first published in August, 2025.

The eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, encompassing most of what is now Croatia, is a vital part of the Mediterranean region, distinguished by its unique geography, rich history, and dynamic culture. Over the centuries, this territory has been influenced by various civilizations, integrating elements of Mediterranean, Central European, and Eastern traditions. The Croatian coast, which is 5,800 kilometers long and very indented, is known for its exceptionally clear sea, with over 1,200 islands, islets, and reefs.

Croatia’s urban culture has evolved throughout history, characterized by the emergence of historical, dense, and walled cities, such as Split, Dubrovnik, Korčula, Zadar, Pula, and Rovinj, among others. Since the nineteenth century, the development of travel culture has transformed the rest of the coastline and shaped today's tourism sector. The period of late modernism during the 1950s brought about a significant growth in tourism infrastructure. In addition to outstanding architectural examples, meticulous urban planning and the development of multiple facilities—including not only accommodations but also leisure projects, coastal belts, waterfronts, and beaches—were very important.

However, in recent years the expansion of tourism worldwide, particularly in the Mediterranean, has led to considerable devastation of coastal zones, cities, and the natural environment.

The primary reasons are the lack of careful urban planning, excessive economic development, and the global spread of tourism, which inevitably leads to an increased number of tourists and the overconsumption of natural resources. Worst of all, the local population and its way of life have been neglected, resulting in a lack of economic and social sustainability.

My architectural office, 3LHD, has designed numerous public projects on the Croatian coast for the past thirty years. These urban and architectural works have always been sensitive to the local community, while ensuring the careful placement of the built elements within the natural environment.

I would like to highlight two examples of projects on urban coastlines, specifically the waterfronts in the cities of Split and Rovinj.

Two Croatian examples

The Split waterfront, the Riva, is an urbanized, public, open, and accessible space. It stands in front of Diocletian's Palace—once the home of the Roman emperor—and historically it became the framework that shaped the city and directed its expansion. The Riva is the paradigm of the history and character of the city of Split. The modular Roman form inspired our project. The modular grid of concrete elements— their dimensions, materials, and shape—guided the layout and positioning of all the other aspects of the public space.

The Riva, measuring 250 meters long and 55 meters wide, is the central point where the city meets the sea. It’s the main public square, an urban living room, a space for all kinds of social events, a promenade by day, and a parade by night. It’s a place for sporting events, religious processions, festivals, and celebrations.

The project rearticulates the space for all the aforementioned events and harmonizes them on a new, integrated surface. It utilizes architectural design and materials, as well as Mediterranean plants, to respond to the challenges of its diverse uses. All the urban elements and facilities are specially designed for this project and are in line with the local spirit and atmosphere.

The Rovinj waterfront and promenade are situated in an attractive natural area of the historic city center. It’s an extension and continuation of the city's public promenade, whose primary function is to connect the city and the Punta Corrente park, while also serving as public infrastructure for the hotels in the park and forested area.

The most critical factor in the design was the relationship to the existing terrain. Regarding the specific environment, which varies significantly depending on the time of day, the design was influenced by the sea and wind as variable elements and they had a dramatic impact on the creative decisions made during the design process. As a result, the waterfront area is divided into two zones. The first is designed according to the natural topography, featuring numerous fractured concrete surfaces for sunbathing, while the calmer bay area sustains a series of pebble beaches.

A lesson from history

The seashore and waterfronts in Croatia have been accessible to everyone since Roman times, when the legal status of the sea and the seashore was defined. Roman law stated: "According to natural law, these things belong to all (people): air and running water, and the sea, and therefore the seacoast: no one is forbidden to step on the seacoast, understandably, if they do not touch houses, monuments and buildings that do not fall under the principles of general law."

One thing remains clear: the coastline is for everyone's everyday use.

Main image: The Riva waterfront promenade at sunset, Split, Croatia, 2007, 3LHD. Photo © Domagoj Blazevic