Postsocialist Restructuring of City Subcenters and the Role of Shopping Centers in Nis, Serbia

Abstract

Although the postsocialist construction of large shopping facilities had significant implications on the urban structure of Central and Eastern European cities, the complex spatial, functional, and social relations between shopping centers and settlement centers at the local level have not been fully explained. This paper addresses this issue by exploring the center of Medijana municipality in the city of Nis, Serbia and the impact of two shopping centers in its restructuring. The compatibility of shopping centers with a district/neighborhood center is assessed on the basis of functional, spatial, and socioeconomic criteria, for which a set of measurable indicators is established: diversity and functional integration, design and physical integration, survey data on the use of shopping centers and perception of users, and the economic performance of shopping centers. Despite the significant spatial and functional transformations of the Medijana center caused by construction of the shopping centers, the results indicate their low compatibility. Furthermore, the findings confirm the need for improving the quality of the social life in this urban center. Research identifies those key elements of urban design that integrate shopping centers into the central urban fabric: (1) diversity and integration of uses, (2) high densities, (3) well-designed public space, and (4) established pedestrian links.