the perpetual narrative of urban movement was particularly strong this trip through croatia: starting from Zagreb, Split and Zadar in Croatia, and ending in Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia. reconstruction, conservation, redevelopment, gentrification - all present in the intimate spaces of the smaller Croatian cities and towns, some of which grew out of their old fortress walls, moving back inside during periods of conflict and instability.
in particular, Split's Diocletian's Palace proved to be a unassuming but vastly organic structure. although the Dalmatian capital quickly grew outwards from the palace walls, ensuing conflicts forced the city's inhabitants to claim sections within the old walls as their own, building houses that often used the original wall as their rear walls. following the establishment of the Republic of Croatia and the advent of tourism as a key industry, a large part of the original residents have now moved out of the old town, leaving the uneven stone walls to holiday apartments, cafés and art galleries.
conversely, today in Zadar the old city is being regenerated - locals who previously preferred to live outside the centre are creeping back into the refurbished buildings.
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