The reactivation of the natural potentials of Belgrade: Biophilia and biomimicry as new competitive advantages?

Climate changes have influenced a new comprehension of living environment and instigated a number of trends noticeable in society, architecture and development strategies. The shaping of a purified, sustainable and 'low/no carbon' urban context, which has a higher environmental quality, has become an imperative which should be achieved by ecologically responsible behavior. Cities, as major nodes of global transmission and dissemination, act as experimental polygons. They simultaneously test the latest ecological and technological concepts, especially those based on the logic of natural systems - such as biophilia and biomimicry. Their application enables an intensive integration of nature into urban space, while the manifestation of nature - as a shape, function or a level of adaptability - becomes a new competitive advantage. The planning practice in Serbia has also started its gradual adjustment to the new imperatives but the pace of change is slow. Belgrade has recognized the importance of the latest ecoideas but they have not been materialized so far. The natural core of Belgrade, which consists of several river isles, river banks, forests and forelands, is nowadays emphasized as an important comparative advantage which could generate further changes in 'green' perception of urban environment. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to identify the potential of two natural areas within this core (Ada Ciganlija and Ada Medjica), critically evaluate their development possibilities based on biophilia and biomimicry, and to provide a set of recommendations which would support the activation and development of a similar natural area - Ada Čaplja