From consultation to empowerment: reflections from participatory planning in Varaždin

The InterACT Green project aims at the comprehensive regeneration of the 95-hectare Drava Forest Park, a protected area within the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve and the Natura 2000 network.
Beyond its rich – yet, to some extent, degraded – natural ecosystem, protected areas, and walking and cycling paths, the forest also hosts a playground, an open-air theatre, several sports facilities, and a signature art installation. However, these facilities are rather underutilised and, in some cases, require improvement and upgrading.
In this context, one of the project’s goals is to enhance the accessibility and enjoyment of the forest for its diverse range of users while also increasing its attractiveness to potential new visitors and tourists.
In line with the New European Bauhaus, InterACT Green sought to define new features and services through a participatory process followed by an architectural and artistic competition, albeit with certain limitations.

In order to foster an inclusive approach to the transformation of the Drava Forest Park, between late-April and late-June 2024, the project organised a series of five participatory workshops and consultations with citizens and stakeholders.

Image

The first workshop consisted of a structured brainstorming with 32 participants including local residents (selected through a public call), representatives of NGOs focused on urban greenery, nature conservation, and community development, experts in sustainable urban planning, as well as members of the local administration. As an outcome, the workshop allowed to identify a few priority objectives: an improved traffic regulation, a better integration of existing cycling paths, the development of fitness areas, and the restoration of WWII bunkers spread along the forest.

The second workshop was organised as a world café session with 19 participants including residents (selected via an open call), landscape architects and urban planners, representatives of the Varazdin Tourist Board, as well as members of sports and cycling associations. This workshop focused on the refinement of park areas and brought forward a few key proposals and recommendations:

• Drava Peninsula (“Špica”): Minimal interventions, preservation of existing vegetation.
• Forest Trails: Ensure universal accessibility for wheelchair users and families.
• Riverfront Promenade: Traffic restriction, enhanced seating and sports infrastructure.
• New mobility solutions: Suggestion for an electric tourist train and expanded bicycle network

The third workshop was dedicated to a discussion with local youth and sought the participation of 12-14-year-old students already active in the Varaždin Children City Council, as well as students with a keen interest in sustainable development and urban planning. The key outcomes of this workshop emphasized the need for more youth-friendly spaces with interactive areas for adventure and sport, the inclusion of nature-based and environmental education in their learning curricula, as well as the development of social spaces for music, events and creative gatherings.

The fourth and last workshop was an expert consultation joined by representatives of the city’s urban planning department, of the public institution Nature of Varaždin County, of the Croatian Forestry Institute, the Croatian Waters Authority, and the local Tourist Board. The key outcomes of this consultation were threefold:

• Consensus on park protection: No large-scale commercial interventions.
• Promotion of ecological tourism: Emphasis on sustainable forestry and green infrastructure.
• Regulation of vehicle access: Define clear restrictions on motorised transport in forested areas

Finally, the project also surveyed 37 residents during the Varaždin Courtyards Festival, receiving requests for increased or improved cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, shaded seating areas, as well as cultural and recreational opportunities in the park.

Overall, the participatory process allowed to gather initial input, ideas, and recommendations from a diverse range of stakeholders. Nonetheless, the tight timeline of the entire process – spanning only two months, with meetings lasting, on average, around 2,5 hours each –  and the diversified audience of each workshop, did not allow for further elaborations within a participatory setting. To a certain extent, this limited the depth and level of detail of the ideas that emerged from the public, hence their direct transformative and decision-making power on the revitalisation of the forest, also because – by law – public input is advisory but not legally binding.

Building on the insights gathered from the participatory process, the City of Varaždin launched an urbanistic-landscape-architectural and artistic competition for the conceptual design for the development of parts of the Drava Forest Park.
Eligible participants are interdisciplinary teams – comprising professionals from architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, design, visual arts, and other related fields – that are expected to take an innovative and contemporary interdisciplinary approach, considering the Drava Forest Park as an extended public space of Varaždin through a long-term sustainable architectural, urban, and landscape solution; the design of urban/forest equipment adapted to the site; and the integration of authentic artistic, spatial, and graphic interventions into the overall competition proposal.
In particular the competition set specific requirements for each target zone of the forest.

• Zone 1: Riverfront promenade (“Riječna Riva”), existing trees must be preserved as much as possible, with additional planting limited to native species. All asphalt paths must be removed and replaced with eco-friendly, permeable surfaces, except for a designated roller-skating track, where non-permeable materials are permitted. A dedicated cycle lane must be included, ensuring a seamless connection to the Drava Bike routes. Damaged wooden staircases leading to the forest must be replaced, and eco-friendly lighting must be installed, with directional control and seasonal adaptability to minimise environmental impact.
• Zone 2: Forest Trails and Squares (“Šumske Staze i Placevi”) must retain all existing forest areas without reduction. Forest squares are open to creative design but must integrate seamlessly with the natural surroundings. One observation tower must be constructed within a designated forest square to provide unobstructed views of the old course of the Drava River.
• In Zone 3: Drava Peak (“Dravska Špica”), the existing sculpture must remain in place, and a new public art installation must be introduced, ensuring harmony with the natural landscape. All materials used in this zone must be resistant to periodic flooding, with a preference for natural and ecological options, though their use is not mandatory. Ambient lighting is permitted but must be designed with minimal environmental impact.

Proposals are due by mid-March 2025 and will be assessed by a jury panel consisting of experts in architecture, landscape design, and visual arts. The assessment will be based on a set of evaluation criteria – overall concept clarity; authenticity, modernity & distinctiveness; aesthetic and artistic quality; functionality & user experience; and feasibility, economic efficiency & sustainability – and the winner will be invited to develop the final project documentation.

The results of the competition are expected in a few months, at which point it will become clear which design ideas will be selected for implementation. However, the extent to which these will reflect the ideas, recommendations, and expectations from the participatory process remains to be seen. While the recommendations provided valuable input to the definition of the competition’s requirements, they were primarily focused on desirable features rather than detailed aesthetic or functional considerations. Furthermore, it is not evident that the assessment criteria were developed through a participatory approach, and the composition of the jury does not appear to include direct representation from the workshop participants

Reflecting on InterACT Green’s experience in Varaždin, we can draw several insights and recommendations for cities looking to implement participatory co-design processes maximising the agency and impact of local residents and stakeholders.

1. Engage stakeholders collectively to mediate interests. Involving diverse interest groups in shared co-design sessions—rather than consulting stakeholders in silos—helps balance competing interests. This approach may require a longer process with more frequent meetings and is not without challenges. However, in the long run, it fosters stronger collective ownership and buy-in, reducing the risk of conflicts arising later. When a large number of stakeholders are involved, a hybrid approach can be more effective: starting with separate sessions for each group, followed by collective discussions, where selected representatives participate.
2. Structure participation as an evolving process, not a one-off event. Organizing the participatory process as a series of workshops or events, rather than standalone meetings or surveys, allows for deeper exploration of ideas. This approach moves beyond an initial “shopping list” of suggestions, helping to refine and prioritize key features, details, and project elements.
3. Ensure alignment between participatory outcomes and the final design. When the final or executive design is to be developed by professionals selected through a tender process, public call, or competition, it is crucial to maintain alignment with stakeholders’ needs and expectations. The following strategies can help:

•  Set clear and specific design requirements to ensure all submissions reflect the participatory process’s outcomes.
• Define assessment criteria and scoring frameworks that prioritise solutions aligned with participatory results
• Co-design key elements of the tender with stakeholders whenever possible, ensuring evaluation criteria are established through a participatory approach.
• Include stakeholders in the jury, allowing those involved in the initial co-design process to have a say in the final selection.