After the 2020 earthquake, Zagreb faces more than a repair problem. An analysis of what genuine rehabilitation of the historic Lower Town would require

Adaptive reuse is often praised for saving old buildings, reducing waste, and supporting urban regeneration. But keeping a structure is not the same as preserving its meaning. The real question is not only how a building is reused, but what kind of memory and urban continuity the city allows it to retain.

A heritage district may look well preserved, yet still be losing the local life that once gave it meaning.