The culture of urban space occupation in Ljubljana or how do the citizens appropriate the city through bottom-up approaches

Abstract

The culture of occupying urban space through temporary use or squatting is present in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, particularly since the 1990s. These occupations are a means for the residents to satisfy by themselves their demands and needs, ignored by the traditional institutions. They provide services for the residents of Ljubljana, and they add value to the city. However, they suffer from a lack of legitimacy because of their normative position. Their values and existence are typically subject to ongoing struggles. This article tends to emphasise that these alternative occupations of space, in their diversity, stand where the traditional institutions are missing.