Mythology as a Driver of Creative Economy in Waterfront Regeneration: The Case of Savamala in Belgrade, Serbia.

This article examines the role of mythology in the urban regeneration of Savamala, a historic riverfront district in Belgrade, Serbia, within the framework of the creative economy. It highlights how local artists, cultural workers, and grassroots initiatives have used mythology—encompassing narrative myths, spatial symbolism, and built heritage—as a driving force to revive Savamala's cultural identity and activate its unique potentials, contrasting this bottom-up approach with the top-down, investment-driven Belgrade Waterfront project that largely overlooks local heritage. The study argues that mythology, often overlooked in conventional urban planning, can unify material and immaterial cultural resources to foster place identity and community engagement. Through case studies of artistic interventions, narrative reinterpretations, and the symbolic significance of natural and built features such as caves and riverbanks, the article demonstrates mythology's continuing influence on urban space perception and regeneration. It concludes that while mythology's subjective nature resists standardized planning methods, it offers valuable insights for sustainable and culturally sensitive urban development.