The project
Silenzi in Croatia is an UNIZG AF (University of Zagreb, Faculty of Architecture) research, supported by the UCL (University College London) Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering researchers and UT (University of Trento) Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering researchers. Bringing the Silenzi in Quota initiative from the Dolomites (IT) to the Croatian Mountains is funded by the UNIZG AF Institutional Research Project MYspace / MOJprostor (Multidisciplinary for Sustainable Public Spaces), led by asst. prof. Tamara Zaninović, PhD. The project is funded through the Croatian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) under the EU 581 Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Silenzi in Croatia builds upon a recent “citizen science investigation” of soundscapes led by the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering researchers and supported by UNIZG Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing.
Projekt
Silenzi in Croatia (Silenzi u Hrvatskoj) je istraživanje Arhitektonskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu (UNIZG AF), uz potporu istraživača s University College London (UCL, Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering) te istraživača s University of Trento (UT, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering). Inicijativa Silenzi in Quota iz Dolomita (IT) dolazi u hrvatske planine u sklopu institucionalnog istraživačkog projekta AF UNIZG-a MOJprostor / MYspace (Multidisciplinarno za održive javne prostore, pod vodstvom doc. dr. sc. Tamare Zaninović). Projekt je financiran kroz hrvatski Nacionalni plan oporavka i otpornosti (NPOO) u okviru EU 581 Mehanizma za oporavak i otpornost (RRF). Silenzi in Croatia nadograđuje recentno istraživanje zvučnog okoliša metodom "građanske znanosti" (citizen science investigation), koje vode istraživači s UCL, Environmental Design and Engineering, uz potporu Arhitektonskog fakulteta te Fakulteta elektrotehnike i računarstva (FER) Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.
Program
The meeting is planned at 10 AM on Friday, the 1st May 2026, at the beginning of the Pjeskarica path, at the Entrance 1 (Velika Paklenica) to the Paklenica National Park, which is also the starting point of our soundwalk.
The soundwalk will take place in the iconic canyon of Velika Paklenica torrent, carved vertically into the south slopes of the Velebit mountain (protected as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park), which is part of the karst mountain range of Dinaric Alps / Dinarides. Besides distinctive geological structures, the area of Velika Paklenica owes its special status to the largest and best-preserved forest complex in Dalmatia, which is also recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage of Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests (Suva Draga - Klimenta). Paklenica National Park, as part of the Ecological Network Natura 2000, is an area significant for species and habitat types.
The canyon of Velika Paklenica is also recognised as the most visited climbing centre in Croatia, that takes its history back to 1938. With around 590 climbing routes and the most famous climbing wall of Anića Kuk (various routes of up to 350 meters long), the Paklenica National Park is popular also outside of Croatia and therefore prone to overtourism.
The soundwalk will be guided by UNIZG AF, UCL, and UT researchers, and supported by NP Paklenica rangers. The soundwalk is planned to last for about 5 hours in total. The route is 11 km long (one direction about 5.5 km), and the ascent is approximately 350 m; therefore, a moderate fitness level is required.
During the soundwalk, we will take listening breaks and explore curiosities related to sounds and listening to the landscape. The research team will make recordings and measurements, while the participants will provide their subjective (audio and visual) experience of the environment via a questionnaire.
Program
Okupljanje sudionika je predviđeno u petak, 1. svibnja 2026. u 10:00 sati, na početku poučne staze Pjeskarica, uz Ulaz 1 (Velika Paklenica) u Nacionalni park Paklenica, koje je ujedno i polazišna točka zvučne šetnje.
Zvučna šetnja održat će se u prepoznatljivom kanjonu Velike Paklenice, okomito usječenim u južne padine Velebita (zaštićen kao UNESCO-ov rezervat biosfere i park prirode), koji je dio krškog planinskog masiva Dinarida. Osim po specifičnim geološkim strukturama, područje Velike Paklenice svoj poseban status duguje najvećem i najbolje očuvanom šumskom kompleksu u Dalmaciji, koji je UNESCO također priznao kao svjetsku baštinu bukovih prašuma (Suva Draga - Klimenta). Nacionalni park Paklenica, kao dio ekološke mreže Natura 2000, područje je od značaja za brojne vrste i stanišne tipove.
Kanjon Velike Paklenice poznat je i kao najposjećenije penjačko središte u Hrvatskoj, čija povijest seže u 1938. godinu. Oko 590 penjačkih smjerova i najpoznatija stijena za penjanje Anića kuk (različiti smjerovi duljine do 350 metara) čine Nacionalni park Paklenica popularnim i izvan granica Hrvatske, zbog čega je izložen izazovima prekomjernog turizma (overtourism).
Zvučnu šetnju vodit će istraživači s UNIZG AF, UCL i UT, uz podršku čuvara prirode Nacionalnog parka Paklenica. Predviđeno trajanje šetnje je oko 5 sati. Ruta je duga 11 km (oko 5,5 km u jednom smjeru) uz uspon od oko 350 m, stoga je potrebna umjerena razina tjelesne kondicije.
Tijekom šetnje radit ćemo stanke za slušanje i istraživati zanimljivosti vezane uz zvukove i osluškivanje pejsaža. Istraživački tim provodit će snimanja i mjerenja, dok će sudionici putem upitnika podijeliti svoj subjektivni (zvučni i vizualni) doživljaj okoliša.
The soundwalk will be followed by the workshop "Assessing and Preserving Soundscapes in National Parks", open to all soundwalk attendees. The workshop will be held in Starigrad Paklenica, in the hall of the Public Institution of the Paklenica National Park, at Dr. Franje Tuđmana 14H, on Saturday, the 2nd May 2026 at 11 AM.
On behalf of the Paklenica National Park, the workshop will be opened by Gordana Lukač, PhD, with a lecture on the sound of ornithofauna - birds of Velebit. The workshop on the assessment and preservation of the sound environment will be lead by:
● Tamara Zaninović, Ana Sopina, and Klara Kranjčec, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Urban Planning, Spatial Planning, and Landscape Architecture (Croatia) - the MYspace project team
● Tin Oberman, University College London (UCL), Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering (UK)
● Simone Torresin and Giacomo Gozzi, University of Trento, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (Italy) - the Silenzi in Quota team
Nakon zvučne šetnje uslijedit će radionica "Procjena i očuvanje zvučnog okoliša u nacionalnim parkovima", otvorena za sve sudionike zvučne šetnje. Radionica će se održati u dvorani Javne ustanove Nacionalni park Paklenica, na adresi Ulica dr. Franje Tumana 14H, u subotu, 2. svibnja 2026. od 11:00 sati.
U ime Nacionalnog parka Paklenica, radionicu će otvoriti dr. sc. Gordana Lukač, s predavanjem o zvuku ornitofaune - ptica Velebita. Radionicu procjene i očuvanja zvučnog okoliša će voditi:
● Tamara Zaninović, Ana Sopina i Klara Kranjčec, Sveučilište u Zagrebu (UNIZG), Arhitektonski fakultet, Katedra za urbanizam, prostorno planiranje i pejsažnu arhitekturu (Hrvatska) – tim projekta MOJprostor
● Tin Oberman, University College London (UCL), Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering (UK)
● Simone Torresin i Giacomo Gozzi, Sveučilište u Trentu, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (Italija) – tim projekta Silenzi in Quota
Starting point: the beginning of the educational trail Pjeskarica
End point: UNESCO protected primeval beech forest towards the abandoned Bršljanuša village
Distance: ~ 6,5 km one direction, 13 km total
Duration: ~ 6 hours
Ascent: ~ 400 m (from 20 m up to 420 m)
Početna točka: početak poučne staze Pjeskarica
Završna točka: UNESCO zaštićena prašuma bukve prema napuštenom selu Bršljanuša
Udaljenost: ~ 6,5 km u jednom smjeru, ukupno 13 km
Trajanje: ~ 6 sati
Uspon: ~ 400 m (od 20 m do 420 m)