Development Vision Integrated Urban Design Concept

Development Vision Integrated Urban Design Concept. Integrated Regional Development Programme

Introduction
The Municipality of Pustec occupies a singular position within the Prespa Lake region, defined by its lacustrine setting, dispersed village structure, and strong cultural and agricultural identity. As a tertiary urban center within the Korça regional system, Pustec is not conceived as a pole of metropolitan growth, but as a landscape-based settlement network whose value lies in environmental integrity, rural character, and cross-border continuity with North Macedonia and Greece. The development vision for Pustec builds upon its role as a municipality of small villages embeddedinasensitivenaturalsystem.Villages such as Pustec, Zaroshka, and surrounding settlements retain a clear rural morphology characterized by cobblestone streets, compact centers, religious and communal squares, and a close relationship between built fabric, agricultural land, and the lake edge. This spatial structure constitutes a key asset, supporting a lifestyle rooted in seasonal rhythms, agriculture, and community life. The project approach recognizes that Pustec’s future development must be grounded in the preservation and enhancement of this rural and landscape identity rather than in extensive urbanization or infrastructure-led growth. Interventions are therefore oriented toward qualitative improvement: upgrading public spaces, restoring façades, improving accessibility and services, and reinforcing the legibility of village centers, while maintaining their scale and character. Cobblestone streets, church squares, and central axes are treated not merely as circulation spaces, but as civic elements that structure everyday encounters and collective life. Agriculture plays a central role in the territorial vision for Pustec. Fields of sage and other local crops, together with small-scale farming practices, form both the economic base and the landscape framework of the municipality. The project emphasizes the coexistence of productive land and settlement, promoting rural tourism, agro- based activities, and landscape stewardship as complementary strategies. Rather than separating villages from their agricultural surroundings, the vision reinforces their interdependence, framing the agro-field as an extension of public life and local identity. Tourism development in Pustec is approached selectively and with caution, privileging low- impact, nature- and culture-based activities. Proposals such as small-scale hospitality facilities, camping areas, and a sailing club are conceived as integrated elements within the landscape, supporting local economies without compromising ecological balance or village character. The lake is treated as a shared asset whose accessibility must be carefully managed, emphasizing experiential quality over intensity of use. Overall, the project for Pustec and its villages articulates a development model based on continuity rather than transformation. By enhancing existing spatial structures, reinforcing rural character, and aligning economic opportunities with environmental values, the vision positions Pustec as a municipality where landscape, culture, and everyday life remain inseparable. In doing so, it contributes to a broader understanding of Prespa as a cross-border region in which small settlements play a strategic role in maintaining ecological integrity and cultural continuity.