Abstract

This article explores sustainable development challenges in light of growing over-tourism trends, focusing on the design, planning, and construction of tourism infrastructures. It explores the historical evolution of seaside resorts and the social and architectural concepts employed in creating leisure spaces, intending to project coastal landscapes’ futures. The article examines the dual nature of tourism and leisure, acknowledging their status as one of the fastest-growing industries globally, while recognizing their potentially destructive impact on cultural and natural heritage. Environmentalists actively explore alternative models that integrate social, economic, and ecological considerations as awareness grows regarding the need for sustainability in tourism. However, spatial considerations in sustainable tourism have been relatively overlooked. Thus, the article seeks to address this gap by emphasizing the importance of incorporating spatial perspectives in the design and planning of new tourism infrastructures. The research centers on Croatia as a case study of the Mediterranean region’s cultural and natural heritage. Globally, coastal landscapes are grappling with the repercussions of mass tourism, initiated in the 1960s and persisting into the 1980s, transforming coasts into overconsumed, fragmented entertainment zones. Croatia, characterized by a “fertile delay” due to its centrally planned economy and the Yugoslavian war in 1990, has emerged as a popular global travel destination in recent decades. However, this growth has endangered its pristine coastal landscapes. By analyzing Croatia’s experience, this article seeks to derive lessons from historical contexts to guide future coastal planning strategies aimed at providing insights considering the complex interplay between architecture, leisure, society, and ecology.