A friendly city: public space accessibility in Kielce

Joanna Gil-Mastalerczyk, Sylwia Mochocka, Małgorzata Wijas

doi:10.37190/arc230208

Abstract

The universal accessibility of public spaces is one of the factors that contribute to the image of a friendly city, understood as a place that meets the needs of all social groups, including people with disabilities. The aim of this study was to analyse the public spaces of Kielce in the context of accessibility. The spaces selected for the study are located at the intersection of different structures, constituting a public space in the traditional sense together with a network of streets and squares, a collection of important buildings, monuments, street furniture and urban greenery. The discussion covers the verification of circulation and transport solutions, the form and shape of the designed space, their place-based identity, programme and spatial orientation. Space characteristics and analysis were used to assess accessibility. The characterisation and analysis of spaces aimed to assess whether the spaces under study were attractive, sustainable and accessible due to solutions that enhance the functionality of the city space at the level of physical, psychological and emotional needs. The analysed public spaces of Kielce, thanks to their universal accessibility, guarantee easy accessibility, safety of use, promote proper perception of space, interpersonal contacts, as well as various forms of social life, thus positively influencing the perception of Kielce as a friendly city.

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Joanna Gil-Mastalerczyk*, Sylwia Mochocka**, Małgorzata Wijas***

A friendly city: public space accessibility in Kielce

Introduction:

A friendly city – accessible and sustainable

“A friendly city”, i.e., one that is attractive to residents,

tourists and investors, inuences people’s comfort of liv-

ing and is of interest to many researchers. One of its key

elements comprises spaces designed for everybody, i.e.,

prepared in such a way that they can be accessed and

used by all people regardless of age, ability or individual

constraints.

The statement that […] design for everyone is one of

the elements of sustainable development [1, pp. 22, 23]

and […] a public space that meets the requirements of

residents, that is adapted to their needs, including those

arising from physical and sensory limitations, creates an

image of a city that is friendly to all was put forward by

Marek Wysocki [2, p. 39].

It is estimated that by 2050 the share of people over

65 and people with disabilities within the population will

signicantly increase worldwide [3]. This data supports

the statement that a “friendly city” should be both sustain-

able and accessible.

The aspect of accessibility of buildings and spaces in

Poland is regulated by legal acts and regulations, includ-

ing the Rozporządzenie Ministra Infrastruktury w spra

wie warunków technicznych, jakim powinny odpowiadać

budynki i ich usytuowanie [Regulation of the Minister of

Infrastructure on the technical conditions to be met by

buildings and their placement] [4] or the Rozporządzenie

Mini stra Infrastruktury w sprawie warunków technicz

nych, jakim powinny odpowiadać obiekty budowlane me 

tra i ich usytuowanie [Regulation of the Minister of In fra

structure on the technical conditions to be met by metro

structures and their placement] [5]. The current Prawo

budowlane [Construction Law Act]

explicitly states the

need to provide access to buildings for persons with dis-

abilities, considering persons with disabilities as dened in

the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

[6], [7]. However, it appears that universal design imple-

mentation

needs to be examined more closely. The mini

mum guidelines proposed in the regulations are often in-

sucient and a casespecic approach and consideration

of all users’ needs are necessary. The regulations are com-

plemented by other documents and popularisation or edu-

cational campaigns. Such documents include the socalled

accessibility standards

, intended to improve accessibility

Article 5 of the Construction Law Act states that a building, to-

gether with its ancillary equipment, should […] be designed and con

structed in a manner prescribed by regulations, including technical and

construction regulations, and in accordance with technical knowledge

principles, ensuring the necessary conditions for the use of public facil

ities and multifamily residential buildings by persons with disabilities,

including the elderly [6, Article 5].

Article 9 of the Convention, which deals with accessibility, obliges

states that ratify the Convention to ensure that persons with disabilities

have access to the physical environment on an equal basis with others,

and is therefore signicant.

Universal design is the philosophy of designing products and en-

vironments so that they can be used by everyone, as widely as possible,

without the need for adaptation or special design. The seven principles

of universal design are: 1. Equitable use. 2. Flexibility in use. 3. Simple

and intuitive. 4. Perceptible information. 5. Tolerance for error. 6. Low

physical eort.

The accessibility standards contain a set of information for the

design and modernisation of public spaces according to universal design

principles, with the aim of implementing userfriendly solutions for all

users, including people with disabilities and seniors.

DOI: 10.37190/arc230208

Published in open access. CC BY NC ND license

* ORCID: 0000000269047304. Faculty of Civil Engineering

and Architecture, Kielce University of Technology, Poland.

** ORCID: 0000000276956127. Faculty of Civil Engineer-

ing and Architecture, Kielce University of Technology, Poland, email:

smochocka@tu.kielce.pl

*** ORCID: 0000000151934987. Faculty of Civil Engineering

and Architecture, Kielce University of Technology, Poland.

78 Joanna GilMastalerczyk, Sylwia Mochocka, Małgorzata Wijas

and education [8], [9], or the Wytyczne w zakresie realiza

cji zasady równości szans i niedyskryminacji [Guidelines

on the implementation of the equal opportunity principle

and nondiscrimination] [10]. Accessibility of space is

a topical and indemand issue in the light of the Ustawa

o zapewnianiu dostępności [Accessibility Act] entering

into force, as this act aims to improve the living conditions

and functioning of citizens with special needs [11].

At present, the biggest changes in accessibility are ob-

served in areas related to public facilities and their sur-

roundings, as well as public spaces such as city and garden

squares, which were selected as the subject of this study.

According to the Ustawa o planowaniu i zagospo

darowaniu przestrzennym [Act on Spatial Planning and

Development], a public space area is to be understood as

[…] an area of particular signicance for satisfying the

needs of residents, improving their quality of life and fos

tering social contacts due to its location and functional

and spatial characteristics […] [12, Article 2]. In the most

general terms, a public space is a collection of places that

are generally and freely accessible and are used to meet

the needs of its users. This raises the following question:

to what extent and how the urban environment enables

free access to them and how it meets human social needs,

including the needs of people with disabilities.

Public spaces should full a number of conditions, in-

cluding the condition that general accessibility should be

their essential feature. In Poland, this view has not become

part of the public consciousness yet, but the associated is-

sues are being analysed by specialists. When talking about

the design of a public space, it is important to realise that

the problem of shaping it is more complex than that of

building design. Cities are built over centuries, at dierent

times, on lands with dierent properties and for dierent

uses, many of which evolve over the years. The complex

network of roads, streets, crossings, squares, parks and

promenades is a conglomeration of places designed and

built largely separately by entities with dierent objec-

tives. Ensuring the consistency and accessibility of these

sites is therefore not an easy task. The proper design of not

only each structure that cocreates a given public space, but

also their interfaces and their proper connection with the

surrounding buildings and circulation and transport solu-

tions, is a serious problem. Therefore, the universal design

of public spaces applies equally to the scales of buildings,

road infrastructure, planning and urban policy [13].

It can be assumed that the essence of a public space is

based on its three basic characteristics: ownership (pref-

erably public), broadly understood accessibility, and fos-

tering communication and interaction [14]. Accessibility

is a very complex issue and architectural and urban de-

sign is a multifaceted process that relies on the intuition,

knowledge and experience of the designer to consider the

needs and expectations of people as the users of the space

[15]. Architects should aim to shape the form, aesthetics

and function in a way that takes into account accessibility,

while at the same time being respectful of human dignity

and equality [16]. The idea behind contemporary design

is to shape the space with the needs of all people in mind,

both those who are fully physically t and those who have

problems with things like mobility, or suer from visual

or hearing impairments [17].

Subject and aim of the paper

The subject of this paper is an architectural and urban

analysis of selected public spaces in Kielce (Fig. 1), mod-

ernised as part of the Revitalisation of the Historical City

Centre of Kielce – Phase I

programme in terms of accessi-

bility. Based on a set of selection criteria, three urban spac-

es, considered to form the greatest joint asset of the urban

space, were selected for analysis. The spaces were analysed

against criteria that verify solutions that favour general

accessibility, meaning not only easy reachability, conve-

nient access on foot or by vehicle, but also openness to

all groups of residents and visitors. The characterisation

and analysis of spaces aimed to assess whether the spaces

under study were attractive, sustainable and accessible,

with solutions that enhance the functionality of the city

space at the level of physical, psychological and emotio

nal needs.

State of research

The subject matter of accessible cities, as outlined in

this paper, concerns broadly understood space design that

aims to create a “welcoming city”. The range of litera-

ture that discusses these issues is exceptionally extensive.

Urban public spaces, design trends, sustainability, acces-

sibility and safety aspects are a multifaceted area of re-

search engaged in by researchers from various academic

disciplines. Authors associated with architecture include

Grażyna SchneiderSkalska [18] or Lucjan Kamionka [19].

City planning that considers the needs of persons with

disabilities has been present in the literature since the 2

half of the 20

century [20]. In the late 1980s, with the

establishment of the Center for Accessible Housing and

later the Center for Universal Design, the concept of uni-

versal design was formulated and developed in further re-

search [21]. In Poland, the study of accessibility issues ap-

peared in the literature in the 1980s and included housing

forms adapted to the needs of seniors [22] and the design

of disabilityfriendly environments [23]. Architectural ac-

cessibility is an endless and everpresent topic. Despite

growing public awareness of the necessity to adapt build-

ings and public spaces for people with disabilities, there is

still a need for research in this area. Over the past decade,

research has been conducted on accessibility in terms of

the needs of specic user groups, such as seniors [24],

[25] or the blind [26]. On the other hand, the need to take

into account the aspect of universal accessibility of towns

Lokalny program rewitalizacji obszarów miejskich, poprzemy

słowych i powojskowych w mieście Kielce [Local Revitalisation Pro-

gramme for Urban, Postindustrial and PostMilitary Areas in the City

of Kielce], Kielce City Hall, 2007, including Rewitalizacja zabytkowego

Śródmieścia Kielc – etap I [Revitalisation of the Historic Downtown of

Kielce – Phase I], whose main objective was to increase the socioeco-

nomic and spatial attractiveness of Kielce and to preserve and strengthen

its role as a regional centre.

A friendly city: public space accessibility in Kielce 79

and cities and their public spaces already at the planning

phase is signalled by, among others, Marek Wysocki [27]

and Krystyna Solarek [28].

Methodology

Based on an analysis of selected Kielce spaces, an in

situ investigation was performed. The study was based on

an analytical method and grounded in extensive academic

literature. In order to properly assess the spaces, analy-

sis criteria were adopted to verify the broadly understood

accessibility of space and a number of other factors, in-

cluding location, transport accessibility, safety of move-

ment, form, shape and composition as well as identity of

the place.

Criteria for the selection

of urban spaces for analysis

Three sites (Rynek, Stefana Żeromskiego Garden

Square, and Castle Hill, all revitalised in Phase I of the

programme) were selected for the analysis, based on the

following criteria:

1. Location. Placement within the urban fabric and in

close proximity to other facilities important to users and

links to other community spaces, public transport, and

vehicular and pedestrian linkages.

2. Upgraded spaces included in Phase I of the Re

vitalisation of the Historical City Centre of Kielce pro 

gramme.

3. History of the place. Places that represent the greatest

shared value in the urban space, with special cultural, his-

torical and architectural values, that inspire a wide range of

emotions and provoke deeper reection.

4. A diverse functional and use programme that con-

tributes to popularity.

Criteria for analysis

The sites selected were analysed in terms of general

accessibility, meaning not only good reachability, but also

convenient pedestrian and vehiclebased access for people

of dierent ages, each with dierent needs, abilities and

limitations due to possible dysfunctions, but also in terms

of openness to all groups of residents and visitors. The

following were investigated:

Fig. 1. The centre of Kielce – location of important public spaces:

1) Rynek – Revitalisation of the Historical City Centre of Kielce – Phase I,

2) S. Żeromskiego Garden Square – Revitalisation of the Historical City Centre of Kielce – Phase I,

3) space of the historical complex of penitentiary buildings in Zamkowa Street in Kielce – space of the Institute of Design

– Revitalisation of

the Historical City Centre of Kielce – Phase I, 4) Wolności Square, 5) Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego Square,

6) Stanisława Staszica Municipal Park, 7) Szarych Szeregów Scouts’ Garden Square, 8) Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

9) Blessed Virgin Mary Square – Revitalisation of the Historical City Centre of Kielce – Phase I, 10) National Museum, Italian Garden,

11) J. Bularskiego Garden Square, 12) Artystów Square, 13) I. Sendlerowej Square, 14) bus station, 15) St. Adalbert’s Church,

16) Kielce Cultural Centre (elaborated by S. Mochocka, M. Wijas)

Il. 1. Centrum Kielc – lokalizacja istotnych przestrzeni publicznych: 1) Rynek – Rewitalizacja zabytkowego Śródmieścia Kielc – etap I,

2) Skwer S. Żeromskiego – Rewitalizacja zabytkowego Śródmieścia Kielc – etap I,

3) historyczny zespół obiektów powięziennych przy ul. Zamkowej w Kielcach – przestrzeń Instytutu Dizajnu w Kielcach

– Rewitalizacja zabytkowego Śródmieścia Kielc – etap I, 4) Plac Wolności, 5) plac im. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego,

6) Park Miejski im. S. Staszica, 7) Skwer Harcerski im. Szarych Szeregów, 8) Bazylika Katedralna Wniebowzięcia NMP,

9) Plac Najświętszej Marii Panny – Rewitalizacja zabytkowego Śródmieścia Kielc – etap I, 10) Muzeum Narodowe w Kielcach, Ogród Włoski,

11) Skwer im. J. Bularskiego, 12) Plac Artystów, 13) Skwer im. I. Sendlerowej, 14) dworzec PKS, 15) kościół św. Wojciecha,

16) Kieleckie Centrum Kultury (oprac. S. Mochocka, M. Wijas)

80 Joanna GilMastalerczyk, Sylwia Mochocka, Małgorzata Wijas

– accessibility in terms of transport (municipal, vehic-

ular, pedestrian, etc.),

– the form and shape of the space,

– placebased identity,

– programme – its accessibility and diversity,

– solutions that facilitate spatial orientation.

Results

The Kielce public spaces selected for analysis are char-

acterised below.

Rynek

Rynek [Market Square] (no local spatial development

plan in eect, a spatial development conditions and di-

rections study is in eect, Figs. 2, 3) is one of the oldest

city squares in Kielce. Its modernisation (along with street

fragments) was carried out in the years 2010–2013, as part

of the Revitalisation of the Historical City Centre of Kielce

– Phase I programme. The most important change was the

reconstruction of Rynek’s surface and constraints on ve-

hicular trac. Previously, the space was inaccessible pri-

marily because of a preexisting roundabout located there.

Rynek is located in the central part of Kielce, in the

immediate vicinity of the city’s main streets. It is acces-

sible from all parts of the city in terms of municipal and

individual transport. There is segregation of vehicular and

pedestrian trac in the space of Rynek and the streets

connected to it. Car trac is slowed down (20 km/h) and

limited to emergency vehicles, residents and taxis, which

promotes safe movement (Fig. 4). The bus stop space has

facilities for persons with blindness and visual impair-

ments, for instance in the form of voice signalling and tex-

tured pavement markings. In the circulation space of the

Rynek stop, there are no physical barriers in the form of

signicant dierences in terrain elevation, external stairs

or obstacles such as thresholds that may restrict the move-

ment of a wheelchair user. However, the space requires

markings and signage for the blind and visually impaired

to assist them in the correct perception of the space and

to correctly locate and nd Rynek. There is a paid park-

ing zone along the streets leading to Rynek. A municipal

car park, private car parks, bicycle racks and a taxi rank

are located in the immediate vicinity. The nearest public

transport stop is 100 m away from Rynek (near the main

entrance to the City Hall building), while one of the larg-

est stops in the city (IX wieków Kielc Avenue) is located

200 m away.

Rynek’s surface is uniform, with no signicant slope or

dierences in elevation, and is accessible to seniors, peo-

ple with disabilities or with wheeled luggage. It consists

of large stone slabs with smooth joints. There are no exter-

nal stairs, major dierences in elevation or curbs. The spa-

tial layout ensures safe movement through the area via the

proper placement of elements like street furniture, bench-

es, landscaped greenery, water features, recreational fea-

tures, etc. The existing fountain was replaced by around

a dozen water jets. The jets are located beneath the surface

and are not barriers to movement.

The physical shape of the designed space and the posi-

tioning of the various elements allow the Market Square

to be viewed in all its glory from every corner, which pos-

itively inuences perception. The buildings that form each

of Rynek’s frontages are mostly two and three storeys high

and therefore relatively low compared to the dimensions

of the square’s surface, which means that the human scale

is preserved and this contributes to the positive perception

of architecture.

The composition’s legibility and the clarity of the

layouts related to Rynek’s placebased history positive-

ly contribute to its placebased identity and to the safe-

ty of movement related to the space’s correct perception.

A trace of the outline of the former town hall has been left

in the surface, as well as a section of the wall which was

converted into seating. This is a mark that references the

past, but has been given a modern character.

A varied use programme allows for satisfying essential

human needs – including physiological needs, the need

for rest, stimulation, hygiene and safety. There are many

restaurants, cafés and clubs. Public toilets were placed in

the place were Rynek widens. Outdoor terraces are also in

operation during the summer. In winter there is an ice rink.

Following a joint initiative of the city and the Institute of

Design in Kielce, Rynek was arranged with street furni-

ture elements that can be used for recreation (hammocks,

wooden benches, seating, potted plants). Outdoor exhibi-

tions and concerts are held there.

The abovedescribed elements of the space have a pos-

itive impact on its accessibility. Rynek’s space inuences

emotions and invokes positive associations, which is key

in the context of accessibility and, consequently, generally

understood safety and lack of social exclusion.

Stefana Żeromskiego Garden Square

This area is the public space of a small urban park

– a garden square that acts as a pedestrian circulation and

recreational green space (Figs. 5, 6).

The poor technical condition of the surface of the paths

and the square, the dilapidated wall and stair elements,

the need to inll and landscape the greenery for the new

spatial arrangement related to the placement of the Home

Army monument required a comprehensive design for the

reconstruction of the park as a project intended to solve

the compositional and functional problems of an import-

ant urban public space.

The garden square is located between Jana Pawła II

Street and Wesoła Street. Vehicular access to the site is

from both streets. The nearest bus stop is in Jana Pawła II

Street, right at the entrance to the garden square from the

side of the cathedral. A municipal car park, private car

parks, bicycle racks and a taxi rank are located not far

from the area. The garden square is completely closed to

trac. Only pedestrians can use it. There is a 30 km/h

speed limit on both streets between which the square is

located, along with numerous speed cushions (Fig. 4).

The entrance to the space in question, both from Wesoła

Street and Jana Pawła II Street, is barrierfree – the sur-

faces of the pedestrian paths have also been remodelled

A friendly city: public space accessibility in Kielce 81

Fig. 2. Kielce, Rynek:

a) accessibility of elements of small architecture, b) combining the historic floor with modern paving slabs (photo by M. Wijas)

Il. 2. Kielce, Rynek:

a) dostępność elementów małej architektury, b) łączenie zabytkowej posadzki z nowoczesnymi płytami chodnikowymi (fot. M. Wijas)

Fig. 3. Kielce, Rynek (photo by M. Wijas)

Il. 3. Kielce, Rynek (fot. M. Wijas)

to allow people in wheelchairs and with prams, among

others, to move around. Landscaping elements were

restructured and placed in barrierfree areas. The gar-

den square’s space is illuminated with street lamps and

pavement lights along the seating walls. The lighting

was designed to improve mobility safety, the space’s ac-

cessibility and its correct perception, especially for the

blind and visually impaired. The existing spatial layout

of the garden square is based on a central piazza with

a diameter of 40 m, located at the intersection of the main

axes of the 8 m wide park avenues, at the extension of the

axis of Mickiewicza Street and the gate leading to Jana

Pawła II Square in front of the cathedral. The composi-

tion of the garden square is clear and the layouts related

to the history of the site are clear. The circular form and

scale of the central piazza are a remnant of the grounds of

82 Joanna GilMastalerczyk, Sylwia Mochocka, Małgorzata Wijas

an Orthodox church that existed here in the years 1870–

1934, as well as of a circulation link that connected the

Castle Hill area with a new residential district for gov-

ernorate ocials, established in 1874 at the presentday

Wolności Square. The main avenue with a circular piazza

is a historically based layout. The radial alleys, created

spontaneously, are natural shortcuts that lead to the cor-

ners of the garden square.

The formal and educational use is defined by the

Monument to the Soldiers of the Home Army of the Ra

domsko–Kielce “Jodła” District, designed by outstand-

ing sculptor Professor Wincenty Kućma and erected

here in 2005 on the central piazza. The monument was

left unchanged. Only the high plinth of the monument

has been remodelled. It is now no longer an architectural

barrier

The space of Stefana Żeromskiego Garden Square is

universally accessible. Although the landscaping design

was not implemented as originally envisioned, the green

natural setting positively aects emotions, encouraging

relaxation and contemplation. Low and tall greenery pro-

vides shelter in the shade of trees on hot days and enables

contact with nature in the city centre.

Materials provided by Autorska Pracownia Projektowa [Author’s

Design Studio] Regina KozakiewiczOpałka.

Space of the historical complex

of postpenitentiary buildings

in Zamkowa Street in Kielce

The buildings under analysis had housed a prison

since the tsarist era. The prison complex operated up to

1980. Today, the complex serves as the Ośrodek Myśli

Patriotycznej i Obywatelskiej [Centre for Patriotic and

Civic Thought] and a Galeria Współczesnej Sztuki Użyt

ko wej [Gallery of Contemporary Applied Art]. The space

under analysis is located in the historical part of Kielce

– on the Castle Hill (Zamkowa Street). It is directly ad-

jacent to the City Park and the pond. The immediate sur-

roundings of the analysed prison facilities is the Baroque

Palace of the Bishops of Krakow – the bestpreserved

original palace residence from the 1

half of the 17

cen-

tury in Poland, together with its garden, and the Baroque

Cathedral Basilica. The revitalisation project was selected

through a competition in 2010 (Fig. 7, 8).

The nearest public transport stop is a considerable dis-

tance away. All bus stops are located within a radius of

approximately 900 m. The site is located on a hill and

surrounded by a park complex which precludes public

transport units from reaching it. Direct access to the site

is available by car or taxi. Parking spaces, bicycle racks

and a taxi rank are located in the vicinity of the area. The

courtyard space, which is part of the building complex, is

open and universally accessible (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. Kielce, Rynek,

space of the historical complex

of penitentiary buildings

in Zamkowa Street, Stefana

Żeromskiego Garden Square

– diagram showing significant

accessibility elements

(elaborated by S. Mochocka,

M. Wijas based on [29])

Il. 4. Kielce, Rynek,

przestrzeń historycznego

zespołu obiektów

powięziennych

przy ul. Zamkowej,

skwer Stefana Żeromskiego

– schemat przedstawiający

elementy istotne z punktu

widzenia dostępności

(oprac. S. Mochocka, M. Wijas

na podstawie [29])

A friendly city: public space accessibility in Kielce 83

A historical cobbled street leads to the courtyard and

navigating it may cause some diculties for people in

wheelchairs or with inappropriate footwear. The court-

yard entrance and access, on the other hand, are free of

architectural and urban barriers in the form of stairs or

protruding curbs. The surface of the courtyard is uni-

form – in places it contains strips lled with loosely piled

stones. The incline of the courtyard surface is signicant,

but it allows for safe movement, even in a wheelchair. The

use of slope negated the need for external stairs, drops or

curbs. The combination of dierent pavement types was

designed without thresholds. The way in which the space

is laid out inuences its accessibility through the appro-

priate placement of, for example, street furniture, green-

ery, and water and recreational features.

The clarity of the composition and the explicitness of

the features related to the area’s placebased history pos-

itively inuence the place’s identity and the perception of

the space. The structures have been given a modern form

that does not overshadow the historical setting, so as to

create a backdrop for the history of the site. A number of

contemporary references to the past, which are symbolic in

nature, have been used, i.e., a concrete wall with holes in

it, a steel grating in the wall – signifying captivity, an apple

Fig. 5. Kielce, Stefana

Żeromskiego Garden Square

(photo by S. Mochocka)

Il. 5. Kielce,

Skwer Stefana Żeromskiego

(fot. S. Mochocka)

Fig. 6. Project of land

development for the investment

“Revitalization of the city centre

of Kielce – redevelopment of

Stefana Żeromskiego Garden

Square in Kielce”

(source: courtesy of Autorska

Pracownia Projektowa Regina

KozakiewiczOpałka)

Il. 6. Projekt zagospodarowania

terenu dla inwestycji

„Rewitalizacja Śródmieścia Kielc

– przebudowa Skweru Stefana

Żeromskiego w Kielcach”

(źródło: dzięki uprzejmości

Autorskiej Pracowni Projektowej

Regina KozakiewiczOpałka)

84 Joanna GilMastalerczyk, Sylwia Mochocka, Małgorzata Wijas

is no longer completely closed to the street. Linked by

a sequence of openings in the wall, the courtyard engages

in a dialogue with the street. It invites one to enter. Thus,

the street is no longer completely closed to the courtyard.

The street faces a new quality, the interior of the National

Remembrance Museum, whose interior opens towards it.

The tragic history of the street and the prison is separated

only by a set of bars

. The space positively aects emo-

tions and produces positive associations, despite the dra-

matic events associated with the site.

Materials provided by Autorska Pracownia Projektowa [Author’s

Design Studio] Regina KozakiewiczOpałka. Revitalisation was imple-

mented according to the studio’s design.

Fig. 8. Kielce,

space of the historical complex

of postpenitentiary buildings

in Zamkowa Street

(photo by M. Wijas)

Il. 8. Kielce,

przestrzeń historycznego zespołu

obiektów powięziennych

przy ul. Zamkowej – dziedziniec

(fot. M. Wijas)

Fig. 7. Kielce,

space of the historical complex

of penitentiary buildings in

Zamkowa Street.

Bird’s eye view:

1 – Centre of Patriotic and Civic

Thought,

2 – Gallery of Contemporary

Applied Art,

3 – ceramics workshop

(photo by M. Wijas)

Il. 7. Kielce,

przestrzeń historycznego zespołu

obiektów powięziennych

przy ul. Zamkowej.

Widok z lotu ptaka:

1 – Ośrodek Myśli Patriotycznej

i Obywatelskiej,

2 – Galeria Współczesnej Sztuki

Użytkowej,

3 – pracownia ceramiczna

(fot. M. Wijas)

tree in the central part of the courtyard referring to a prison

yard, etc. The new form clearly allows the user to travel

back in time to the events that took place there. The intro-

duced elements stimulate the imagination, even of people

who are not exactly familiar with history, as they suggest

many correct interpretations of the symbolism featured.

The varied functional and use programme provides

signicant potential for the use of the space in question

and for interpersonal contact. As already noted, there is

the Centre for Patriotic and Civic Thought, the Gallery

of Contemporary Applied Art or the headquarters of the

Kielce Design Institute.

The quality of architecture is of a high standard here.

Modern material solutions were used, such as concrete – the

stone of contemporaneity – steel and stone. The courtyard

A friendly city: public space accessibility in Kielce 85

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References

Summary and conclusions

Universal accessibility is a factor that has a signicant

impact on the attractiveness of the city space. An accessi-

ble city starts with proper planning, accessible infrastruc-

ture, and accessibility of circulation and transport, up to

the absence of physical or architectural barriers in a space

or building. Public spaces that represent the greatest com-

mon value, with special cultural, historical, architectural

values, should be accessible to all people, regardless of

their ability or age. An accessible space is easy to reach

and has convenient access both on foot and by vehicle.

It is a place one wants to return to and does not cause

a mental barrier associated with moving. It is also a place

that is associated with broadly understood safety and lack

of social exclusion.

On the basis of the analysis presented, it can be con-

cluded that Kielce’s public spaces under study are plac-

es that feature solutions that improve the functionality of

the city’s zones at the level of not only physical, but also

psychological and emotional needs, enabling rest and var-

ious forms of activity for all social groups, including peo-

ple with disabilities. The squares in question allow easy

reachability, safety of use, foster a proper perception of

space, develop and enable various forms of social life and

foster the initiation of human contact. As a result, they are

universally accessible and thus have a positive impact on

the perception of Kielce as a friendly city.

Translated by

Krzysztof Barnaś

Acknowledgements

This article is funded from the project Accessibility Hub – Centre for

Practical Accessibility Learning, POWR.03.05.00 IP.0800CWD/20,

implemented as part of the Operational Programme Knowledge Educa

tion Development 3.5 Comprehensive Programmes of Higher Education

Institutions, Higher Education for Economy and Development; conan

ced by the European Social Fund – conanced by European funds.

86 Joanna GilMastalerczyk, Sylwia Mochocka, Małgorzata Wijas

Abstract

A friendly city: public space accessibility in Kielce

The universal accessibility of public spaces is one of the factors that contribute to the image of a friendly city, understood as a place that meets

the needs of all social groups, including people with disabilities.

The aim of this study was to analyse the public spaces of Kielce in the context of accessibility. The spaces selected for the study are located at

the intersection of dierent structures, constituting a public space in the traditional sense together with a network of streets and squares, a collection

of important buildings, monuments, street furniture and urban greenery. The discussion covers the verication of circulation and transport solutions,

the form and shape of the designed space, their placebased identity, programme and spatial orientation. Space characteristics and analysis were used

to assess accessibility.

The characterisation and analysis of spaces aimed to assess whether the spaces under study were attractive, sustainable and accessible due to

solutions that enhance the functionality of the city space at the level of physical, psychological and emotional needs. The analysed public spaces of

Kielce, thanks to their universal accessibility, guarantee easy accessibility, safety of use, promote proper perception of space, interpersonal contacts,

as well as various forms of social life, thus positively inuencing the perception of Kielce as a friendly city.

Key words: city, public space, accessibility, universal design, friendly city

Streszczenie

Miasto przyjazne. Aspekt dostępności kieleckich przestrzeni publicznych

Powszechna dostępność przestrzeni publicznych jest jednym z czynników wpływających na obraz miasta przyjaznego, rozumianego jako miejsce

realizujące potrzeby wszystkich grup społecznych, w tym osób z niepełnosprawnością.

Celem pracy jest analiza przestrzeni publicznych Kielc w kontekście dostępności. Wybrane do badań przestrzenie istnieją na styku różnych struk-

tur, stanowiąc przestrzeń publiczną w tradycyjnym rozumieniu wraz z siecią ulic i placów, zbiorem ważnych budowli, pomników, małą architekturą

oraz zielenią miejską. Rozważania dotyczą werykacji rozwiązań komunikacji, formy i kształtu projektowanej przestrzeni, tożsamości miejsca,

programu i orientacji przestrzennej. Charakterystyka i analiza przestrzeni służą ocenie dostępności.

Na podstawie przedstawionych badań można stwierdzić, iż omawiane miejsca są dostępne i zrównoważone, dzięki rozwiązaniom podnoszą-

cym funkcjonalność przestrzeni miasta na poziomie potrzeb zycznych, ale również psychologicznych i emocjonalnych. Analizowane przestrzenie

publiczne Kielc dzięki powszechnej dostępności gwarantują łatwą osiągalność, bezpieczeństwo użytkowania, sprzyjają właściwej percepcji prze-

strzeni, kontaktom międzyludzkim, a także różnym formom życia społecznego, przez co pozytywnie wpływają na postrzeganie Kielc jako miasta

przyjaznego.

Słowa kluczowe: miasto, przestrzeń publiczna, dostępność, projektowanie uniwersalne, miasto przyjazne

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