Beach bars in Wrocław. Private or public spaces?

Dariusz Dziubiński

doi:10.37190/arc200309

Abstract

The article presents a continuation of research on the space of beach bars in Wrocław, observed in 2018, which was aimed to evaluate the space of these places with a particular focus on their operation (program + function). The results of the evaluation were compared with the official public spaces of the city. The main aim of this juxtaposition was to show the most significant similarities and differences between the two types of spaces and thus to explore the strengths and weaknesses of urban spaces, which could be helpful in their enrichment and development. Particular attention was paid to all those elements of the programme and functions which could strengthen social interaction – living in these spaces. An indirect aim was to answer the question raised in the title of the importance of ownership for the operation of spaces in a contemporary city (including beach bars). Both objectives are linked, allowing to check the initial assumption. An important conclusion from the research carried out is that in the assessment of residency-oriented space – the long stay of people, much more important, apart from the possibility of meeting different needs, seems to be the freedom of behaviour today, and this is certainly more difficult in urban spaces than in even fenced, but ingeniously conceived beach bar spaces. The issue of (lack of) “familiarity”, in other words the relationship of dependence between the scope of control and the freedom of behaviour and above all the freedom to decide – the possibility of making independent, not imposed choices, is also worth considering.