14 5HQDWD*XEDĔVND
consisting mainly in redesigning the space between the
large panel apartment buildings to make it more resident-
friendly both functionally and aesthetically.
First of all, the materials regarding historical issues and
composition changes were found and collected. Next, the
basic survey work as well as analyses of the functions of
individual buildings, circulation routes, age and condition
of the structures located there as well as the vegetation
growing in the area in question were conducted. The con-
clusions regarding the project issues were formulated on
the basis of conducted analyses and only then were they
the basis of the development of the project conception in
compliance with the tradition of the place and its residents’
expectations.
This way, that is in compliance with the art of design,
&RQFHSWLRQ,GHVFULEHGLQGHWDLOIXUWKHULQWKHSDSHUZDV
GHYHORSHG ,W VKRXOG EH QRWHG WKDW DORQJ ZLWK WKRVH ¿HOG
and historical analyses an attempt was made at familiarizing
with applicable legal acts
2
[2] regarding that fragment of the
housing estate. Only at the moment when the design work
on Conception I – referring to the historical location of an
airport in that area – was almost over, was the local develop-
ment plan made available. The local plan extract indicated
that the central part of that housing estate should be occupied
by high-rise dense architecture that would divide, deliber-
ately or not, the existing settlement in two separate struc-
tures. Furthermore, the layout of new buildings imposed a
totally different layout of roads and walkways. This is how
&RQFHSWLRQ,,GHVFULEHGIXUWKHULQWKHSDSHUZDVERUQ
7KHIXQFWLRQDODQGVSDWLDOFKDUDFWHULVWLFV
7KH IUDJPHQW RI *ąGyZ 0Dá\ KRXVLQJ HVWDWH
3
de-
VFULEHGLQWKHSDSHULVORFDWHGLQWKHZHVWSDUWRI:URFáDZ
and it is easily accessible from its center. The area of the
study borders in the north on the commercial buildings lo-
FDWHGEHWZHHQ/RWQLF]D6WUHHWZLWKKLJKWUDI¿FLQWHQVLW\
DQG6]\ERZFRZD6WUHHWZLWKPHGLXPWUDI¿FLQWHQVLW\,WV
west border is Bajana Street, east border – Drzewieckiego
Street
4
, in the south it has further residential buildings
ODUJHSDQHODSDUWPHQWEXLOGLQJVDQGWKHLUVXUURXQGLQJV
The area in question can be accessed through spaces in
between individual large panel apartment buildings or drive
through gates located directly under them. Both vehicle
WUDI¿FDQGSHGHVWULDQFLUFXODWLRQLVHI¿FLHQW7KRVHEXLOG-
ings were constructed as large panel apartment buildings in
WKH VDQGWKH\ KDYHVHYHUDO WRDERXW D GR]HQ ÀRRUV
Their architecture is typical of large panel apartment build-
ings of those times with their cookie-cutter forms with no
architectural details whatsoever. Their ground levels have
commercial space and basic services as well as garages
with terraces above them. The proper business facilities are
located along Szybowcowa Street with e.g. “Biedronka”
chain supermarket
5
KDLUGUHVVHU¶V RSWLFLDQ
EDU DQG HYHQ D JDV VWDWLRQ )LJ 7KHUHVLGHQWV
RIWKDWKRXVLQJHVWDWHPDNHXVHRIWKHVXI¿FLHQWWUDQVSRU-
tation, commercial, and business facilities. Speaking about
WKHGHVLJQFXOWXUHLQWKHFLW\DQGPHDQLQJWKDWVSHFL¿FSDUW
*ąGyZ0Dá\ZHVXGGHQO\IDFHDNLQGRIELSRODULW\RIWKDW
culture. It is positive that the general idea of the design is
correct. On the other hand, the way the space in between
WKHEXLOGLQJVLVXVHGUDLVHVVRPHREMHFWLRQV8QIRUWXQDWHO\
that space is developed the same way as around most other
large panel apartment buildings in Poland. That space has
some green areas but their design is totally random. Most
of the space is grass area and in some places (mainly by
WKHEXLOGLQJVWKHUHDUHEXVKHVDQGWUHHVWKDWJURZZLWKQR
maintenance, and that is why there are a lot of self-sown
plants there. In the direct vicinity of the buildings, there are
even enclosed mini gardens, some of them maintained by
the residents who created them. There is no system of pe-
destrian circulation routes, because most roads and walk-
ways are actually shortcut footpaths that create a special,
chaotic web
6
. The parking spaces are also worth mention-
ing. They are located along the streets and longer sides of
WKHEXLOGLQJVEXWWKHLUQXPEHULVGH¿QLWHO\LQVXI¿FLHQWIRU
the number of the apartments. Consequently, soon after the
new residents moved into the apartment buildings, a paid
parking lot was established and enclosed in the east part of
the square. The residents park their cars also along access
roads to individual entrances – stairshafts. The elements of
street furniture don’t meet the residents’ needs either: it is
LQVXI¿FLHQWRULQSRRUWHFKQLFDOFRQGLWLRQ7KHRQO\ULVHLQ
the north-south part of the area has been converted into a
skatepark by the youth.
The lack of a clear and a well thought-out development
of that area, in respect of both functions and aesthetics,
LVHYLGHQW/RRNLQJFORVHUDWWKDWEULHÀ\GHVFULEHGKRXV-
ing estate, there can be some doubts as to the correctness
of the culture of designing of urban structures, and that is
why the following is the presentation of the basic actions
and efforts which would result in improving the quality of
life in this kind of residential units.
3
7KHKLVWRU\RI*ąGyZ0Dá\GDWHVEDFNWRWKHHQGRIWKH
th
centu-
ry. It was a village with not more than 100 residents. Their number grew
to almost 400 at the end of the 19
th
century. As there was a lot of undeve-
loped area there, a military airport was built there in 1910. The area was
intensely developed only in the middle of the 1970s when a decision was
made to liquidate the airport and build a housing estate there [1].
4
7KHQDPHVRIWKHVWUHHWVLQ*ąGyZ0Dá\DOOXGHWRLWVIRUPHUIXQF-
tion – airport.
5
“Biedronka” supermarket is located in a former hangar – the only
original building in the whole airport complex.
6
It should be kept in mind that when it rains or snows those paths get
damp, ruts and puddles appear in them and then they are useless.
2
Especially the land use plan, local development plan, conservation
guidelines.
