In thinking about Polish cities, we very often see above all what we would not like to see. The squeezing cost of living, the inhumane conditions of the real estate market, concretosis or the latest business thinking in the form of a developer's playground consisting of one swing and a bench.
Recognizing the problems of reality is one thing, but talking about the direction to go to change it is another. A few weeks ago, when presenting an overview of 5 examples of Polish concrete that can inspire your mayor, we didn't want to fall into fatalism. That's why this week we present an overview of conversations and articles that present, a better vision for cities.
If you haven't read it yet, we encourage you to read "Review of 5 examples of Polish concourse that can inspire your mayor"
© Architecture&Business
protopia and small steps in building better cities
Dystopian visions of the past should not be the only element shaping our reality? Of course not! What is "protopia" and when is it worth focusing on it? In a conversation with Blazej Ciarkowski, Joanna Erbel, sociologist, book author and urban activist, talks about what prototyping reality is and why cooperatives are the solution of the future.
Joanna Erbel - sociologist, author of the book "Leaning into the Future. How to change the world for the better"
photo by G. Krzyzewski
"Experimental Urbanism", or briefly about how cities should be changed
Is it possible to realistically change the environment of cities without experimenting? Why are we so afraid to throw ourselves into the deep end in Poland? Why we need experimental urbanism, creative conflict and bottom-up rather than top-down thinking is told by Pawel Jaworski - urbanist and creator of the experimental method.
Pawel Jaworski - urban planner
photo J. Wypych
What should urban greenery be like?
What should urban greenery be like? What is the reason for the reluctance to have trees under windows and retention tanks. How to adapt cities to climate change, and which of these solutions are viable measures and which are greenwashing? We discuss the issue of greenery with Joanna Rayss - landscape architect and president of the Association of Landscape Architects.
Joanna Rayss - landscape architect, president of the Association of Landscape Architects
© Joanna Rayss
why we need more competitions
In Poland, especially in smaller towns and cities, local municipalities are often not convinced by the formula of architectural competitions. First of all, they are deterred by the higher costs and longer planning period. These are erroneous assumptions, as Starachowice Mayor Marek Materek discusses in an interview with Kacper Kepinski. If Starachowice, with a population of less than 50,000 residents, can hold as many as two competitions in a couple of years, what stands in the way of other centers?
Marek Materek - President of Starachowice
© Marek Materek
The city and its functions according to Rafał Matya
The city can be an equally interesting subject not only for architects and urban planners, but also for historians and political scientists. Since June of this year, the magazine Architektura&Biznes has been publishing articles by Professor Rafal Matya, who presents many issues concerning cities in a way that is rarely presented. Some of the articles are available on the portal. Others can be read in the magazine, which is available for free on our website.
Rafał Matyja - historian and political scientist, professor at the Cracow University of Economics
© Rafał Matyja
Grow a city for yourself, or about the Festival of Transformations
From October 7 to 9, 2022, the next edition of the Transformations Festival is underway. Curator Rafał Kosewski talks about why it's worth going to it, listening to it or reading the post-festival materials.
Festival of Transformations
© Festival of Transformations
Health of the city, or a recipe for better solutions
If you are interested in what the cities of the future should be like, be sure to take a look at the latest October issue of Architecture&Business. Błażej Ciarkowski, Anna Diduch, Ewa Kuryłowicz and Jakub Szczęsny, among others, talk about what a Healthy City is!
October issue of A&B - Healthy City
© Architecture&Business
The magazine in paper form is available in Empik stores, as well as on our website. At the same time, the issue is available for free in electronic form! Just log on to the website and download it!
