Building on multidimensionality and multisectorality is quite a challenge. More often than not, it is small and medium-sized cities that face local and global problems, as well as those associated with the polarization-diffusion model. The Urban Resilience Academy can help.
As part of our #ReportThursday series, we present documents, reports and guides on architecture, cities and local government that are certainly worth publicizing and promoting. This week we look at a report that is also a guide. The document "Academy of Urban Resilience. A Handbook of Good Practices" was developed by experts from the CoopTech Hub in cooperation with the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolitan Area.
The report is available on the CoopTech Hub website.
direction of cooperative development
© CoopTech Hub
first: resilience
Poland's small and medium-sized cities are in an extremely difficult situation - they are primarily affected by the problem of negative demographics or the lack of prospects of benefiting from the resources of economic growth of the last thirty years. Until now, the most common response to the problems of smaller centers has been to copy the development model of metropolises. This, of course, must have led to questionable results. This phenomenon has been noticed by the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolis, which, working with experts from the CoopTech Hub, has created a framework of actions and solutions that can strengthen the position of the localities that are part of the institution.
The problem of the development of smaller centers depends on limited multidimensionality and multisectorality - small and medium-sized cities have greater problems with the creation of scientific or economic institutions, while at the same time becoming independent of the existence of a single economic entity, which, as Marek Szymaniak pointed out in his book "Collapse", can lead to fatal consequences. Resilience to temporary vagaries and crises must be built with the inclusion of various aspects - there is no one-size-fits-all example here. It is also interesting that the experts compiling the report explicitly point to the necessary appeal to local heritage.
The answer to strengthening development potential is the creation of development cooperatives, which were also cited in another report - the Urban Resilience Package.
resource map
© CoopTech Hub
second: strategy
The manual not only describes the procedure for finding the strengths of local communities, creating development cooperatives and defining their activities. It also shows real case studies of as many as four Silesian cities: Bieruń, Piekary Śląskie, Siemianowice Śląskie and Tarnowskie Góry. It is the examples of these cities that show how to create these documents, implement solutions and reach for good practices. From mapping urban institutions, reaching deep into history, searching for new opportunities on the basis of local potentials, each of these cities has managed to create unique proposals to help return to the paths of resilience and development.
the path to creating urban resilience
© CoopTech Hub
third: innovation
Innovation is not just a feature of large cities and metropolises. It is the smaller centers that are more flexible, adaptable and, if given the chance, will come up with amazing initiatives. As the report "Academy of Urban Resilience. A Handbook of Good Practices," the real potential lies in centers with less than a hundred thousand inhabitants.
The report is available on the CoopTech Hub website.
