Łukasz Musiaka

The XXIX ISUF conference book explores the multifaceted theme of urban redevelopment and revitalisation through the lens of urban morphology. It underscores the growing relevance of urban rehabilitation, particularly in light of the principles of urban metabolism and circular economy. It addresses the theoretical and methodological intersections between urban morphology and urban rehabilitation, advocating for a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the diverse challenges of urban renewal. Key themes include political, legal, and administrative conditions influencing urban transformations, and the social and cultural determinants affecting spatial redevelopment. The book also offers a comprehensive review of current theoretical and practical expertise, providing insights into economic, functional, infrastructural changes, and the impacts of climate change on urban strategies. It examines methodological advancements, ranging from traditional case studies to advanced digital tools like GIS and AI. The volume includes detailed analyses of political and economic systems’ influence on urban renewal, case studies on social participation, and the impacts of migration and cultural diversity. Additionally, it discusses theoretical concepts linking urban morphology with urban renewal, exploring sustainability and climate change effects. Practical architectural and urban solutions are highlighted, showcasing implementations from various countries to offer a global perspective on the morphological method in urban revitalisation.

Railway transport accessibility is widely recognized as one of the key factors stimulating spatial development. This dependency was particularly evident during periods of its greatest significance before the era of mass motorization. Despite growing research interest in the issue of relationship between transport and land use, few studies have considered this subject in long-term perspective and in quantitative terms. The primary objective of this study is to determine historical, long-term impact of railway transport on the dynamics of morphological changes in the settlement network. This study was conducted in the eight largest urban agglomerations in Poland, serving as an example of the Central and Eastern European region. The general temporal scope of the study spans the period from 1842 to 1989. The research revealed a strong correlation between railway transport and morphological changes in analyzed urban agglomerations. The most significant changes observed within 1,600 meters of railway stations and up to 20 kilometers from central stations. This quantitative analysis contributed to understanding the long-term impact of railways on spatial development, offering valuable insights for planning and policymaking. The research emphasized the importance of historical context in comprehending current spatial processes, particularly in the context of new railway investments.

Combining non- and minimally invasive archaeological survey, geomorphological methods and linguistic studies enables a better understanding of the dynamic use of the Daugava waterway from the Bronze to the Viking ages. Results indicate a common origin period of many fortified settlements and also identify research questions about cultural fluctuations in the Baltic-Slavic–Scandinavian contact area.

The main research objective of this paper is to assess the spatial aspects of the revitalisation of small towns in the Voivodeship of Varmia and Masuria on the example of Kisielice, Lubawa and Węgorzewo. The selected towns were destroyed during World War II on a scale of more than 70% of their built-up area. They represent different forms of post-war reconstruction and have a diverse scale and nature of contemporary functional and spatial challenges. The article analyses the effectiveness of urban regeneration tools in the form of local revitalisation programmes (LPR) and the supra-local revitalisation programme within the Cittaslow network for the processes of physical renewal of urban fabric. The primary research method was the analysis of strategic and development documents drawn at various levels. In addition, study visits to the examined towns were conducted, and use was made of the consulting and advising experience offered to local governments as well as expert interviews. Both local programmes and the supra-local programme have played an essential role in the regeneration process of the towns under study, both spatially, functionally and as a platform for promotion and cooperation. However, the organisational and legal framework to date is not flawless and does not meet the current needs of local authorities. The introduction of the Revitalisation Act in 2015 and the implementation of new solutions in the form of municipal revitalisation programmes (GPR) were an attempt to overcome the low effectiveness of the existing tools. The new solutions provide an opportunity to continue ongoing projects and to start a new urban renewal and development stage. This is particularly important in a region facing enormous demographic, social and economic challenges and the still-felt repercussions of the Second World War and the subsequent spatial changes.

Artykuł prezentuje wyniki badań dotyczących społecznej roli geografii jako nauki. Badania te, wykonane techniką CAWI, objęły swym zasięgiem 1000 osób (nazwanych „Kowalskimi”) w ramach badań ogólnospołecznych oraz 102 ankietowanych zawodowo zajmujących się geografią na poziomie akademickim (nazwanych „Geografami”). W wariancie ogólnospołecznym określono pojmowanie geografii i jej przedmiotu badań oraz rozumienie jej roli, znaczenia i zadań, a także tego jak postrzegane są jej walory, mocne strony i słabości. Weryfikacji podlegała również praktyczna rola badanej dziedziny wiedzy i jej przydatność. Wśród „Geografów” badania objęły identyfikację sposobu rozumienia tożsamości geografii i jej cech konstytutywnych, percepcji zalet i słabości tej nauki, oceny procesu pogłębiającej się specjalizacji, ale też jej aplikacyjności oraz perspektyw rozwojowych. Z ankiet wynika, że respondenci mają pozytywny obraz geografii. Najczęstsze skojarzenia wśród „Kowalskich” cechuje płytkość, opisowość i powierzchowność. Geografia przez obie grupy respondentów postrzegana jest jako dziedzina wiedzy łącząca w sobie komponent przyrodniczy, społeczno-ekonomiczny oraz humanistyczny. Nie są zaskoczeniem opinie podkreślające duży walor utylitarny i aplikacyjny geografii. Zdaniem „Geografów” tożsamość tej nauki polega głównie na podejściu systemowym, całościowym, relacyjnym oraz na interdyscyplinarności. Znacząca część tej grupy respondentów potwierdza występowanie kryzysu tożsamości geografii. Jako niski postrzegany jest przez nich poziom jedności tej nauki. Podobnie słabo oceniony został poziom debaty nad stanem i kierunkami rozwoju.

The principal aim of this paper is to present the capabilities of newly developed GIS tools for measurement analysis of urban spatial layouts, using the square grid method. The study of urban morphology and metrology is a multistage process, which involves the metrological analysis of town plans. The main research step is the determination of measurement modules of town layouts, using the square grid. By using GIS software, the authors developed a new tool, named HGIS Tools, which allow to create any number of modular grids with the selected cell size that corresponds to urban units of distance and surface area. When investigating a large number of towns and cities, this offers a significant improvement of the research procedure. The paper presents a test of the tool’s potential on the example of regular medieval towns from the area of the former Teutonic Order state (currently the territory of Poland), diversified in terms of size, genesis and morphometrics. The obtained results confirmed that HGIS Tools allowed to determine the hypothetical measurement module of the layout of the cities studied. The results were consistent with the analyses of other authors carried out with the traditional grid-square methods. The test of the HGIS Tools showed their significant potential in conducting morphometric analyses of spatial arrangements of urban spatial layout on a larger scale.