Justyna Zdunek-Wielgołaska

Although many processes shaping the Polish capital's suburbs have more universal or even global dimensions, the sources of some phenomena can undoubtedly be found in historical factors and planning omissions, as well as in legislation that has not kept pace with evolving needs. Warsaw's neighbouring commune, Wiazowna, was selected for analysis as it is an interesting example of an area where suburbanization processes are evident. However, it should be emphasized that they are still in the initial phase. The authors of this paper conducted research, including a trial implementation of a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based management procedure, which could be used in the future as part of the planning process. The assumption is to introduce scientific University expert knowledge into the city's urban management process. The outcomes can be utilized by existing participants in the urbanization process and effectively support the activities of local self-government. The second element, the effectiveness of which was tested, is the choice of the focus areas as the desirable nodes of further spatial development. The conducted research has shown that to rationalize the development of Wiazowna and protect its values, investment areas should be strengthened so that they achieve nucleus status, initiating further development.

International modernism has brought new solutions to urban greenery, primarily aimed at improving the living conditions of the inhabitants. Currently, much more is expected of green areas, and at the same time, various impacts influence their modifications. The article focusses on changing approaches to the issue of green wedges design resulting from the socio-political transformation and the changes in approaches to city planning priorities. We selected Warsaw for detailed research, where the evolution of this approach can be clearly observed. The study showed the changes in the size, layout and function of one of the most important green areas and residents’ expectations. The formulated conclusions and threads may be helpful in spatial policy, spatial planning and urban design in various cities with an open areas structure similar to Warsaw.

This chapter is aimed to analyse the implications that demographic changes have on urban decline and shrinkage in a global environment. The analysis departs from the assumption that deindustrialization restructuring and demographic suburbanization processes contribute to economic urban decline and shrinkage. After reviewing the evolution of urban decline and shrinkage framed on a methodological approach, the study analyses in detail the different factors involved in any demographic and urban decline and shrinkage. It is concluded that deindustrialization restructuring, demographic decline, and suburbanization processes are crucial in urban shrinkage.

Współczesne modele kształtowania miast wprowadzają zasady tzw. projektowania zrównoważonego. Zagadnienia odporności miejskiego ekosystemu, poprawy parametrów definiujących środowisko miejskie oraz polepszenia integracji społecznej wiążą się z nowoczesnym sposobem projektowania struktury funkcjonalno-przestrzennej stanowiącej nierozerwalną całość z systemem przyrodniczym, infrastrukturą tzw. zielonąi niebieską. W planowaniu urbanistycznym odporność w procesie reurbanizacji wprowadzają rozwijane koncepcje eco-cities i smart cities. Dla obu tych modeli miast należy zdefiniować ich funkcje, a takżeokreślić nowoczesne, prośrodowiskowe parametry dotyczące zabudowy i infrastruktury obszarów miejskichw powiązaniu z systemem przyrodniczym miasta. W publikacji wskazane są obszary problemowe dotyczące przekształceń obszarów zurbanizowanych. Zagadnienia te dotyczą problemu rewitalizacji obszarówzdegradowanych w mieście, „rezerw terenowych” w zagospodarowaniu ekstensywnym oraz w obszarach związanych z infrastrukturą techniczną i transportem publicznym. Charakterystyka modelu projektowania regeneratywnego i odporności prowadzi do określenia wytycznych planistycznych dla potrzeb nowych standardów kształtowania struktury funkcjonalnej i przestrzennej związanej z systemem przyrodniczym miasta. Wskazana jest problematyka przekształceń obszarów zurbanizowanych w odniesieniu do określenia połączenia budynków z obszarami biologicznie aktywnymi i infrastrukturą w mieście.

This paper has the objective to analyze the urban ecology, the biological diversity or biodiversity, and their adaptive cycle as the fundamentals of green economic growth. The analysis begins questioning the implications that some assumptions of urban ecology and biodiversity, such as the socio-ecosystems, resilience, ecosystem services, and adaptive cycle have on the creation of green economic growth. A series of different dimensions of resilience are proposed as subsystems that contribute to the general resilience of a system. The method used is the analytical based on a review of the conceptual and theoretical literature. This analysis concludes that the connectivity of processes and functions of urban ecology and biodiversity are relevant to the creation of green economic growth in terms of green economic value.

This article explores green space planning in Warsaw between 1916 and 1954, as an example of the creative development of the concept of shaping green spaces through years in the city. Based on relevant plans and documents this study shows that regardless of the conditions or political system, the urban green areas adopted after the war was optimal, because it resulted from the real needs of the state capital, which after many years of partitions, regained independence, and thus the ability to self-decide about its further development. The article examines the impact of planning concepts from the interwar period on the reconstruction of Warsaw in shaping green spaces. The paper focuses on indicating the similarities and differences in urban plans derived from the interwar time and the “social-realistic” period. The research starts with studies at the general level and leads to detailed solutions. The research uses the method of critical analysis of source data, including cartographic studies and the comparative method. In addition to strictly scientific research methods, the study also uses artistic evaluation of the designed urban greenery assumptions. As a result of the war, many European cities suffered severe damages. Warsaw belonged to the most experienced in this area. Paradoxically, the city’s destruction has become an opportunity for rebuilding it as a better one, also in terms of strengthening the resources of green urban areas. Already in the pre-war period, the need to increase the city’s area resources was strongly articulated to enable a coherent and future-oriented urban policy. The idea of strengthening the field base constituting urban resources was at the root of the idea of cooperative activity so popular in the Scandinavian countries or Germany. However, in Poland, right after the war took a pathological form. Under the so-called decree on communalization, also called the Bierut Decree, the ownership of land within its administrative boundaries was transferred to the municipality of Warsaw, which facilitated the process of implementing changes. The concept of building Warsaw in 1945 assumed functional segregation of the city following the idea of Le Corbusier. The overall thought was to rebuilt Warsaw as the town for the new “socialist” type of citizens. Although the urban planners working during the so-called “social-realistic” period (1945-1954) affirmed that their ideas of the development of towns were entirely new, the plans prepared for Warsaw depict many similarities to the ones worked out in the interwar period, from 1916 on. At the same time, the plan assumed maintaining wedge-shaped zones of greenery entering downtown. Subsequent proposals of the first post-war years followed this principle. Subsequent concepts for the development of Warsaw arising in the second half of the 1940s were consistent with the assumptions of the Athens Charter of 1933, guaranteeing residents’ access to greenery, accompanying residential districts, or creating a city-wide recreational space.

The paper aims to present the issues of protection of settlement with features of garden-cities in the suburban area of Warsaw. Howard’s idea of combining the advantages of the city and the village in one was so popular that it also affected Warsaw. In the area of Warsaw-city, as well as in its outskirts, garden-housing estates were built or planned. To this day, in the suburban landscape, these areas are distinguished by a vast content of greenery and small-town character, but the investment pressure is so intense that changes are taking place at a dynamic pace. Often, even the legal protection of these values is not sufficient to resist these urban processes. Thus, the purpose of the article is to show the problems of protecting settlement systems with the features of garden cities in the suburban area of Warsaw. The research uses the case study research method and critical analysis of formal and legal conditions. Interviews with residents were additional support. The examples given have shown that systems that have been protected for many years, with more stringent regulations, are in a much better position than places whose inheritance is being tried to preserve by introducing regulation now. In many cases, social resistance is so strong that even with evident advantages, it is not possible to introduce protective laws.