The analyses of rural landscape with the use of historical materials on the examples of suburban villages of Wrocław
Analizy krajobrazu wsi z wykorzystaniem materiałów historycznych na przykładzie wsi podmiejskich Wrocławia
Liliana Serafin
Irena Niedźwiecka-Filipiak
DOI: 10.30825/5.ak.80.2016.50.1
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Rural landscape has been subject to intensive transformations in recent years. What ought to be done for it to retain its traditional character and comply at the same time with modern standards as well as provide an appropriate quality of life for its inhabitants? This question needs to be answered promptly. It is vital to retain and use for future development plans the still preserved specific rural landscape, which contributes to regional diversity. Decision making here may be helped by visual analyses of villages, compared with historical materials, cartographic, iconographic ones and supported by other references. All this information helps to understand the old countryside and the potential of its landscape. The article presents an attempt at the analysis of rural landscape in this context on the example of villages located near Wrocław.
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Wrocław is called the city of a hundred bridges – located on the Odra River and its four tributaries – it is one of the most populated and largest cities in Poland. The article focuses on the green areas located by the waters, which are frequently places of daily recreation for its residents. Like any area of this type these sites also possess spatial characteristics conducive both to recreational as well as antisocial behaviors. The main aim of this work was to select and characterize these features on the example of some riverside areas of Wrocław based on the field research as well as to assess them, which was possible due to the analysis of appropriate literature. The paper depicts and summarizes the recommended spatial characteristics (favoring recreation), those which are not recommended (conductive to antisocial behaviors, not favoring recreation) as well as controversial ones (conducive both to recreational and antisocial behaviors). It provides the main recommendations to improve safety within the space of the river side areas.
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Most suburbs in Poland serve as bedroom communities for large cities and are characterised by anonymity and superficial interpersonal relations. Public space in these suburbs is reduced to a space of flows. The objective of this paper was to examine what kind of places function as suburban gathering places and to identify the needs for the use of such places. The studies were conducted in two suburban settlements Józefosław and Julianów (Warsaw metropolitan region), based on questionnaires, in-depth interviews with the residents and site visits focused on how the spaces of both settlements were developed. Our study results confirm the thesis that some characteristics of classic non-places can be found in numerous suburbs in Poland that lack attractive publiclyaccessible gathering places. As evidenced by our studies, the function of local gathering places is filled primarily by homes and gardens, i.e. places where interpersonal contacts are carefully selected. The preferred leisure activities are those that do not require establishing interpersonal relations (e.g. physical activity and contact with nature). Our survey indicates that young people are the only group that spontaneously creates their own gathering places in the suburbs. Despite the apparent unwillingness to socialise with other residents, most respondents actually wish for authentic public spaces.

We are pleased to announce that the  article has won 1st place in the Ludwik Straszewicz competition  for the best article on socio-economic geography and spatial management organized by the Faculty of Geographical Sciences of the University of Łódź.
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Why houses of former manor farm workers in Greater Poland need to be protected
Dlaczego wielkopolskie domy dawnej służby folwarcznej należy chronić
Renata Gubańska
DOI: 10.30825/5.ak.84.2016.50.1
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This paper undertakes the subject of protection of the houses of manor farm workers preserved in the rural landscape of Greater Poland. Residential buildings of the former manor farm hands since the beginning of their existence had had a significant effect on creating the image of a Greater Poland village. This resulted both from their distinctive architectural design, as well as their specific location in rural layout systems. Their specific architecture is the result of a modular interior layout (regardless of the number of apartments located in one building), and their location – of their function performed in the structures of the manor. Unfortunately, the unique and picturesque at the same time “little streets” flanked on one or both sides with houses of the former farmhands are now with every single day losing their original appearance. This condition is commonly caused by modernization works carried out in individual dwellings, as well as insulation works conducted on a large scale in recent years. As a result of this type of action most of the architectural detail becomes obscured or is completely removed. In order to avoid further destruction of the historical architectural substance it is imperative to develop as soon as possible the principles of conduct during renovations at studied group of architectural objects and take actions aimed at raising the awareness of their inhabitants. The main aim of this study is to draw attention to the contemporary dangers threatening the study group of buildings, frequently resulting from the ignorance of their current users, but above all to preserve the buildings of historical value in their best possible condition so that for decades they can give testimony to the rural cultural heritage in situ in villages of Greater Poland.
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