- Urban Development Concept of a Podlasie Town    click here to open paper content442 kb
by    Fiedorowicz, Jacek & Fiedorowicz, Kazimierz | jkmfiedorowicz@wp.pl   click here to send an email to the auther(s) of this paper
Short Outline
Urban Development Concept of a Podlasie Town
Abstract
Jacek Fiedorowicz
Kazimierz Fiedorowicz
5 Arctowskiego Street
02-784 Warsaw
Tel.: (+48 22) 644 51 70
e-mail: jkmfiedorowicz@wp.pl

LESSONS FROM THE PAST
Case Study: Urban Development Concept of a Podlasie Town

Summary of Presentation


The presentation is composed of three distinctive parts. The first one will deal with historic background of urban developments concepts in the region of Podlasie (south-eastern Poland). In the second part we will present historic model of a Podlasie town. The third part will focus on applicability of the model in planning of modern housing estates. The history of urban development of the region dates back to the XV century. By historic model we mean hear simplified urban development plan of a Podlasie town. We will prove that the model needs only some adaptation in order to meet current urban requirements.

There are about a hundred of small towns located in the Podlasie region. They were set up following the requirements of the Che³m legislation, which is a variation of the Magdeburg legislation. Majority of the towns was set up during the so called “Golden Age”. For our case study we selected 5 towns of the region. We comprehensively studied development patterns and came up with the model of a Podlasie town. Typical for the model is the logic behind principles applied to urban development. The town served three functions – center of manufacturing, trade and agricultural activities. The functions led to unique solutions, rarely found in other regions of Europe. Original for the town was the concept of close concentrations of multi-cultural population (centers) living in full harmony with each other and with the environment.

The model is readily applicable in the planing of modern urban development. The presentation will describe three successful attempts and adaptation measures required to meet modern needs. We will prove that there are lessons in the past that should be learnt. In the first attempt the model was adopted for suburban residential areas of a major city (4.5 ha of area). In the second attempt the model was applied during planning of a modern downtown area of a 20 thousand plus city. On the third occasion the model was used to set up a small urban center next to the existing village.

It is worth to note that the Podlasie towns were under heavy influence of Latin, Greek and Hebrew cultures. The urban solutions of the model draw from multi-cultural background, which makes it even more applicable in activities of urban planners throughout the united Europe.








Keywords
Podlasie, town, model
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