<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

This paper discusses the functional, compositional and aesthetic role of urban canopies in the residential areas of Arab cities. Residential areas are understood across three problem scales: those of the district, the plot and the residential building itself. The objective of this study was to identify traditional and contemporary solutions in terms of spatial, functional and formal urban courtyard and canopy design. The study included an analysis of selected cases of various types of architectural and urban solutions present in residential areas with a focus on their accessibility, form of use, and architectural forms, as divided into traditional and contemporary solutions. The analyses resulted in recommendations for contemporary interpretations of urban canopies with the intent to preserve the value of local construction tradition, as well as modern needs linked to the necessity of implementing pro-environmental solutions on the architectural and urban scales.
</abstract>

Between Tradition and Modernity: Urban Courtyards and Canopies in Residential Areas of Historic Arab Cities

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The article presents the problem of shaping sacral architecture completed in Western European countries in the urban fabric, in a residential environment. Particular attention was paid to the importance of the material from which the buildings selected for analysis were completed for the creation of the climate of the sacred, both the solid and the interior of the building, co-creating a new narrative of the place. In the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, the use of expressive textures of such materials as ceramic brick, raw reinforced concrete or glass draws attention. Examples of characteristic religious buildings from the mentioned period, completed in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, were selected for analysis: the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Munich, the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Évry, Santo Volto Church in Turin, Sanctuary of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Neviges, the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Tenerife. The conclusions of the analysis were confronted with the aesthetic trends of religious architecture of the period in Poland.
</abstract>

Sacred Architecture in the Urban Fabric - selected examples of the search for new concepts of form

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

This article introduces the topic of revitalising outdoor common spaces in existing housing developments. The aim of the research is to present universal design models by analysing nature and heritage as dominant values, complementing perceived natural and cultural deficiencies. For this purpose, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), UNESCO (UNESCO, 2015) and the Research Through Design (RTD) method were used. The Zaspa housing estate was chosen as the research area because of its characteristic urban layout and its high cultural and social recognition. As a result of this research, elements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were identified and analysed. Graphic spatial models from the projects, were divided into groups for which the intensity of the contribution of nature or heritage to social inclusion was determined. The next important step was the international validation and participation in the European Heritage Days exhibition and the verification of the results of the citizens’ survey opening the second phase of the research. This article summarises the first phase of the multi-year research project.
</abstract>

Nature and heritage - Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as factors of social integration in the space of housing estates. Study of Zaspa

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

What impact will the war in Ukraine have on urban structures? Historically military doctrines, tactics and technologies have shaped our cities. As such it is imperative that we better understand the nature of contemporary urban conflicts in order to prepare and protect our cities, to make them safer and more resilient. The article analyses the course of the war in Ukraine, the tactics employed to attack cities and infrastructure, the resistance of various building types to explosive munitions, as well as the degree of protection they offer to inhabitants. This study indicates that civil defence requirements must once again become an important element of urban planning. New defensive strategies must be developed. We need to improve our understanding of how military affairs intersects with civilian infrastructure in our cities. The relations between infrastructure, density and spatial components that make up the city model must be re-evaluated. It appears that polycentric, sparsely distributed, ‘15-minute’ cities are more in line with requirements regarding quality of life, sustainable development and resilience in comparison to large and dense urban structures.
</abstract>

The urban dimension of war in Ukraine

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

In Poland, model interpretations of the spatial structure of cities are undervalued in planning instruments. However, the use of these models could become a valuable tool in spatial policy making. A city model presented in the form of an urban structure is the result of interpreting various types of spatial information and data into an accessible language. The aim of the research is to find a graphical representation of the functional-spatial structure of the city and a methodology for the valorisation of urbanised space in terms of the quality of the residential environment. The research was carried out using classical methods of urban planning and architecture. The main conclusion of the research is that a legible city plan can become a useful tool to design a high quality urban environment. The spatial-functional structure model of Rzeszów can serve as an example for other cities in Poland.
</abstract>

Model interpretation of the city’s spatial structure and spatial policy. Example of Rzeszów

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The topic of the article is the problem of spatial changes associated with the development of the Gocław housing estate in Warsaw and their impact on the devaluation of natural space and functional limitations in the built environment. The aim of the article is to analyze the state of development of the Gocław housing estate in the last 20 years, showing the densification problem in the context of its historical, urban areas and to refer to the transformations taking place in the urban tissue in terms of natural solutions. The results were presented by graphical comparative analysis of selected areas, which in the most representative way show the differences between contemporary and historical urban solutions in shaping the building and land development. For research purposes, a survey was carried out among the inhabitants of Gocław, which showed a justified need to develop green and recreation areas to support the local microclimate in the living environment of the inhabitants. The paper gives examples of adapting housing spaces in accordance with social needs in conjunction with increasing the value of the natural environment as an element belonging to the standard of housing estates and an essential part of the comfort of living in the city.
</abstract>

Gocław Estate - A natural aspect in the residential environment

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The article presents the results of research on the comfort and acoustic climate of urban housing structures. Acoustic comfort has been recognized as a hallmark of responsible urbanization and a healthy living environment. The research concerned the urban interior of a multi-family housing complex. The paper presents a general outline of the methodology of performing individual stages of the research. In order to compare, the research was carried out in two housing complexes different in terms of urban form. The impact of selected sound sources was investigated by means of field tests and computer simulations. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the comfort and acoustic climate have been identified. It was found that the urban form and the distribution of the service program have an impact on the level of acoustic comfort. It was confirmed that it is possible to identify elements that negatively affect the acoustic climate in a residential complex and determine how to modify them in order to improve the acoustic climate. The presented noise maps and 3D noise maps of the elevation can be used as a background for further research on the acoustic climate of the residential environment.
</abstract>

Responsible urbanization and acoustic comfort in a residential environment

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Large-panel housing estates seem to be of particular importance in the debate on the evolution of the modernist heritage. The technocratic approach has left a deep mark on this kind of settlements. With time their environmental conditions degrade, and consequently they require regular corrective actions undertaken in thorough revitalisation processes. However, in many original design concepts of such housing estates, some core elements of sustainable development can be noticed. These elements recognised as a potential could play an important role in the contemporary process of metamorphosis of housing estates.
This paper explores a comprehensive approach to improving the quality of housing environment by focusing on the systematisation of spatial aspects of revitalisation in order to achieve optimal use of public spaces within large-panel housing settings.
An in-depth analysis of successful revitalisations of large-panel housing estates in Germany provided a foundation for proposing a methodology of a systematic socio-spatial approach to public spaces. Its possible applicability is particularly important in Polish housing estates and their metamorphosis towards developing the continuity of public space in the city, which is currently under threat.
</abstract>

B.Arch, M.Arch, Ph.D., Departmetn of Architecture

Metamorphosis of Modernist Large-Panel Housing Estates Towards a Sustainable Public Spaces System of the City

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 46 (2024): Issue 1 (March 2024)

Volume 45 (2023): Issue 4 (December 2023)

Volume 44 (2023): Issue 3 (September 2023)

Volume 43 (2023): Issue 2 (June 2023)

Volume 42 (2023): Issue 1 (March 2023)

Volume 41 (2022): Issue 1 (December 2022)

Volume 40 (2022): Issue 1 (September 2022)

Volume 39 (2022): Issue 1 (June 2022)

Volume 38 (2022): Issue 1 (March 2022)

Środowisko Mieszkaniowe/Housing Environment

The journal 'Housing Environment' is an international periodical that has been published since 2003. It focuses on research related to the housing environment, which is understood as the fundamental living space and activity area for humans, satisfying their psycho-physical needs. The journal's aim is to connect architectural and urban aspects of living spaces with spatial planning, urban sociology, aesthetics, information technologies, and other scientific fields that influence contemporary housing environments. The housing environment is described as a space composed of both living and non-living elements that impact and are processed by humans. The physical shape of this space influences the well-being of its residents, addressing their need for safe shelter, psychological and physical comfort, hygiene conditions, a sense of belonging, a clean environment, and contact with nature. The journal is particularly interested in research concerning new phenomena in the architectural and urban design of living spaces, multidisciplinary activities that support research on the quality of the housing environment, the functioning of residential areas in modern cities, and solutions to dysfunctional problems related to the housing environment, such as those associated with climate change. The editorial team encourages the involvement of students in scientific work, and each issue of the journal publishes student design projects  Archiving Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections. Plagiarism Policy The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 