The social creation of urban space in socrealism : main actors and dominant spatial forms

Abstract

This text represents a kind of post factum summing up of the empirical research conducted in four towns of southern Poland (Tychy, Siemianowice, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Ruda Śląska) in the years 1985—1990. The object of these investigations was to: — identify the most important actors in the social creation of the urban space under socrealism; — reconstruct the town planning and architectural ideologies and doctrines; — describe the prevailing spatial forms and the social consequences of their realization. Although these studies were carried out in only a few towns, the conclusions formulated from the results achieved would appear to have a more general and universal application. Indeed they may, with a certain caution, be taken as valid in all the regions of Poland. (fragment tekstu)