Przestrzeń publiczna w krajobrazie śląskich miast

Abstract

The author, individually or in work teams, for a few years now, has been conducting research into functioning of public space in Upper Silesia towns. The text is an attempt to present reflec-tions which arose as a result of these studies. The author concentrates on the problem of functions fulfilled by public space in a scenery of Silesian towns. Firstly, he attempts to reconstruct an ideal type of public space and indicate its basic qualities. Secondly, functions of public space, not limited to these connected with political community, are discussed. The author presents an ideal type and a typology of public space functions (following Lyn Lofland) to analyse the functioning of public space in two Silesian locations – Katowice and Rybnik. He evaluates a degree of func-tions fulfilled by central spaces in both locations and shopping centres located there. In the light of these evaluations, it is possible to define/determine the role played by the chosen public spaces in the investigated locations.