Allotment gardens and spatial development – two case studies from the Katowice conurbation, Poland

Abstract

Allotment gardens are a characteristic feature of the industrial landscape of Upper Silesia. The purpose of the study has been to present various aspects of allotment location in the urban landscape. A more than a 100-year-old development process has shaped the contemporary structure of the allotments which constitute a multi-functional part of the development. In the historical development, there have coexisted the following functions: economic, recreational, ecological, landscape and socio-educational. Under the existing administrative restrictions, they were developed as a result of an unfavourable economic situation and focused on food production. Allotment gardens usually developed without the interference of urban planners, which had, and still have, many organizational consequences. Distance from the centre is the main factor influencing the spatial distribution of allotment gardens in urban areas. The detailed location is determined by the environmental conditions and administrative decisions that are usually taken, albeit under pressure, due to the high demand for allotments. Distance-related profiles demonstrate the relationship between the distance from the centre and the share of allotments in the land surface as well as the size of the time-space changes resulting from the development of the city. In many cities, there are concentric concentration zones at a certain distance from the centre. Analysis has shown that allotments are quite clearly linked to the structural units of the city. Larger concentrations are formed on the outskirts of residential multi-family buildings. The results of the research confirm compliance with the design recommendations that the distance should not cause too much time loss for users.