Application of the building cohesion method in spatial planning to shape patterns of the development in a suburban historical landscape of a 'village within Kraków'

Abstract

This paper focuses on the impact of urban and suburban spread on the preservation of the cultural heritage and landscape of suburban villages with historical cores. It is a case study of a once village of Bronowice Małe the rural structure of which has been listed as a protected heritage site by the municipality. The area is under a severe development pressure because of its attractive location within Kraków’s city limits. Extensive historical studies determined the archetypical Bronowice-style house, which is a modern continuum of traditional wooden architecture in the area, referred to as the Bronowice-style cottage. With the typical features of the archetype defined, the authors developed an original method, a combination of field survey and numeric taxonomy to assess the percentage consistency of new housing buildings with traditional building standards in Bronowice Małe. The results show that despite legal protection with local acts of law and listing of the area as a heritage site, the development pressure in the area is extreme. Housing estates are constructed illegally and at variance with the character of buildings that make up the historical core of the village. The field research identified dynamic growth in multi-family buildings even though the local spatial development plan provides for single-family housing only. The results have demonstrated that the proposed method for assessing development consistency with the traditional standard is universal. It significantly streamlines work with cultural heritage and with developing local spatial development plans. It further builds awareness among residents, planners, and administration officers regarding improved protection of cultural heritage