Atrial development as an economical type of complex high-density single-family housing in Poland

Abstract

Atrial housing, as a type of high-density single-family, appeared in Poland in the 1960s and 1970s. First, in 1962, legal regulations were developed. This was followed by several atrium developments and research work. After 1990, it appeared in only a few publications, and in 2003, it disappeared from the legislation. The aim of the research presented in this article is to demonstrate whether it is possible to build an atrial house or a whole complex of atrial buildings today, based on existing legislation and planning conditions. To this end, the literature on the subject was studied, and 11 existing realisations from the 1970s were analysed. Based on the findings, an atrial house plan was developed, which in turn was used to develop an atrial housing complex located in one of the quarters of the Bialystok Local Spatial Development Plan. The results confirmed that nowadays, subject to certain specific conditions in the provisions of the plans and on the basis of the legal regulations in force, atrial buildings may be used, despite the fact that they are not referred to in the legislation on housing development.