Living Space in A City - Selected Problems of Shaping Modern Housing Complexes in Cracow- A Multiple Case Studies: Part 1- The Case Study of Urban Villas

Abstract

In the publication, the author - in the context of the global increase in population numbers - synthetically characterises the situation of the population of Poland and the development of Polish cities, as well as that of apparent - or, as others would have it - relative deurbanisation. Cracow - the second Polish city in terms of size, a metropolis that, along with its peripheral areas, including those residents of nearby communities who gravitate towards the city, and who have recently moved in here - is a metropolis that has an over a million inhabitants. The city, burdened with the “disease of deurbanisation”, is a fitting field for the observation of phenomena that cause this process. The quality of the housing environment being offered in new complexes of multi-family buildings that are being built within the administrative limits of the city, especially including those in large, so-called “developer” complexes, as well as apartment prices, can affect the problem of urban sprawl in the city to a significant degree. The goal of the research that was performed was to analyse the offer of shaping the housing environment that has been expanding in recent years, and which constitutes an attractive alternative to living outside of the city’s limits. Low density multi-family residential buildings that are being built in the administrative borders of cities - not only within their peripheral areas, but also on sites closer to the downtown area - so-called Urban Villas - are a form of the built environment that makes it possible to obtain housing environment qualities that are close to ideal - living in a house with a small garden - and can, thanks to moderate apartment prices and good transport accessibility, influence decisions regarding the selection of a place of residence. The complexes of Urban Villas in Cracow that were selected for analysis as a part of the multiple case study confirm this thesis - the apartments being offered as a part of them are relatively quickly finding buyers who search for good living conditions - such as peace, quiet, security, good contact with nature, comfortable circulation solutions - both in terms of public and individual transport, in addition to good relations with the necessary services. The results of the author’s research and observations make it possible to state that this “new offering” in terms of housing is becoming a product that is sought by residents who wish to preserve good relations with the city.