People-Environment Studies in Slovakia Selected aspects of urban structures and spaces

1. People-Environment Studies in SlovakiaSelected aspects of urban structures and spaces A.Urland, P. Kardoš Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava

2. Aims attempt to highlight some of the most important phases and issues from an architect’s and urban designer’s point of view. give an overview of the understanding and approaches to urban environments in the changing social and economic situations. through a short look back into history and further developments set the general context in which the topic is then elaborated concentrating on the period of the past 15 years, the current situation and possible future trends

3. Facts & themes in overview WWII - Czechoslovak Federal Republic 1993 - Slovak Republic – present day 1930s – 1960s: - urban development and history (Mikuskovic, A., Hruska, E.) - theory of towns (Hruza, J.) - sociology of the present-day town (Musil, J.) Major study and research centres in Bratislava: Slovak Academy of Sciences, URBION, Slovak Technical University

5. Late 1960s: - housing estates, e.g. examination of the urban conditions for facilities in housing estates (Olexa, M.) - living environment of towns (Celechovsky, G.) 1970s: - sociology of housing (Musil, J.) - perspectives of housing in a socialist society - flat as the basic element of urban complexes (Benuska, M.) - space-forming principles of the dwelling environment in urban ensembles (Alexy, T., Kavan, J., Trnkus, F.) - experimental studies to highlight the social and ideological aspects of dwelling ensembles (Zalcik, T., Francu, D.) - development of functions with regard to new principles (Hlinicky, J., Kardos, P.) - models of dwelling ensembles / new principles of housing (Hlinicky, J., Kardos, P., Petrovsky, P.)

9. 1980s: -remodeling processes of zones, consideration of spaces (Alexy, T.) - people of the housing estates (Musil, J.) - design of living environments (Honzik, K.) - perception of urban space (Zibrin, P.) -development and rational usage of the potential of urban structures (Steis, R.) Early 1990s: - experimental and ecologically determined design (Keppl,J.,Spacek,R.) -urbanenvironmental quality, urban courtesy, urban democracy, sustainable development of urban landscapes, decency as a parameter of sustainability, ecological quality of buildings - basic relationships in the dwelling environment (Antalikova, M.) - cultural heritage in settlements and landscapes (Alexy, T.) - humanization and revitalization of dwelling environments and of the compromised inner-town public spaces (Hanzalik, M., Brath, J.)

14. Humanization and revitalization theoretical basis outlined (Svecova, Alexy, T., Trnkus, F.) as a secondary process of urban design, a social urban programme for solving problems of an “ill” urban structure. It was seen as an objective urban process, a specific programme which enters the urban structure with concrete aims. - ways of achieving it: *rational, concerning the content, smoothnessof movement, etc. *aesthetic aspects, change of proportions,modeling of spaces, regulation, certain differentiation based on values, etc. - negative phenomena and their confrontation with present-day conditions and tendencies (Alexy, T.) - evaluation of the present situation of post-war dwelling ensembles with aim of their functional transformation (Kavan, J.) - aesthetic questions of forming urban environments (Trnkus, F.)

19. mid 1990s: - Inner heterogeneity of urban structures - compromised urban structures, scale of old and new - urban design did not seem to understand human needs and desires and the enriching nature of picturesque urban spaces - missing points of identification, orientation in space, scale, legibility, order, etc. (Hanzalik, M.) - ‘urban renewal’ (Szolgayova, E.) – stress the influence of towns on social life, communication and contacts the psychological aspect of renewal touches the urban fabric but also the town as a place of social contacts, lifestyle, influence of surroundings - one of the most studied areas: housing estate Petrzalka - research on marginal territories (Pasiak, J.,Faltan, L.,Gajdos, P.) - interpretation of historic urban fabric, restor. (Schwarczova, A.) - appearance of townscapes, colour appearance (Urland, A.)

21. Late 1990s, 2000 - - evaluation of the environmental quality of dwelling ensembles (INTERREG III/A, Nr. 1206 – Bauökologische Qualität von Wohnhabitaten) - chaos and anti-chaos applied to urban planning (Ivanicka, K., Krempasky) - development and trends in urban and spatial planning - environmental planning and environmental evaluation and social participation (Belcakova, I., Petrikova, D., SPECTRA) - landscape ecology (Demek, J.) - methodologies for evaluating the environmental impacts of urban planning documents on regional and settlements level (Finka, M., Belcakova, I.) -public participation – nprinciples and techniques (Petrikova, D., Belcakova, I., Gindlova, D., Kusy, I.) - spatial development and planning in the enlarged EU – challenges as spatial development strategies at European level and spatial research (Finka, M., etc.)