Dr hab. Mariusz Czepczyński, prof. UG, talked about public space as seen by many famous thinkers and researchers. The lecture was the first in a series of lectures - debates entitled 'A few words on public space' organised by the Fahrenheit Universities.
Jakub Pietruszewski photo by Alan Stocki
The event was opened by the Director of the Fahrenheit Union, prof. dr hab. Adriana Medynska-Zaleska, who after welcoming the guests and announcing subsequent meetings, handed over the floor to the moderator of the meeting, Director of the Pomeranian Regional Planning Office, Jakub Pietruszewski. - 'Today's event of the Fahrenheit Association fits into the activities of our local government. On the one hand, in the investments concerning public space, on the other, in the initiatives of a softer character, e.g. the competition for the most beautiful public space conducted by the Self-Government of the Voivodeship - said director Jakub Pietruszewski.'
dr hab. Mariusz Czepczyński, prof. UG
The lecture by dr hab. Mariusz Czepczyński, prof. UG, entitled 'Public space as a common good' was devoted to the definition of public space and its properties. Professor Mariusz Czepczyński quoted the opinions of philosophers, psychologists and economists (including Sigmund Freud, Frederick Nietzsche and Michel Foucault) dealing with the issues of places and common areas.
The speaker showed the dynamics of changes occurring in public space based on current events: - 'In the covid era, public space was inaccessible, or very limiting in terms of interaction. The pandemic took away our contact with strangers, and it is these interactions, among others, that create the city,' - said prof. Mariusz Czepczyński. - 'We also have further evidence of the importance of public space, which is the war in Ukraine. This is how Kherson, the largest city occupied by the Russians, where all Ukrainian symbols have been removed, is changing. In Bucha, it was not by chance that monuments to Afghan soldiers were shot up. There is currently a war on public space there.'
A question was also asked by prof. dr hab. Lidia Wolska, who will conduct the next lecture in the series Health and quality of life in public spaces.
After the speech of the cultural geographer, the time came for questions. The listeners of the lecture were interested, among others, in the influence of ordinary residents on public space, the tendency of contemporary developers to build guarded housing estates, and the history of public spheres.
An interesting voice from the audience was that of dr inż. arch. Feliks Pankau, retired Deputy Director of the Department of Regional and Spatial Development in the Office of the Marshal of Pomorskie Voivodeship.
dr inż. arch. Feliks Pankau
- 'It has been 30 years since the change of the political system, where everything was decided by the state. We have moved to a situation in which the city has its own budget supported from outside, and we are learning how to manage this money,' - said dr Feliks Pankau. - 'And what about the social sphere? Only one generation has gone through the education process. And I saw, working at the Marshal's office, that we have different territorial authorities. There are compliant communities that elect authorities that manage space according to the wishes of the local community. And there are others, which change their authorities every two years, which are divided and where the space will not be created following the needs of the inhabitants.' The retired official then gave an example of a well-functioning public space, such as Berlin, where reports from citizens about e.g. a destroyed bench are very quickly implemented thanks to the perception of public space as shared, for which everyone is jointly responsible.
- 'Common intentionality and social responsibility are extremely important in the creation of public space. Let's not say that something is mine, but that it should serve everyone. I am an optimist, and I think that we are currently heading in that direction,' - concluded prof. Mariusz Czepczyński.
The next lecture entitled Health and quality of life in public space will take place:
- 26.05.2022 at 14:00 hall named after prof. Olgierd Narkiewicz in the building Atheneum Gedanense Novum GUMed
The lecture Health and quality of life in public space will be delivered by: prof. dr hab. Lidia Wolska - analytical chemist, head of the Department of Environmental Toxicology GUMed, dr hab. Magdalena Błażek - head of the Department of Quality of Life Research GUMed, acting head of the Department of Psychology GUMed, and dr hab. Maciej Nyka, prof. UG and prof. GUMed - professor in the Department of Public Law and Environmental Protection UG and the Department of Environmental Toxicology GUMed.
Gdańsk University of Technology
- 23.06.2022, 14:00 Main Building, Hydromechanics Building, Auditorium
Urban aspects of shaping public space lecture by prof. dr hab. inż. arch. Piotr Lorens - Head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the Faculty of Architecture of the PG, Architect of the City of Gdańsk.