Assessment of Quality of Living Environment Based On Interdisciplinary Research Methods-Selected Examples

摘要

Like most European cities of similar size,Cracow is growing dynamically.Newly created objects are not only of public importance but also housing,whose standards due to the architectural form,technologies and finishing materials are increasingly high.However,spatial solutions do not necessarily allow to assess new estates as high-quality housing areas.The article concerns the analysis of contemporary housing estates with regard to sociological issues,which is a vital supplement to basic urban research.It allows obtaining opinions on how residents perceive their place of residence,what elements they appreciate the most and which require corrective measures.The interview creates an opportunity to determine the needs of the residents of the housing estates and to identify factors affecting their sense of comfort,safety and satisfaction with their place of residence.The key objective of the study is to check the sociological and urban research methods for assessing the quality of the housing environment on the example of the Chelmonski housing estate in Cracow.Moreover,the author also wanted to obtain the residents’opinion on the area in which they have lived for several years-also taking into account changes in architectural and urban solutions.For this reason,the tests were performed twice.The first interviews were carried out in 2015,while the second,three years later.Such methodology created the possibility of making comparisons regarding different opinions of the residents as well as transformations introduced in a residential environment.The main research tool included a survey containing questions requiring either a detailed description or short answers-yes/no,I have no opinion.The choice of the test method resulted from its wide range of topics because the housing environment and its quality’research are a broad issue covering the subject matter of many fields of science,such as architecture,urban planning,sociology,and psychology.The results of the conducted research indicated that the most important factors associated with the immediate surroundings are contact with nature,close access to local services,including shops and medical facilities,educational facilities and recreational areas.Due to the analysis,the research results may be useful for the units managing the housing estates,for the local government authorities,planners and urban planners deciding on introducing changes and imposing guidelines in the spatial structure of the cities.They can also lead to reflection and change in the behaviour of investors,developers and architects who have an impact on emerging housing estates.The research methods used in work are universal and can be applied to housing areas regardless of their location.