Urbani izziv Volume 31, No. 1, June 2020
: 66-77
(Articles)
UDK: 711.4(438Plock): 625.712.1
doi: 10.5379/urbani-izziv-en-2020-31-01-001
Author
Michal Nowosielski
Mazovian State University in Płock, Płock, Poland
m.nowosielski@mazowiecka.edu.pl
Agnieszka Nowosielska
Mazovian State University in Płock, Płock, Poland
a.nowosielska@mazowiecka.edu.pl
Title
“Cold, stony, dehumanized”: Unexpected outcomes
of revitalization on the sensory landscape
and ambience of public space: The case of
Cathedral Street (Ulica Tumska) in Płock
Abstract
This paper shows how changes to the appearance of a street after the revitalization process influence the perception of the street, its sensory landscape and atmosphere. The example of Cathedral Street (Ulica Tumska), the high street in Płock, an average-sized town in Poland, is used to prove that such changes may bring some unexpected results by evoking negative emotions among the residents. The results of the study conducted using focus groups show that the contemporary ambience of Cathedral Street cause negative sensations perceived in four dimensions: touchscape, seescape, soundscape, and smellscape. Those feelings seem to be even stronger taking under consideration positive memories of the street before revitalization. As a result of the negative atmosphere of Cathedral Street and the unpleasant emotions it evokes, the residents’ activities conducted on the street are reduced only to fulfilling the most necessary needs. Such conclusion results in a postulate that when designing or redesigning public spaces we should always be aware of the consequences for the ambience of the street and the need to generate positive emotions.
Key Words
high street, ambience, emotions, sociology of urban experiences, urban sociology, sensory landscape