Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in Poland

At present, many railway stations, in spite of being architecturally valuable, are subject to de-capitalization and degradation, which increasingly leads to demolition including elements or even entire railway stations of historical importance. Therefore, there arises a need to transform these facil...

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Main Author: Dragan Weronika
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2017-12-01
Series:Environmental & Socio-economic Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2017-0020
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author Dragan Weronika
author_facet Dragan Weronika
author_sort Dragan Weronika
collection DOAJ
description At present, many railway stations, in spite of being architecturally valuable, are subject to de-capitalization and degradation, which increasingly leads to demolition including elements or even entire railway stations of historical importance. Therefore, there arises a need to transform these facilities – as well as their nearby surroundings – into service areas not only for railway passengers but also for the consumer or tourist. This article presents an overview of the types of development of functional and spatial areas around a railway station, as well as the building itself, on selected examples in cities of Poland. In past historical periods, the surroundings of railway stations often became the new core of the studied centres, creating new urban structures. Train station forecourts, as well as access roads leading to railway stations, became specific links of railway infrastructure, the main points of which were railway stations, with the original urban layout. Unfortunately, the decline in the importance of rail transport has contributed to the recession and degradation of these spaces, and often to changes in their functions. This article refers to the concept of redevelopment of the railway station area, which emphasizes the creation of hubs integrating various modes of transport on the one hand, and transforming the area around the stations into an area of development of new business activities, on the other. Some of the discussed train stations have undergone a thorough renovation (e.g. Kraków Główny, Katowice and Poznań Główny), frequently in an attempt to allude to global trends in the commercialization of space and transport integration within station squares. However, this poses a problem and a challenge for decision-makers attempting to redevelop such facilities and the spaces associated with them.
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spelling doaj.art-66c105699ad84d779a190c05ac23fe602022-12-21T22:32:55ZengSciendoEnvironmental & Socio-economic Studies2354-00792017-12-0154576510.1515/environ-2017-0020environ-2017-0020Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in PolandDragan Weronika0Department of Economic Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińska Str. 60, 41-200Sosnowiec, PolandAt present, many railway stations, in spite of being architecturally valuable, are subject to de-capitalization and degradation, which increasingly leads to demolition including elements or even entire railway stations of historical importance. Therefore, there arises a need to transform these facilities – as well as their nearby surroundings – into service areas not only for railway passengers but also for the consumer or tourist. This article presents an overview of the types of development of functional and spatial areas around a railway station, as well as the building itself, on selected examples in cities of Poland. In past historical periods, the surroundings of railway stations often became the new core of the studied centres, creating new urban structures. Train station forecourts, as well as access roads leading to railway stations, became specific links of railway infrastructure, the main points of which were railway stations, with the original urban layout. Unfortunately, the decline in the importance of rail transport has contributed to the recession and degradation of these spaces, and often to changes in their functions. This article refers to the concept of redevelopment of the railway station area, which emphasizes the creation of hubs integrating various modes of transport on the one hand, and transforming the area around the stations into an area of development of new business activities, on the other. Some of the discussed train stations have undergone a thorough renovation (e.g. Kraków Główny, Katowice and Poznań Główny), frequently in an attempt to allude to global trends in the commercialization of space and transport integration within station squares. However, this poses a problem and a challenge for decision-makers attempting to redevelop such facilities and the spaces associated with them.https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2017-0020railway stationcommercializationurban spacetransportation hub
spellingShingle Dragan Weronika
Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in Poland
Environmental & Socio-economic Studies
railway station
commercialization
urban space
transportation hub
title Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in Poland
title_full Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in Poland
title_fullStr Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in Poland
title_full_unstemmed Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in Poland
title_short Development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in Poland
title_sort development of the urban space surrounding selected railway stations in poland
topic railway station
commercialization
urban space
transportation hub
url https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2017-0020
work_keys_str_mv AT draganweronika developmentoftheurbanspacesurroundingselectedrailwaystationsinpoland