Healthy City versus Resilient Planning paradigm

This paper looks at some of the challenges of planning for healthy and resilient cities with a focus on the features of the physical structure. We examine desired densities and open spaces proportions, green areas, as well as the role and extent of transportation networks. The above quest for the balance is illustrated by the case study of the city of Lodz, Poland. The model of development which has been prepared for the whole area within administrative borders of the town, with the special focus on the central areas is based on the typological classification. It includes the detailed analyses of a variety of the 19th-century neighbourhoods, with the special attention on their morphological development. The actual picture is further joined by the presence of open spaces related to transportation land uses, as numerous open parking lots. Taking into account the property structure, the elimination of some of these parking lots may be partially done through temporary use policies and recently introduced rehabilitation regulations. We analyse the potentials behind the presence of these large open spaces and define future path options for their reuse in this paper. We are looking at the best solutions which would enable healthy lifestyles and climate resilient development. The Lodz municipality has addressed the problem of preparing the analyses and proposing strategies to redevelop some of the areas as green spaces, which we include in the paper. Based on the analysis of the case study, we attempt at the research of relationships between the fields of urban studies: resilience, planning for healthy urban environments and quality of life. Our discussion refers to optimal models of mixed-use development of a central part of Lodz, indicating possible alternative paths of its redevelopment. The methodological approach is supported by background research into the fields of resilience and healthy lifestyles. The relationships between the culture of usage of space and the urban forms have already been discussed extensively in similar research (for instance Thomson, Newman 2018, Fisher-Kowalsky et al. 2019). In conclusion, we summarise the discussion by providing the assessment and reasoning of the development methods.