ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Revitalisation of the 'Superunit' in Katowice in the Context of an Ageing Population. A Case Study
1
Opole University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture,
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Poland
Submission date: 2025-02-21
Final revision date: 2025-05-19
Acceptance date: 2025-06-01
Online publication date: 2025-07-18
Publication date: 2025-07-18
Corresponding author
Justyna Kleszcz
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Opole University of Technology Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Katowicka 48, 45-061, Opole, Poland
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Opole University of Technology Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Katowicka 48, 45-061, Opole, Poland
Civil and Environmental Engineering Reports 2025;35(3):160-180
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The ageing population problem is frequently raised in economic and social contexts. In architecture, there is also a need to look for new solutions to improve the quality of life of senior citizens. Fundamentally, the question of improving the accessibility of existing facilities, which, with time, no longer meet the needs of the residents, is fundamental. This article aims to present a proposal for revitalising the 'Superunit' in Katowice based on research into the quality of life of senior citizens in Poland. Based mainly on a qualitative research method to assess the quality of the existing space, as well as on the results of a survey with open-ended questions and in-depth interview on the living conditions of senior citizens in the Superunit, a quantitative and statistical research method to identify user groups and their numbers, based on population-wide statistical data collected using mixed methods by the Statistics Poland (GUS) and the Public Opinion Research Centre (CBOS). As a result, the project to revalue the building, transforming it into a vertical housing estate, is fully adapted to older people's needs and meets the requirements for new residential facilities and solves problems related to the quality of the building's construction and the limitations of the architecture of the communist period. The revitalisation concept helps prevent social exclusion and supports seniors in adapting to new life circumstances. It enhances their life satisfaction, encourages greater activity, and fosters stronger social connections, contributing to improved physical and mental health. The presented approach can be implemented in the revitalisation process of specific buildings and entire housing estates, as well as at the design stage of new investments that meet the needs of older people. This will help improve the housing situation by increasing the accessibility and usability of residential units, while also reducing the amount of raw materials used to produce building materials, which will positively impact their cost.
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