Karolina Białobłocka

Research was undertaken in order to examine the ways colour has been coordinated in urban design in Poland and Slovakia – especially reasons and conditions under which colour planning started and thereafter operated. The methodology employed included an analysis of archival materials, interviews with designers and public officials as well as field studies. Five colour plans were analysed from the following points of view: the circumstances of their initiation, the methodology and process of their elaboration, the method and degree of implementation and their ‘life’ over the following years. The aim of this study is to compare and analyse the impact of individual colour plans in order to get an input for strengthening the professional and scientific approach to colour planning through lessons learnt from these examples.

Keywords: colour, colour planning, architecture, urban design, design methodology

Streszczenie
Artykuł przedstawia wyniki analizy sposobów koordynowania koloru w architekturze i urbanistyce w Polsce i na Słowacji, w tym badania powodów i warunków, w jakich podjęto się planowania koloru w architekturze w tych krajach. Metodologia badań objęła szczegółowe zapoznanie się z materiałami źródłowymi i wywiadami z projektantami i urzędnikami oraz badania terenowe. Pięć przykładów planowania koloru przeanalizowano pod kątem okoliczności ich powstania, metod projektowania, sposobu i stopnia zastosowania. Porównanie i analiza wpływu poszczególnych planów kolorystycznych pomogły wyciągnąć wnioski, które powinny przyczynić się do rozwoju planowania i koordynowania koloru w przestrzeni publicznej.

While searching for valuable wall paintings, examinations may also reveal the colour scheme of the whole interiors. Such discoveries deepen our knowledge about trends in historic design in the Lower Silesia region and are used in conservation for preserving monuments closer to their original state. Selected results from examinations conducted by conservators in secular public and residential buildings from the Middle Ages to the 20th century are presented in this article.

Paint research aims to detect the colour schemes used in architecture whether they be the original colours from when the structure was new or schemes used for repainting and renovations. Discoveries, often partial, may result in making difficult decisions since we have to select polychromes worth preserving and to choose the best method to present them. In the following paper, selected examples of the presentation of original colour schemes from Silesia, Lower Austria, Saxony and Brandenburg are discussed.