Architectural and urban design of a small, multi-family housing estate in a medium-size city seems not to be too complicated. However, in some cases of projects commissioned by developers, the architects proposal of a concept and functional and spatial programme becomes the subject of a relentless discourse on priorities in architectural and urban architecture during the entire process – from initial design to implementation. The architectural design undergoes a multi-phase process of development optimization, aimed at obtaining a greater profit on the sale of apartments and reducing the construction costs incurred by the developer at the cost of lowering the standards of the architectural and urban space being implemented. The only weapon in the hands of an architect in the fight to maintain the quality of the project is his creative invention that allows him to find economical, but qualitatively equivalent replacement solutions. The presented example of the living estate Centrum in Stargard illustrates the process of optimizing the development of an architectural and urban design in the context of its multiphase implementation. Although the significant design changes and replacement solutions introduced by the designer reduced the investment costs, but made it possible to maintain the basic architectural, functional and spatial values of the designed housing estate. The designer introduced significant design changes and solutions, errors lowering investment costs, technical solutions, developed by the designer of the value and technical-design functions with the designed values.

Projektowanie architektoniczno-urbanistyczne małego, wielorodzinnego osiedla mieszkaniowego w mieście średniej wielkości nie wydaje się wyzwaniem trudnym. Jednak w niektórych przypadkach projektów zlecanych przez deweloperów, autorska koncepcja programowa i funkcjonalno-przestrzenna staje się przedmiotem niemilknącego dyskursu o priorytetach w architekturze w ciągu całego procesu inwestycji – od projektowania do zakończenia realizacji. Projekt architektoniczny jest poddawany wielostopniowemu procesowi optymalizacji deweloperskiej, mającej na celu uzyskanie większego zysku ze sprzedaży mieszkań i zmniejszenia kosztów budowy ponoszonych przez dewelopera za cenę obniżenia standardów realizowanej architektury. Jedynym orężem w rękach architekta w walce o utrzymanie jakości projektu jest jego inwencja twórcza pozwalająca na znajdowanie ekonomicznych, lecz równoważnych jakościowo rozwiązań zamiennych. Przedstawiony przykład Osiedla Mieszkaniowego Centrum w Stargardzie ilustruje proces optymalizacji deweloperskiej projektu architektoniczno-urbanistycznego w kontekście jego realizacji wieloetapowej. Wprowadzone przez projektanta istotne zmiany projektowe i rozwiązania zamienne, choć obniżyły koszty inwestycji, pozwoliły na zachowanie podstawowych wartości architektonicznych i funkcjonalno-przestrzennych projektowanego osiedla mieszkaniowego.

Development optimization of a housing estate. Centrum Estate housing in Stargard as the case

Architectural and urban design of a small, multi-family housing estate in a medium-size city seems not to be too complicated. However, in some cases of projects commissioned by developers, the architects proposal of a concept and functional and spatial programme becomes the subject of a relentless discourse on priorities in architectural and urban architecture during the entire process – from initial design to implementation. The architectural design undergoes a multi-phase process of development optimization, aimed at obtaining a greater profit on the sale of apartments and reducing the construction costs incurred by the developer at the cost of lowering the standards of the architectural and urban space being implemented. The only weapon in the hands of an architect in the fight to maintain the quality of the project is his creative invention that allows him to find economical, but qualitatively equivalent replacement solutions. The presented example of the living estate Centrum in Stargard illustrates the process of optimizing the development of an architectural and urban design in the context of its multiphase implementation. Although the significant design changes and replacement solutions introduced by the designer reduced the investment costs, but made it possible to maintain the basic architectural, functional and spatial values of the designed housing estate. The designer introduced significant design changes and solutions, errors lowering investment costs, technical solutions, developed by the designer of the value and technical-design functions with the designed values.