Agnieszka Wójcik

Developing modern functional productive and at the same time sustainable cities is one of the greatest challenges of modern urban planning. Spatial disturbances and the resulting negative economic and social consequences have prompted the serach for solutions to these issues. The concept of urban ecological networks based on an integrated urban public green system allows successively to revitalize the city space and make it modern but also friendly to the inhabitants.The paper perceives the modern city as innovative not in a technological sense, but in terms of social capital. It attempts to assess whether and how the city’s landscape and, above all, the green structures in the city affect the innovativeness of the communities inhabiting them.

German horticultural shows Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) and Internationale Gartenausstellung (IGA) are a landmark not only in the calendar of people interested in gardening. Organised not in one, permanent venue, but as the event held in different cities, shows become a significant example of the urban regenaration and its influence on the whole structure of the city. The history of exhibitions dates back to 1950s and post-war reconstruction of the country. It was decided then to combine the presentation of latest achievements of the horticulture with work towards regeneration of run-down areas. A main purpose was to raise the quality of life of residents by introducing green areas and boosting the economy. When an exhibition expires its area is being opened to public as city park. For over 60 years these areas created places of leisure and contact with nature, which is very important in the urbanised environment.

Cities live in an inseparable relationship with the natural landscape – they form each other. A particularly interesting case is the relation between a city and its edges connected with watercourses and basins. In the process of historical development, one can follow the logically continued formation of a system of urban public spaces based upon gradually incorporated waterfronts. Barcelona – whose waterfront location has always been the driving force behind urban growth – makes a curious example of a city which creatively develops its system of public spaces in relation to the edges.