Artur Jasiński

In previous article under the same title [10] it was stated that nowadays two parallel processes are observed: the urbanization of wars and the militarization of cities. Future wars will be waged in cities; civilians and urban infrastructure will become the main assets of war. Rich cities of the North will be the target of terrorist attacks, whilst overcrowded and fallen cities of the South will be the main theatre of military operations. In the second part, relations between war and urban science, urbanization and suburbanization will be discussed. The example of Israel will show that the process of urbanization, apart from its traditional defense role, can develop into an offensive role – becoming a weapon of territorial conquest and a way to control a hostile population.

The article discusses the architectural tradition of Mombasa, a port city in East Africa. Starting from the 10th century AD, Mombasa was an important trade centre of the Swahili culture, which developed its own language, art, crafts and architecture, drawing on Arabic, Persian and Indian influences. Mombasa is currently undergoing strong urbanisation processes, which lead to its rapid expansion, spatial chaos and urban poverty. The local authorities facing these problems decided to improve the tourist appeal of the city through initiatives to make it cleaner and enhance its aesthetic values. In 2018, an administrative decree was issued that required the façades of downtown buildings to be painted blue and white. As a result, Mombasa became the most frequently photographed city in Africa.

The article presents functional, spatial and symbolic transformations of New York City and its architecture after the terrorist attack of 9/11. Destroyed Twin Towers have been replaced by the new WTC One, highest building in the US. Its architecture is controversial, but according to author, it will soon became a new symbol of New York. 9/11 tragedy did not stop development of the city. Just contrary: New York’s ambition is to become a model for cities in the 21st century, a resident-friendly and sustainable urban eco-system.

Kraków has become the second largest concentration of office businesses in Poland. The modern office building industry is rapidly developing here; by the end of 2012 the total office stock exceeded 600 000 m2. It is estimated that about 50 000 m2 of new offices are being constructed here each year, mostly by developers who specialize in the office market. As the needs of future tenants are unknown at the design and construction stage, office buildings are erected as unfinished and empty boxes. This allows developers to avoid bearing unnecessary risk and labour, and to ensure that the construction is completed, including structure, enclosure and vertical core, prior to the tenant’s finishing touches (furnishing and fittings). The basic challenge for architects in this field is the necessity to harmonize the conflicting needs of investment effectiveness with design flexibility.

The recent wave of terrorist attacks, where vehicles are driven into crowds of people, forces us to question the effectiveness of the current antiterrorism security measures in our cities, especially in open public spaces. Vehicular terrorism, a new form of Islamic terrorism, which involves the use of mechanical vehicles as a weapon against civilians, brings new challenges for the police, security agencies and mass event organisers, as well as for designers, architects and planners. This article considers the possibilities, costs and results of implementing actions and security measures that may reduce the risk of vehicular terrorism.

Dwa sławne nadmorskie miasta: amerykańskie Miami Beach i izraelski Tel Awiw, łączy wiele wspólnego: posiadają podobną historię, topografię i architekturę. Ich współczesny wizerunek został ukształtowany stosunkowo niedawno – w drugiej połowie XX wieku. Dzięki manipulacji dokonanej w ich pierwotnej kolorystyce szare, brudne i zaniedbane miasta zostały przekształcone w globalne atrakcje turystyczne i modne ikony stylu. Ukształtowane wtedy zostały towarzyszące im obecnie legendy: mieniącego się pastelowymi kolorami Miami Beach, stolicy amerykańskiego Art Deco, i białego Tel Awiwu, symbolu modernistycznej architektury rodem z Bauhausu.