A compact city and its social perception: A case study

• Main Authors: Krzysztof Rogatka, Rodrigo Rudge Ramos Ribeiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Urbanistični inštitut RS 2015-06-01
• Series: Urbani Izziv
• Subjects: compact city; urban planning; sustainability; spatial concept; Toruń; Poland
• Online Access: http://urbani-izziv.uirs.si/Portals/uizziv/papers/urbani-izziv-en-2015-26-01-005.pdf

This article examines the Polish city of Toruń in terms of the compact city concept. It analyses the theoretical elements of the compact city concept using Toruń as a case study and taking into account the psychological aspects (i.e., social perception) of a compact city. The case study collected primary data during fieldwork in 2013 and 2014. The methodology consists of a literature review, satellite photo grid analysis (250 × 250 m) and social perception of the compact city (n = 128) assessed through questionnaires with representative quantitative data. The research was also supplemented with an analysis of the accessibility of the main sites in Toruń. The results are presented on a map of urban areas and graphs of social perception. The study concludes that Toruń is a compact city from the urban point of view, but it is not perceived as such from the psychological or social points of view.