This article examines the image of the city as captured in architectural drawings and sketches, treated as tools for interpreting urban space. The author outlines the role of drawing in the history of art and architecture, highlighting its significance as the fundamental language for recording design ideas and as a method for understanding spatial reality. Particular attention is devoted to an analysis of the drawings of three Polish architects: Konrad Kucza-Kuczyński, Krzysztof Ludwin, and Sławomir Gzell. Their sketches reveal various ways of perceiving and interpreting the city – from reflective contemplation of architectural structure, through a narrative and emotional depiction of urban space, to a synthetic analysis of urban composition. The analysis indicates that the architectural sketch serves cognitive, analytical, and interpretive functions, enabling the capture of both the material characteristics of urban space and its atmosphere and genius loci.
This study analyzes the relationships between soil moisture and selected climatic variables: air temperature t, relative humidity RH, and the antecedent precipitation index API. The analysis is based on in situ measurements from a research cross-section in the Sudół River catchment in Kraków, Poland, covering the period 2018–2025, supplemented with satellite-derived surface soil moisture data SMsurf from the Copernicus program. The study examines the temporal variability, seasonality, and long-term trends of soil moisture, as well as its correlation and regression relationships with climatic factors.
This study presents the characterization of hydrogels enriched with natural extracts of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) and Lentinula edodes (shiitake) with respect to their potential biomedical applications. The obtained materials were evaluated in terms of swelling capacity, stability in different incubation media (Ringer’s solution, PBS, distilled water), antioxidant activity, as well as morphological and chemical changes after incubation. The results demonstrated that all hydrogels preserved their structural integrity over a 7-day period, while their properties depended on the type and ratio of incorporated extracts. Samples enriched with Lentinula edodes showed higher antioxidant activity but underwent more pronounced morphological changes, whereas hydrogels containing Withania somnifera were more structurally stable. FT-IR analysis confirmed the preservation of the polymeric backbone after incubation. Overall, the results indicate that the investigated hydrogels can serve as carriers of natural bioactive compounds, and their tunable composition offers promising potential for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
The subject of the paper is the construction of an explicit periodic solution to the boundary problem for a nonhomogeneous threeparabolic equations of sixth order considered in the unbounded space-time layer with boundary conditions of Riquier type. To construct the solution we shall apply the convenient heat iterated Green potentials compatible with boundary condition and the threeparabolic potential compatible with source function.
The (inner) city is a living and working space. It is the stage on which diverse lifestyles unfold. For this reason, urban planning must reflect economic, political, and cultural issues. Over the last decade, the city centre has suffered from a decline in visitor numbers. In particular, the expansion of online retail has led to many vacancies in central locations. This trend has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. We can note: On the one hand, we love the city centre since it creates a common identity. Its history is stored in buildings and collective memories. On the other hand, we ignore it out of convenience. After all, this is a rather sporadic love that is only exhibited on occasion, when it fits into the time budget of our lifestyle programme and there is an event to celebrate. Living the city centre means thinking and shaping the city centre under current conditions. This is a pragmatic shift in perspective, as shown in this paper by the case of Frankfurt am Main. The city centre must finally open up to residents, who are more than just consumers. It must provide offers for everyday life: spaces for the appropriation of individuals and groups which serve to promote identification through participation. Participation has at least as strong an effect as the identity-forming power of historical icons. Therefore, in addition to the material foundations of the built city, greater emphasis must be placed on the non-material skills of those who live the city centre. It would be an illusion to think that there is a way back to the old town centre as we know it from history. This belongs to the past. Today’s shaping of the city centre must be conceptualised within the framework of current possibilities. For this reason, the aspect of participation must be rethought. Cities must create an economic and political openness for this. The space of the city centre must once again belong to everyone.
The goal of this paper is to investigate the pattern transformation in auxetic material microstructure in compression loading. Nonlinear behavior resulting from large microstructural beams deflection and buckling is analysed. Deformation study in compression test is performed using ABAQUS by conducting finite element calculation. Timoshenko beam elements are used for material microstructure discretization. Calculations lead to obtaining nonlinear equilibrium paths. The analysis allow to asses values of critical stress and critical strains. Specimens of increasing size consisting of elemental segments are analyzed. Influence of geometric microstructural parameters on the type of pattern transformation and response of material as equivalent continuum is studied.
The article explores visual semiotics in architectural competitions through VELUX Award case study, analyzing signifier-signified dynamics in daylight-focused designs. It draws on Saussurean concepts to decode how presentation boards communicate conceptual depth beyond technical form. Visuals function as semiotic systems where technical and atmospheric elements evoke profound conceptual meanings in daylight-focused designs. The analysis highlights that effective signifier-signified approaches enhance intentional and multidimensional architectural communication. Visual semiotics in architectural competitions is described through analysis of 11 editions of the International VELUX Award for Students of Architecture (2004–2024).
The goal of this paper is to investigate the effects of randomly removed structural members of auxetic cellular material on the evaluation of elastic constants. Statistical volume element SVE size ensuring prescribed accuracy is adopted by giving relation with the size of representative volume element RVE considering number of statistical random defects. Statistical analysis is carried out within the Mathcad code. Inverted honeycomb structures with randomly removed structural members under the typical statistical boundary conditions are considered. The study is achieved by conducting finite element calculation by means of ABAQUS FEA of the auxetic structure leading to obtaining the stiffness matrix and strength. Timoshenko beam elements are used for material microstructure discretization with special attention paid on relation of mesh density with results accuracy. Influence of geometric microstructural parameters on examples of variety of inverted honeycomb microstructures is studied. As result dependence of residual effective elastic moduli and strength on defects density for each microstructure is specified.
This article analyses the evolution of sustainable community-based ecotourism (CBET) in the Cu De River Valley, Central Vietnam, through the analytical lens of the Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Building on earlier theoretical work (Restrepo Rico & Peterek, 2024) and five years of participatory, longitudinal research (2019–2024), the study examines how transformations in natural, cultural, human, social, financial and built capitals have shaped the transition from resource-dependent livelihoods to a diversified ecotourism economy in the Hoa Bac Commune. The findings show that sustainable development emerged not from isolated interventions but from the cumulative and interacting effects of conservation initiatives, cultural revitalisation, skills development, cooperative governance, decentralised infrastructure and income diversification. The article demonstrates that the CCF provides a robust structure for analysing multi--capital transformation processes, and it argues that its application to tourism contexts benefits from integrating considerations of governance dynamics and environmental thresholds. The conclusions offer insights for designing governance, capacity development and implementation frameworks that strengthen the resilience and long-term sustainability of community-based tourism initiatives in rural settings.
Architecture, especially sacred architecture, is one of the most complex media of culture. It not only shapes space, but also generates experience, structures ritual, organizes perception, and initiates processes of interpretation. In this sense, it can be read as a structural and symbolic message, which simultaneously reveals its medial character. This article examines this mediality through the lens of Marshall McLuhan’s theory, which understands media—including art and architecture—as systems that organize sensory and cognitive experience. McLuhan’s concept makes it possible to interpret architecture as a dynamic and creative communicative process. The study focuses on the Higher Seminary of the Resurrectionist Fathers in Kraków, one of the most fully realised examples of Polish postmodernism, analysed not through formal categories but within a mediological perspective. The aim of the article is to demonstrate how McLuhan’s categories—such as the extension of the senses, the organization of perception, and the structure of the message—are genuinely present and justified in the experience of architecture. The article presents the theoretical foundations for understanding architecture as a medium, a brief reflection on postmodernism, an analysis of the Resurrectionist Seminary using the conceptual tools mentioned above, and final conclusions. The applied methodology includes analytical interpretation of the seminary’s spatial structure, examination of available statements by the architect, and the use of McLuhan’s theoretical framework (media studies analysis), which together make it possible to read the building as a dynamic narrative in which material function and form co-create meaning, experience, and ritual.
This paper presents the development of a motion model for a hybrid-propelled unmanned underwater vehicle (HUUV) and its verification through MATLAB® simulations and experimental tests conducted with a real vehicle in a swimming pool. The motion tracking method, utilizing a GoPro Hero 6 camera and Tracker® software, was employed to measure the vehicle’s forward velocities, sideslip angles, and circulation radii under various thrust settings. The experimental results were compared with those obtained from simulations using the same thruster configurations. The proposed model is intended to support the development of control algorithms for groups of HUUVs.
This paper introduces the PAREMPI project — Particle Emission (PM) Prevention and Impact: From Real-World Emissions of Traffic to Secondary PM in Urban Air – funded under the Horizon Europe program. The study outlines the research motivation, project objectives, methodological approach, and organizational structure. It highlights the specific tasks, deliverables, focus areas, and key considerations that guide the project. Particular attention is given to the experimental methods employed to generate high-quality data aimed at filling critical knowledge gaps and supporting the development of a comprehensive emissions database. This database, a primary deliverable of the project, serves as the foundation for evidence-based policy recommendations. Preliminary results are also presented, including examples of the ratio of secondary aerosol (SecA) formation to primary PM mass emissions. Early findings indicate that SecA formation from exhaust emissions is strongly influenced by several technology-related factors, such as fuel type and the configuration of exhaust aftertreatment systems.
In an era of digitalized architectural education, freehand drawing is often seen as obsolete, yet its relevance is resurging due to technological progress. This paper examines freehand drawing as a creative, epistemological, and intercultural practice in contemporary teaching. Based on a German–Polish collaboration between Cracow University od Technology and Berliner Hochschule für Technik, it shows how drawing fosters spatial awareness, sensory perception, and reflective thinking, complementing rather than competing with digital tools. The exchange highlights drawing as a universal language bridging pedagogical and cultural differences. Freehand drawing thus emerges not as an anachronism but as a forward-looking approach, offering valuable insights for design education in the digital age.
The paper presents the results of experimental laboratory investigation of cohesive soils from the Warsaw area, polluted with diesel fuel. The study revealed adverse changes in key physical parameters, sorption capacity and mechanical properties. The results were analysed in relation to pollution degree as well as structural modifications. The obtained findings were further used in numerical analyses to evaluate bearing capacity, foundation settlement, and slope stability, as well as to assess the overall behaviour of contaminated soils serving as building foundations.
The article presents the results of research on foamed geopolymer materials as potentially dual-function building materials, combining thermal insulation properties with the ability to physically adsorb carbon dioxide. The materials were developed on the basis of fly ash, using hydrogen peroxide as a foaming agent. Two variants of the foaming agent quantity were used to assess how this quantity affects the type of porosity, thermal insulation, and CO2 adsorption capacity. The porous structure was characterised using mercury porosimetry and physical CO2 adsorption. A full analysis of their insulating and accumulating properties was also carried out. Measurements of the thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) showed that these materials have low thermal conductivity (in the range of 0.101 W/m·K), which confirms their suitability as ecological building insulators. At the same time, sorption tests performed using a physical sorption analyser confirmed the ability of selected composites to adsorb CO2, with a noticeable influence of porosity parameters depending on the amount of blowing agent used on the efficiency of the process. An unexpected result of the research was the conclusion that a smaller amount of foaming agent may be more beneficial in terms of CO2 adsorption capacity, while maintaining similar insulation parameters. The results suggest that properly designed foamed geopolymers can serve a dual function – as insulation materials and passive CO2 adsorbents, thus supporting efforts towards sustainable development and decarbonisation of construction. The results obtained provide a basis for further in-depth analyses related to the possibility of using foamed geopolymers as carbon dioxide-absorbing materials.
In Polish history, the post-World War II era saw the greatest expansion of new architectural fabric. The public and residential structures that were mass-produced during that period have now attained an age that need restorations, prompting inquiries regarding conservation protection. The preservation of residential structures, which are frequently not updated to meet contemporary requirements, is a particularly delicate topic. The modernization of such assets goes beyond conventional monument preservation. A significant obstacle in this process is the insufficient comprehension of the values inherent in the legacy of post-war architecture, alongside a deficiency in education and advocacy for this history. The article outlines several initiatives implemented in Krakow in recent years to enhance awareness of the significance of post-war architectural heritage. The initiatives related to the Złotego Wieku housing estate in Mistrzejowice district were comprehensive and may provide support for endeavors in Poland and elswhere. Their objective was social mobilization and fostering a sense of pride among their community.
This work investigates the sensitivity of surface-wave dispersion characteristics in periodic phononic structures with two types of scatterers: cylindrical pillars and finite-depth circular holes. We develop high-fidelity finite element models of square unit cells with Bloch boundary conditions and analyse the effect of geometric parameters (diameter and height/depth) on eigenfrequencies at a Brillouin zone high-symmetry point. A global sensitivity analysis based on the one-factor-at-a-time method is performed to quantify parameter influence and non-linear interactions. The results show that, for pillar-type structures, the pillar height dominates the dynamic response, while for hole-type structures both diameter and depth have comparable effects. Large geometric variations lead to mode reordering and narrow frequency separations, which is critical for bandgap-oriented optimisation. The approach outlines a route towards tunable phononic platforms for wave-based imaging applications.
The dynamic response of railway tracks is a key factor influencing the operational safety and reliability of rail transport. Classical analytical methods for modelling track dynamics become insufficient at higher operating speeds, as they typically assume linear behaviour and cannot account for nonlinearities present in the fastening system or in the rail track foundation response. This increases the risk of damage, leading to traffic interruptions, financial losses, and reduced safety. To support predictive maintenance, it is necessary to develop databases based on in-situ measurements, complemented with synthetic data obtained from validated analytical and semi-analytical models. This paper presents such a model, designed to analyse how the parameters of the track foundation – including stiffness and damping – affect the track’s dynamic response to loads generated by a moving railway vehicle. The model incorporates experimentally confirmed nonlinear stiffness of the fastening system, represented by a viscoelastic layer that provides continuous support for the rails.
Surface subsidence above salt mines reflects the complex interaction of elastic and viscous deformation processes in rock salt, as well as hydrogeological and structural changes within diapiric formations. This study evaluates long-term ground movements above two Polish salt diapirs: Wapno, affected by catastrophic flooding in 1977, and Kłodawa, where mining continues in selected panels. High-precision levelling records collected over several decades were analysed to determine subsidence magnitude, trough geometry and time-dependent deformation behaviour. In Wapno, suffosion and dissolution caused extensive discontinuous failures, whereas in Kłodawa, deformation remains primarily continuous and controlled by chamber convergence. By introducing and applying the concept of observational capacity, the research highlights the necessity of maintaining geodetic monitoring networks capable of capturing evolving deformation fields. The findings support the implementation of sustained levelling campaigns to ensure infrastructure safety, validate geomechanical models and enhance land-use planning in salt-mining regions.
