This paper explores sustainable approaches to the transformation of public spaces through ephemeral architecture. Focusing on the case of the marketplace in Istog, Kosovo, the study proposes a model of revitalisation for an underutilised urban area with high social and historical value. By introducing temporary and modular structures combined with local materials, the intervention aims to recover public space for people, while preserving its former identity and enhancing collective memory. The methodology combines site-specific analysis, community-based design, and urban theories focused on human-scale and place identity. The results highlight how temporary interventions can support inclusive development, social cohesion, and spatial flexibility in uncertain urban conditions.
Regional development in an era of dynamic social and economic change and demographic predictions faces the challenge of responding effectively to the needs of an aging population, increasing inequality in access to care, and demands for individualized services. Social services, as an integral component of regional care systems, play a key role not only in ensuring the quality of life for vulnerable groups but also in supporting social cohesion and economic resilience across regions. This paper focuses on the importance of technological innovations in the social services system, with an emphasis on their regional dimension. An empirical example is the implementation of the IHA (Intelligent Home Assistant) service in the Trenčín Region, which supports seniors’ autonomy, reduces the risk of hospitalizations, reduces pressure on social service facilities, and contributes to public cost savings. The introduction of such solutions also stimulates regional cooperation between local government, social service providers, and the community. The paper highlights the challenges associated with digital inclusion, infrastructure limitations, and ethical aspects of technology implementation. The results suggest that the synergy of technology, community ties, and public policies may be the key to sustainable and innovative regional development.
Digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is vital for regional competitiveness, innovation, and resilience. This paper examines the digital readiness of SMEs in selected Czech regions, highlighting territorial disparities. The analysis is based on a survey in seven regions representing less, moderately, and highly developed areas. It explores barriers to digitalization, IT skills availability, strategic approaches, and investment plans. Statistical evaluation shows how regional context affects digital adoption and the use of public support instruments. Results indicate that SMEs in developed regions report higher readiness and greater uptake of support. A strategic approach to digitalization is influenced more by firm size than by location. The study identifies key structural and capacity barriers, especially in less developed areas. Findings support evidence-based policy focused on enhancing digital leadership, simplifying access to support, and reducing regional gaps. Practical recommendations aim to strengthen digital maturity among SMEs and promote balanced economic development.
This study aims to assess how different urban spatial structures influence housing prices in large Czech cities. The analysis is based on 2019 residential transaction data obtained from mortgage banks and the Czech Cadastral Office. It examines four structure types: medieval city cores, nineteenth- and twentieth-century city centres, socialist-functionalist housing estates, and contemporary developer-built residential projects. To ensure comparability, unit prices were adjusted for building structural design, apartment size, and technical or construction condition using empirically derived coefficients. This approach reduces distortions arising from the heterogeneity of the housing stock across historical periods. The results show that the highest unit prices most frequently occur in medieval cores and contemporary residential developments, while lower prices are found in historic city centres or socialist housing estates, depending on local conditions. The study confirms a relationship between urban structure and housing prices, but also reveals substantial inter-city variability, highlighting the originality of focusing on urban structure typology as a pricing factor in Central European cities.
Efficient waste management is an important part of sustainable development and one out of three pillars of the circular economy (besides sustainable production and consumption, and raw materials policy). This paper uses the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology to identify and analyze key trends, approaches and research directions in waste management, offering a comprehensive view of the issue through the lens of academic literature. The literature search was conducted in the Web of Science database, and 37 studies meeting the specified criteria were selected. The VOSviewer tool was used to visualize citation links, key terms and subject headings. The analysis showed that the dominant themes in the current literature are planned behavior, waste management, barriers – attitudes – determinants – perceptions, food waste, consumption and circular economy. Linkages between topics in order to outline key hypothetical relationships between and across domains and variables are discussed in the paper.
