The Illusion of Better Living: Comparative Analysis of Prefab Housing Estates with the Contemporary Realizations in Cracow

Abstract

The disadvantages of the construction system based on prefabricated elements are commonly known. These include the low standard of finish, high energy consumption, and what Jan Gehl especially points out, a lack of life between the buildings. However, we must not forget that the housing of that period was based upon the principles of modernism, which appealed to elementary human needs in terms of space, light and greenery. This article attempt to answer the question as to whether the authors of the housing estates built in Cracow have, for the last 25 years, drawn the right conclusions from the previous years? Have they managed to reject the ‘wrong’ and continued with the ‘right’ solutions? And most importantly, has there been a general improvement in the quality of the living space?