Przyszłość architektury ludowej czyli krótka rozprawa między rolnikiem, architektem a konserwatorem

Regarding founations, membership in the EU is a great opportunity for Polish rural areas. What does it mean so far as architecture and cultural landscape are concerned? Viewpoints on the issue can fundamentally differ. 1. Why Polish people neglect Polish folk architecture and would like to replace it with the other, preferably urban or foreign ones? 2. Why people from the cities have an interest in primitive, half ruined buildings and in some cases their demolition is being forbidden? 3. Why design proposals and regulations introduced in local spatial development plans encouraging to build new housing according to traditional patterns are not accepted by village dwellers? These tree questions summarise a controversy on the future of rural architecture in dispute among monument conservators, the inhabitants and architects. Type of the edifice, which conquered today's landscape is a house of overdone solidity, built in brick and finished according to social aspirations of the owner and building supermarkets aesthetics. Contemporary adaptations of old buildings and patterns appeal more to urban dwellers visiting villages at the weekends than to their inhabitants. Moreover, using old patterns bears often resemblance to rather foreign traditions. Taking advantage from the European rural areas renewal programme, specific features of Polish villages should be exposed; for this purpose are given below: 1. Changing form of communication between professionals and village inhabitants. Public participation and dialogue are more effective than administrative obligation and sermonizing. 2. Agrotourism in its folk and ecological aspect is an opportunity. 3. Good practice popularization regarding contemporary design based on tradition and their implementation by formulating guidelines in local plans of spatial development. 4. Preparing and promoting an offer of building materials, which would contribute to the continuity of building tradition.