*2.3. Examination of the Contemporary State*

Since the late 1990s, activities have been undertaken to regenerate this area, which has been one of the most dynamically developing districts of Cracow. In 2001, Kotlarski Bridge (Most Kotlarski) was built [10], resulting in better transport, traffic and circulation conditions of this part of the city with the city centre. At the beginning of the 21st century, a new educational centre was built in Zabłocie, namely, the Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Higher School (Krakowska Szkoła Wy˙zsza im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego). Also, Cracow Artistic Schools (Krakowskie Szkoły Artystyczne) have been there since 1992. In 2006, Zabłocie was considered to be a strategic area in the development of the city of Cracow (Kraków) and a programme of activisation and regeneration was born [11]. For centuries, the area of Zabłocie played a function of industrial background, initially for the district of Kazimierz, later for Podgórze. Nowadays, there is tendency either to remove or adapt old post-industrial building development into residential objects. Zabłocie is acquiring new features and values thanks to subsequent cultural objects having interesting architectural forms and yet preserving the context of the site. Recent years have witnessed an increase in the number of the area inhabitants. Cultural actions organised by various associations and by the district dwellers are transforming this place into a thriving part of the city. In spite of these changes, the area has not lost its industrial character and is home to a considerable number of small and medium enterprises, printing shops, carpenter's, locksmith's or toolmaker's shops. On the other hand, newly built exclusive apartment buildings (Garden Residence) and modern office buildings (Diamante Plaza) are contributing greatly to the improved and favourable image of Zabłocie (Figure 4).

**Figure 4.** Potentially important places in the vicinity of the project-related area: (1) Project-related area; (2) Boulevard of the Allied Forces Pilots (Bulwar Lotników Alianckich); (3) Planned memorial of the Allied Forces Pilots; (4) The project-related area borders with a lighting company; (5) New residential quarters ATAL Residence and Garden Residence; (6) Park "Vistula Station" ("Park Stacja Wisła") which gained an award in the contest for the best developed space in Poland; (7) Planned Cracow Marina ("Marina Kraków"); (8) Planned flyover for pedestrians and bicycles; (9) Railway station Kraków Zabłocie; (10) Kotlarski Bridge (Most Kotlarski) (elaborated by E. Latusek).

The riverside embankment called Podolski Boulevard (Bulwar Podolski), which is the subject of this work, stretches along the right bank of the Vistula (Wisła) river, between the mouth of the Wilga river and the railway bridge in Zabłocie. The embankment is linked with the other bank by means of Józef Piłsudski Bridge (Most Józefa Piłsudskiego) and Silesian Insurgents Bridge (Most Powsta ´nców Sl ˛ ´ askich) as well as railway bridges and the flyover for bicycles and pedestrians. The topography of the riverside area is varied. From the direction of the mouth of the Wilga River there stretches a retaining wall built in the late 19th century as flood defence. From the boundaries of the project-related area, the lie of the land changes into a floodbank descending gradually in the direction of the river. The further east from there you go, the more neglected and overgrown with wild plants the landscape becomes. The Local Plan of Spatial Development (Miejscowy Plan Zagospodarowania Przestrzennego) [12] provides for a place where the flyover for bicycles and pedestrians is to be built in order to link two banks of the Vistula (Wisła) river. There is an inland sailing trail on the Vistula River in Cracow called "Waterway of the Upper Vistula River" ("Droga Wodna Górnej Wisły"), which will implement sailing facilities as a further element of the programme of the development of inland waterways in Poland. Prompted by the inhabitants, the authorities of the city of Cracow (Kraków) are planning to implement a project of the Cracow Marina ('Marina Kraków'). There is also an international cycling trail on the route of Cracow–Moravia–Vienna, which is an eco-tourism corridor revealing the cultural, natural and historic heritage of the Central Europe, including the longest alley of trees in Europe.

### *2.4. Studies of User Groups*

The research question of whether the change in the ways of development of downtown riverside areas will positively influence the surrounding social environment aims to draw attention to the significance of transformations occurring in the public space. For this reason, the studies of user groups were conducted (Table 2). The Polish society is going to face changes which will reshuffle the labour market; the baby boom generation will retire, and will be replaced by only half the number of new employees. The majority of them will probably be from 'generation Y'. The notion of 'generation Y' appeared for the first time in 1993 in the magazine 'Advertising Age' denoting the last generation to be born in the 20th century; in Poland it means people born between 1984 and 2000. The expectations of generation Y differ from the expectations of previous generations: "older generations lived to work, whereas millennials work to live" [13]. People at the age of twenty and thirty will dominate the future labour market and because of this the functioning of the working world will depend on their lifestyle, needs and expectations. The characteristic features of the representatives of "generation Y" are as follows:


**Table 2.** User groups in the project-related area and their needs (table by E. Latusek).


In combination with negative demographic trends and depopulation of Polish cities, it means a tremendous challenge for local authorities, which will be more and more interested in attracting young specialists in order to maintain their competitiveness [14]. Therefore, the question is not if, but how to compete for young talents? The understanding of the present-day situation of young Poles may provide some suggestions in relation to the project-related area.

Inhabitants living in newly-built residential buildings in Zabłocie will also use and contribute to the local centre. Despite the fact that a local centre was designated within the area of the nearby Cracow Academy College (Akademia Krakowska–Studium), it has no functions either within a wide range of possibilities of community integration or a big choice of entertainment and recreation.
