Papers by Katarina Smatanova
Architecture Papers of the Faculty of Architecture and Design STU
Drug use and drug addiction have a high prevalence in the population, which has been widely docum... more Drug use and drug addiction have a high prevalence in the population, which has been widely documented since the 1980s. According to the United Nations, the physical environment in which we live is one of the strongest determinants of our health. In the case of drug abuse concentration in a particular urban space, one of the points to consider is the architectural and urban form of the location. In the Slovak context, a significant representative of concentrated drug activity is a part of the Medzi Jarkami housing estate, nicknamed the “Pentagon”. In an effort to eradicate drug activity, local residents fortified the Pentagon, changing its urban landscape and furthering its ghettoisation. Although drug abuse is a criminal act, it is imperative to acknowledge that drug addiction is a mental illness. Therefore, it is not sufficient to look at spaces such as the Pentagon from a criminal perspective but also from that of mental health. Our study aims to explore the connection between th...
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Human health has always played a vital role in shaping cities' architecture and urban des... more Human health has always played a vital role in shaping cities' architecture and urban design. However, its importance has often been overshadowed by other pressing social and economic concerns since we only realise the significance of health when it is no longer taken for granted. This paper presents the findings of a study that aimed to assess the current standing of health in the architectural profession among built environment practitioners and architecture students, with a particular focus on the urban design part of the profession, emphasising the urgent need for greater attention to this critical issue in the field. The research identified three main findings. Firstly, research revealed that developers currently play the most proactive role in promoting health in the built environment. Secondly, the health-improving projects and initiatives are limited only to physical health. Last but not least, a clear definition of health and design guidelines that are currently absent could help address increased interest in health-related design in the future.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Architecture Papers of the Faculty of Architecture and Design STU, 2023
Drug use and drug addiction have a high prevalence in the population, which has been widely docum... more Drug use and drug addiction have a high prevalence in the population, which has been widely documented since the 1980s. According to the United Nations, the physical environment in which we live is one of the strongest determinants of our health. In the case of drug abuse concentration in a particular urban space, one of the points to consider is the architectural and urban form of the location. In the Slovak context, a significant representative of concentrated drug activity is a part of the Medzi Jarkami housing estate, nicknamed the “Pentagon”. In an effort to eradicate drug activity, local residents fortified the Pentagon, changing its urban landscape and furthering its ghettoisation. Although drug abuse is a criminal act, it is imperative to acknowledge that drug addiction is a mental illness. Therefore, it is not sufficient to look at spaces such as the Pentagon from a criminal perspective but also from that of mental health. Our study aims to explore the connection between th...
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Zdravie ako faktor rozvoja regiónov a sídel RRT, 2023
Väčšina ľudí dnes trpí zdravotnými problémami. Súvisiace ekonomické dôsledky sa stávajú neúnosný... more Väčšina ľudí dnes trpí zdravotnými problémami. Súvisiace ekonomické dôsledky sa stávajú neúnosnými pre väčšinu vyspelých ekonomík. V mnohých regiónoch a mestách sveta sa však ukazuje, že ľudské zdravie môže byť faktorom ekono- mického rozvoja a udržateľnosti. Jednou z možností podpory lokálnej ekonomiky je zamerať sa na zlepšovanie zdravia obyvateľov.
Analýza strategických a legislatívnych dokumentov a smerníc v medzinárodnom a európskom kontexte ukazuje, že téma má vlastný právno-legislatívny rámec, ktorého minimálne preklopenie do slovenského prostredia môže priniesť výrazné (aj ekonomické) benefity pre udržateľný rozvoj lokálnych samosprávnych systémov.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Position of health-related design among architecture professionals in Slovakia , 2023
Human health has always played a vital role in shaping cities' architecture and urban design. How... more Human health has always played a vital role in shaping cities' architecture and urban design. However, its importance has often been overshadowed by other pressing social and economic concerns since we only realise the significance of health when it is no longer taken for granted. This paper presents the findings of a study that aimed to assess the current standing of health in the architectural profession among built environment practitioners and architecture students, with a particular focus on the urban design part of the profession, emphasising the urgent need for greater attention to this critical issue in the field. The research identified three main findings. Firstly, research revealed that developers currently play the most proactive role in promoting health in the built environment. Secondly, the health-improving projects and initiatives are limited only to physical health. Last but not least, a clear definition of health and design guidelines that are currently absent could help address increased interest in health-related design in the future.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
ALFA Architecture papers of Faculty of Architecture and Design STU, 2023
Drug use and drug addiction have a high prevalence in the population, which has been widely docum... more Drug use and drug addiction have a high prevalence in the population, which has been widely documented since the 1980s. In the case of drug abuse concentration in a particular urban space, one of the points to consider is the architectural and urban form of such a location.
In the Slovak context, a significant representative of concentrated drug activity is a part of the Medzi Jarkami housing estate, nicknamed the “Pentagon”. In an effort to get rid of drug activity, local residents fortified the Pentagon, changing its urban landscape and furthering its ghettoisation. Although drug abuse is a criminal act, it is imperative to acknowledge that drug addiction is a mental illness. Therefore, it is not enough to look at spaces such as the Pentagon from a criminal perspective but also from that of mental health.
Our study aims to look at the connection between residents’ mental health and the quality of the urban structure that they live in. We performed an urban design analysis using on-site participant observation and structural interviews supplemented by desktop research. The study analysis proved that the mental health status of the local residents has an essential impact on the development of urban neighbourhoods.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Architecture Papers of the Faculty of Architecture and Design STU, Mar 1, 2022
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice, 2014
This paper describes an innovative joint project of the Slovak Republic’s Ministry of Culture and... more This paper describes an innovative joint project of the Slovak Republic’s Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, and Family, which involved the unemployed in saving items of built cultural heritage. The project operates with unemployed citizens who, together with the active participation of civic associations, restore selected monuments under state oversight. The project focuses on creating short-term job positions in the sector of heritage conservation. After the third year of operation, it can be concluded that the results have been above expectations. The project has had a positive effect not only on decreasing the unemployment rate in regions with low economic productivity but also with integrating the long- term unemployed into the process of heritage conservation, building up good relations with cultural heritage, regional traditions, and local citizens’ cultural values. By gaining specific skills (for instance, medieval building techniques and traditional methods of stone working and wood carpentry) the prospects for job seekers in the job market also have been improved. The restored cultural heritage also becomes more attractive for tourism, creating opportunities for more employment in the service sector. The pre- conditions for success are: quality preparation, an individual approach, and good leadership. Also important are engagement in training and education, as well as motivational elements. keywords Slovak Republic, castle restoration, traditional building skills
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Paper presented in Conference Ce-PhD Cluj, Romania 2014
The fast and turbulent development patte... more Paper presented in Conference Ce-PhD Cluj, Romania 2014
The fast and turbulent development patterns that have our countries experienced since the fall of communism regime have strongly influenced the image and functioning of our cities and regions. The economic and social polarisation reflects in the Slovak landscapes in the form of segregated residential 'islands', of which one type are Roma concentrations.
The paper analyses different forms and processes connected to design of public space that have potential to play a significant role in bridging these gaps and thus building inclusive communities. In the first part paper deals with the concept of inclusivity in the urban design agendas and its role in understanding public spaces. In the second part, preliminary results from the case study project 'For better life in Rankovce' are drawn out in order to suggest recommendations for widening the definition of public spaces, multidisciplinary and people-based involvement in all the stages of the design processes and the necessity of flexibility and time-adaptability in design strategies.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The fast and turbulent social and economic patterns that have our countries experienced in recent... more The fast and turbulent social and economic patterns that have our countries experienced in recent years have strongly influenced the image and functioning of our cities and regions, deepening the gaps in the society between the ones on the very top and many others on the bottom. This fragmentation is also reflected in the spatial and urban forms. Segregated housing estates of luxurious gated condominiums, or, on the other side, decaying neighbourhoods and excluded areas became day-to-day European reality. Thus, call for more equal, accessible and inclusive environment have appeared also on the agenda of leading organisations. As European Union recognises (EUKN, 2014), the inclusive city not only provides better living standards, but also has a potential to combat poverty and social exclusion and improve conditions for marginalised groups.
One of the groups threaten by social exclusion in the European context are also people with Roma ethnici- ty. In Slovakia, similar to other countries, Roma often live literally on the edge of the society, suffering from many socio-pathological phenomena. However, as will be discussed further on, complex programmes
of self-help housing construction have a potential
to ameliorate the poverty and contribute in further development of inclusive society.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
This paper describes an innovative joint project of the Slovak Republic’s Ministry of Culture a... more This paper describes an innovative joint project of the Slovak Republic’s Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, and Family, which involved the unemployed in saving items of built cultural heritage. The project operates with unemployed citizens who, together with the active participation of civic associations, restore selected monuments under state oversight. The project focuses on creating short-term job positions in the sector of heritage conservation. After the third year of operation, it can be concluded that the results have been above expectations. The project has had a positive effect not only on decreasing the unemployment rate in regions with low economic productivity but also with integrating the long- term unemployed into the process of heritage conservation, building up good relations with cultural heritage, regional traditions, and local citizens’ cultural values. By gaining specific skills (for instance, medieval building techniques and traditional methods of stone working and wood carpentry) the prospects for job seekers in the job market also have been improved. The restored cultural heritage also becomes more attractive for tourism, creating opportunities for more employment in the service sector. The pre- conditions for success are: quality preparation, an individual approach, and good leadership. Also important are engagement in training and education, as well as motivational elements.
keywords Slovak Republic, castle restoration, traditional building skills
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Conference Presentations by Katarina Smatanova
Bike can be more than a traffic mean; it can serve as an creative instruments for urban design as... more Bike can be more than a traffic mean; it can serve as an creative instruments for urban design as well as a educational tool (:
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Uploads
Papers by Katarina Smatanova
Analýza strategických a legislatívnych dokumentov a smerníc v medzinárodnom a európskom kontexte ukazuje, že téma má vlastný právno-legislatívny rámec, ktorého minimálne preklopenie do slovenského prostredia môže priniesť výrazné (aj ekonomické) benefity pre udržateľný rozvoj lokálnych samosprávnych systémov.
In the Slovak context, a significant representative of concentrated drug activity is a part of the Medzi Jarkami housing estate, nicknamed the “Pentagon”. In an effort to get rid of drug activity, local residents fortified the Pentagon, changing its urban landscape and furthering its ghettoisation. Although drug abuse is a criminal act, it is imperative to acknowledge that drug addiction is a mental illness. Therefore, it is not enough to look at spaces such as the Pentagon from a criminal perspective but also from that of mental health.
Our study aims to look at the connection between residents’ mental health and the quality of the urban structure that they live in. We performed an urban design analysis using on-site participant observation and structural interviews supplemented by desktop research. The study analysis proved that the mental health status of the local residents has an essential impact on the development of urban neighbourhoods.
The fast and turbulent development patterns that have our countries experienced since the fall of communism regime have strongly influenced the image and functioning of our cities and regions. The economic and social polarisation reflects in the Slovak landscapes in the form of segregated residential 'islands', of which one type are Roma concentrations.
The paper analyses different forms and processes connected to design of public space that have potential to play a significant role in bridging these gaps and thus building inclusive communities. In the first part paper deals with the concept of inclusivity in the urban design agendas and its role in understanding public spaces. In the second part, preliminary results from the case study project 'For better life in Rankovce' are drawn out in order to suggest recommendations for widening the definition of public spaces, multidisciplinary and people-based involvement in all the stages of the design processes and the necessity of flexibility and time-adaptability in design strategies.
One of the groups threaten by social exclusion in the European context are also people with Roma ethnici- ty. In Slovakia, similar to other countries, Roma often live literally on the edge of the society, suffering from many socio-pathological phenomena. However, as will be discussed further on, complex programmes
of self-help housing construction have a potential
to ameliorate the poverty and contribute in further development of inclusive society.
keywords Slovak Republic, castle restoration, traditional building skills
Conference Presentations by Katarina Smatanova
Analýza strategických a legislatívnych dokumentov a smerníc v medzinárodnom a európskom kontexte ukazuje, že téma má vlastný právno-legislatívny rámec, ktorého minimálne preklopenie do slovenského prostredia môže priniesť výrazné (aj ekonomické) benefity pre udržateľný rozvoj lokálnych samosprávnych systémov.
In the Slovak context, a significant representative of concentrated drug activity is a part of the Medzi Jarkami housing estate, nicknamed the “Pentagon”. In an effort to get rid of drug activity, local residents fortified the Pentagon, changing its urban landscape and furthering its ghettoisation. Although drug abuse is a criminal act, it is imperative to acknowledge that drug addiction is a mental illness. Therefore, it is not enough to look at spaces such as the Pentagon from a criminal perspective but also from that of mental health.
Our study aims to look at the connection between residents’ mental health and the quality of the urban structure that they live in. We performed an urban design analysis using on-site participant observation and structural interviews supplemented by desktop research. The study analysis proved that the mental health status of the local residents has an essential impact on the development of urban neighbourhoods.
The fast and turbulent development patterns that have our countries experienced since the fall of communism regime have strongly influenced the image and functioning of our cities and regions. The economic and social polarisation reflects in the Slovak landscapes in the form of segregated residential 'islands', of which one type are Roma concentrations.
The paper analyses different forms and processes connected to design of public space that have potential to play a significant role in bridging these gaps and thus building inclusive communities. In the first part paper deals with the concept of inclusivity in the urban design agendas and its role in understanding public spaces. In the second part, preliminary results from the case study project 'For better life in Rankovce' are drawn out in order to suggest recommendations for widening the definition of public spaces, multidisciplinary and people-based involvement in all the stages of the design processes and the necessity of flexibility and time-adaptability in design strategies.
One of the groups threaten by social exclusion in the European context are also people with Roma ethnici- ty. In Slovakia, similar to other countries, Roma often live literally on the edge of the society, suffering from many socio-pathological phenomena. However, as will be discussed further on, complex programmes
of self-help housing construction have a potential
to ameliorate the poverty and contribute in further development of inclusive society.
keywords Slovak Republic, castle restoration, traditional building skills