ABSTRACT
Smart cities idea grows more and more popular in Poland and smart solutions are used by municipalities to make cities more competitive. Also smart congresses, where municipalities and companies launching smart technologies debate about cities future, are organized. Missing side in this discussions are architects and urban planners. This is the reason why the most frequently used solutions are technological systems connected with monitoring, information and others. In theory smart city model characterise in holistic approach towards city growth in six basic directions: economy, people, governance, mobility, environment and living. Technological systems are, in this case, tools that make reaching goals easier. Urban solutions used in smart city model do not differ from solutions used in other modern city development models.
In the case of polish cities primary goals in city growth are development and improvement of infrastructure and application of technological systems connected with it. Bydgoszcz and Rzeszow are examples of medium-sized cities in Poland, which base their development on elements of smart city model. Bydgoszcz is located in north part of Poland at the Brda River. Municipality actions are not only aimed at growth of technological systems, infrastructure or revitalization programs, but also on awakening ecological consciousness in citizens. Rzeszow is located in south-east part of the country. The most well-known sight, which, according to municipality, is based on smart city model, is circular pedestrian bridge (based on the one in Lujiazui, China). Going in that direction municipality bases city growth on innovation, infrastructure development and progressive technological systems.
Due to backwardness caused by events from newest history, polish cities are now on the beginning of development path. The most funds are prioritizing towards infrastructure growth that was neglected during 44 years of communists’ governance. Therefore actions taken up nowadays are sectional and they do not have holistic approach to development. Only in the future it remains to be seen how these decisions will affect the growth of cities.
