Conducting individual research projects in the field of one’s personal interest is one of the most important components of building know-how, which we perceive as the starting point in raising our members’ qualifications, elaborating new techniques and tools, and also contributing to the accumulation of scientific knowledge. Regardless of our common activities within the framework of Miastosfera, the members take part in research in various areas of social science, using interdisciplinary methodology and situating Miastosfera on the point of intersections of such disciplines as psychology, sociology, anthropology, ethnography, geography and political science.

A soundscape is the sonic equivalent of landscape – it includes music and all other sounds in the surrounding environment that are perceived in the given time and space. Research on soundscape attempts to explain the relationship between the individual, subjective experience of sounds and their physical and cultural context. It allows us to examine sounds of urban life, the din, from the positive side – as a subjective individual experience rather than something to be reduced or prevented. One of the examples of how soundscape studies can be applied, is through the intentional shaping of urban sounds. Soundscape design could be similar to industrial design – with streams of sounds and islands of tranquility. Our research constitutes a new quality in soundscape research –we analyse the physical characteristics of sounds, but also the dynamics of affective evaluation.

Places arouse emotions and feelings. Place can be evaluated as arousing positive or negative affect, as being stimulating or quite the opposite–as calming us down. Emotions awakened by certain place often determine the sort of people who want to spend time in such a place, the way this place will be used, what kind of activities will be taken up there, and whether such a place is perceived as safe or not. Environmental psychologists have acquired methods based on contacts with inhabitants, which enable us to evaluate a place of any scale on emotional dimensions. Professionally-prepared assessment on the emotional (affective) dimension can provide important information that explains the reasons that some places in certain areas function in different ways, which parts of the building are the most popular and why, and what features of the space are a source of positive or negative feelings for its users.

Environmental negotiation is a specific strategy of coping with a conflict situation in a local community; we pay special attention to the difficult category of conflicts concerning public goods, controversial investments that engage many social groups. The workshop is meant to acquaint participants with knowledge and skills required to analyse social situations effectively and to provide advice in local conflicts. The course includes knowledge concerning various negotiation strategies, psychological aspects of the negotiation and public consultation process, skills for effective communication, the conflict’s participants’ points of view and interests identification, choosing objective criteria that support the work on the conflict, providing analytic tools for conflict management, skills for representing sides of the argument and basics of conducting environmental negotiation. The form of a workshop will allow the participants to use acquired theoretical knowledge in exercises simulating a situation of conflict and negotiation. Workshops are conducted by environmental psychologists specialized in applying psychological methods in the context of local conflicts. The program of workshops on environmental negotiations consists of one to three two-day meetings organized for leaders of local societies, local government clerks and activists of non-profit organizations. To complete the course all three workshops must be attended.

Public space, by definition, should be accessible to everyone. It allows for various groups or individual activities, but does not necessarily force one to interact with others. Cities are often perceived as “good” or “attractive” based on the quality of their public spaces. That in turn can translate to bigger investments in those areas. Cities often need to face this challenge, by planning and designing public spaces that are highly valued by both residents and tourists. Such public spaces accommodate people’s needs, affording for various activities and interactions. Good public spaces allow individuals to actively participate in city life and communities and society to exist according to its norms and social practices. Public spaces should also allow for and dynamically respond to users’ needs and activities changing over time. This can be achieved and supported by an analysis of a public space’s quality and a thorough description of it.

Ocena budynku po zasiedleniu (ang. post occupancy evaluation, POE) polega na wnikliwej analizie isniejącego budynku pod kątem jego użytkowania przetrzennego, walorów estetycznych, rozwiązań funkcjonalnych i technicznych.Ekspertyzy te wykonujemy przy pomocy rożnych metod (zarówno ilościowych jak i jakościowych, co jest podyktowane wymaganiami konkretnego projektu). Zawsze jednak badania nasze prowadzimy w oparciu o dane i kontakt z klientem oraz użytkownikami przestrzeni.

(latin: Re +vita – literally: bringing back to life, reviving) it is the complex, multi-dimensional process of solving the problems of dilapidated city areas. On the spatial dimension, revitalization is supposed to create new spaces and new externalities in the city–or bringing back spatial order, preservation, featuring the character of past districts and objects. It is not only modernization and renovation of buildings. An amazingly important dimension of revitalization is concentrating on local societies, aiming at improving the quality and conditions of life of the inhabitants. On the economic dimension, the aim of revitalization is to initiate new impulses of economic development and to prompt market mechanisms. The projects conducted within the framework of revitalization are relevant on the functional dimesion too – new uses and ways of development can appear. The revitalized areas gain new functions, they start to teem with life. Certain dimensions stimulate one another and feedback occurs. For example, new functions and image changes are accompanied by the appearance of new users in a given place, while the adaptation connected to the new functions requires changes in physical dimension.

The concept of building a civic society is one of the most common catchphrases in recent publications of the government and administrationas well as being the topic of initiatives of non-profit organizations. One of the most important elements of this concept is social participation, meaning involving citizens and the society as a whole in public life, education and increasing active participation on the local and national scale (on physical, social and administrative dimensions). The participation of citizens in decision-making processes in the realm of public administration is required by European Union law. This participation may take various forms, from the research on public opinion to open meetings with all stakeholders. Still, it is not this obligation, but the profit of using social participation which determine its increasing popularity. The feeling of being the coauthor, co-producer and co-executor of the accepted solutions and decisions increases the acceptance and legitimization of the actions taken and their future success We are especially interested in consulting local strategies, projects and programs of spatial development of districts, cities and regions with the local communities that are most affected. We base our work on the assumption that collective knowledge and experience of local conditions and needs of the local communities is crucial for successful development. Preparing and consulting the proposals of a plan in working groups with the participation of inhabitants is the perfect way to verify the developers’ intentions before the revitalization takes place. Knowledge of the opinions and preferences of those most affected and preparation of various alternativescan help avoid slowing down or even arresting the decision-making process.