Suburbanizace v zázemí Prahy

OUŘEDNÍČEK, M., BIČÍK, I., VÁGNER, J. (2007): Suburbanizace v zázemí Prahy. Životné prostredie, 41, č. 6, s. 303-306.

The process of suburbanization in post-socialist cities is one of the most vital research areas of present-day social geography. Czech suburban development has been revived around Prague already during the first half of 1990s and has considerable consequences on both physical and social parts of living environment. The paper describes two selected features of suburban transformation: changes in land use patterns within Prague Metropolitan Region and contemporary development of garden allotments of outer city. Gradual decrease of agricultural (arable) land and increase of built-up areas in Prague since the 19th century may be considered as example of time-space theory of innovation diffusion. Development of urban and suburban land use is shown by means of the index of change in the Prague Metropolitan Region. Cartograms show significant changes in inner agglomeration in the period 1948 – 1990 and in the last decade in the outer agglomeration. The transfer of dynamism of land use changes from the core to the hinterland is evident. Two model cadastre units were surveyed for a more detailed analysis – Čestlice at the edge of the administrative territory of Prague with dominant service and transport function and a more faraway unit Třebsín with permanent agricultural and second home function. A specific phenomenon of post-communist cities and Prague especially is the existence of garden allotments at the urbanized and suburbanized area which represent a significant element of urban green space. After Velvet Revolution garden allotments have undergone broad changes due to transfer of land ownership above all. Detailed field surveys revealed that in the period 1997 – 2004 more than a half of garden allotments changed their function, partly towards second home activities and residential function but mostly degenerated and were substituted with more effective use of valuable space (transport and service constructions above all). New residential and other functions of dynamically developing suburbanized area call for a sensible regulation which should be ensured with master planning instruments in cooperation with local residents and major actors.