Categories: ARCHITECTURE

No more ugly adverts. Gdynia has adopted a landscape resolution

The Landscape Resolution was adopted by councillors during a session of the Gdynia City Council on 30 August. It is a set of regulations thanks to which officials gained specific tools to combat illegal advertisements and signboard chaos

The photographs we are publishing here show a visualisation of the changes. For the purposes of information about the landscape resolution, the visualisation was prepared by the Gdynia City Visualiser’s Office. However, there may soon be many more such BEFORE and AFTER photos. The adopted landscape resolution indicates on what principles advertisements can be placed in Gdynia. The regulations also describe the elements of small architecture and address the issue of fences. As a result, the appearance of the entire city is to change over the next few years, from historical parts to residential areas, industrial areas to recreational areas

The project was widely consulted. We discussed it internally within the office and city units, with representatives of the advertising industry, shopping malls, discount stores and representatives of property managers and international chain operators. The comments collected during this period formed the current shape of the draft landscape resolution, which was put on display from 4 May to 8 June this year. – informs Marek Łucyk, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for Development

Thanks to the provisions, the inhabitants of Gdynia will gain orderly spaces. The Landscape Resolution provides for the unification of small architecture in streets and squares and defines their style – shape, colour, size and quality standard. The legislation also includes issues concerning parcel machines. Councillors are giving entrepreneurs 12 months to adapt advertising media and street furniture to the new rules

Similar regulations are already successfully in force in Gdansk, Poznan and Krakow. Thanks to them, officials have gained tools with which they can shape the appearance of the city. Gdynia’s residents will no longer see billboards on wheels. The regulations prohibit the placement of advertising on media that are not connected to the ground – including car trailers with advertisements

The Landscape Resolution divides Gdynia into two zones. The first zone indicates areas of particular importance in terms of landscape, historical and spatial value, for which additional restrictions apply. The second zone introduces rules that order the space by limiting the amount of visual information, maintaining the proportions of advertisements in relation to their surroundings and taking care of their high quality of execution

Officials indicate that by adopting the landscape resolution, they are not acting against entrepreneurs, but want to improve the aesthetics of the entire city, the positive effects of which are to be felt by everyone

Everyone has the right to a sign at their place of business, which is why the resolution sets out detailed rules and conditions for their location. The greatest visual chaos is created by uncontrolled and ubiquitous outdoor advertising, which is why it is particularly in need of clear and fair regulations. Advertising is not the only visual information in urban space. We also have traffic information, a city identification system and information boards required by other regulations. This is why the draft resolution allows for a wide range of advertising tools, but under clearly developed rules,” explains Jacek Piątek, head of the City of Gdynia Visual Arts Office

photo: Gdynia City Artistic Office

source: UM Gdynia(www.gdynia.pl)