The paper is based on a survey and investigates the functioning of historic gardens during the pandemic. The authors collected and analysed information on the impact of the pandemic on the behaviour of visitors, maintenance, and condition of cultural heritage assets, European historic gardens. Four aspects were considered particularly carefully: the situation of gardens during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintenance and care in gardens, virtual activity and communication, and financial consequences. The authors determined the conditions of the gardens and the problems they faced based on a survey completed by 23 managers of 31 historic gardens from June to August 2020 and then proposed a diagnosis. The paper presents the survey results. In general, visitor volumes tended to drop in 2020, which significantly affected gardens’ financial standing and contributed to workforce reductions. The garden condition and treatments were affected, as well. Reduced visitor volumes resulted in positive environmental changes. Among them were ecological succession, the stability of landscaped plants, increase in vegetation, improved biodiversity in the ground cover, and enhanced animal presence. Additional safety measures were implemented after the gardens were reopened to the public during the pandemic, mostly social distancing, and obligatory face masks. Less than half of the gardens had contingency plans, and 25% of the respondents were working to develop one. The analyses provided foundations to start working on a universal emergency strategy similar to procedures used for years for permanent collections at museums. Note that, being open public spaces and live museums, historic gardens were the first places reopened after the lockdown. Recommendations based on the study can contribute to the future safe functioning of historic gardens in other similar crises. The guidelines offer instructions, advice, and recommendations that form foundations of the development of a universal management model facilitating the preservation of historic gardens in good condition while exploiting their ecological potential.

Looking at the urban development of the past two centuries, we can conclude that engineers and architects have been dominating the field of urban design all over Europe. Architects played the most important role, which became even more significant with the increase of urban development. Beyond the architectural approach, a greater importance had been attributed to ecological aspects of urban planning by the turn of the 20th century as, for example, the advance of the garden city movement illustrates. This article focuses on the review of crucial open-space renewal projects from two Eastern European cities and China. The case studies are used to shed light on the characteristics and historical values of contemporary open-space design, based on innovative and landscape architectural approaches and artistic solutions. The study shows that the original role of urban open spaces was significantly extended during the first decades of the 21st century. The increased needs for representation—commercial, cultural and living functions, and ecological and healthy benefits—led to a multifunctional approach in design and planning. The renewal of the historic urban open spaces is carried out under an integrated framework and a unified goal: the development-oriented heritage conservation. Based on strong economic aspects, the general tendency is clearly positive—in spite of still-existing problematic issues (for instance, the management of public transport or the status of public utilities). In the time of a growing awareness of open-space heritage, this overview tries to depict possible general principles of a long-term renewal strategy built on local identity, heritage values and social sustainability.

In the face of accelerating urbanization and the growing demand for environmentally responsible materials and designs, this study presents the development and implementation of a modular parklet demonstrator fabricated using dual-material 3D printing. The structure integrates polylactic acid (PLA) and wood-filled PLA (wood/PLA), combining the mechanical robustness of pure PLA in the core with the tactile and aesthetic appeal of wood-based biocomposite on the surface. The newly developed dual-nozzle 3D printing approach enabled precise spatial control over material distribution, optimizing both structural integrity and sustainability. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted for developed filaments and printed materials, including optical microscopy, coupled thermogravimetry analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (TG/FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and chemical and mechanical resistance testing. Results revealed distinct thermal behaviors and degradation pathways between filaments and printed parts composed of PLA and PLA/wood. The biocomposite exhibited slightly increased sensitivity to aggressive chemical environments and mechanical wear, dual-material prints maintained high thermal stability and interlayer adhesion. The 3D-printed demonstrator bench and stools were successfully deployed in public spaces as a functional urban intervention. This work demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of using biocomposite materials and dual-head 3D printing for the rapid, local, and sustainable fabrication of small-scale urban infrastructure.

The sacred in the landscape of the city

The historical cultural landscape of villages absorbed into expanding urban areas is being lost amid the multiplication of rapidly developing modern housing estates. This process is particularly pronounced in post-socialist cities such as Krakow and Lviv. The urban -architectural features of the former villages – such as building layouts, form and height, timberwork, façade materials and colours, roof types, architectural details, and the character of their immediate surroundings - once reflected a rural residential model rooted in agricultural traditions, notably in the Bronowice and Znesinnya districts. This traditional model is increasingly eroded by dynamic urban change, technological progress, and investment pressure. Consequently. Through analysis of historical documents, iconography, and cartographic materials, complemented by research field inventory, a model of traditional suburban village architecture was developed. Employing the author’s ‘building cohesion’ methodology, a detailed field inventory was conducted, and a critical zone for cultural heritage was delineated within Bronowice—a district experiencing intense development pressures. Drawing on findings from Bronowice, two development scenarios were projected for Znesinnya: one advocating harmonious, sustainable growth that respects the traditional village layout; and a second, pessimistic scenario forecasting unregulated development similar to that in Bronowice. The forecasts suggest that, without preventive legal and planning interventions, as well as both top-down and grassroots initiatives to promote awareness of the area’s rural origins, Znesinnya is likely to follow a similar trajectory of cultural landscape degradation.

Landscapes and cultural heritage have faced many challenges over time, including modifications and degradation that appear with time, overlap with other challenges not previously observed, and the influence of cities and management