Urban design competition as a tool for planning the future of cities: case studies in Poland

The compact city paradigm is very often described as compact (dense), mixed use settlements. Masterplans for crucial areas in cities play a major role for future development of cities. The most strategic and important sites are often a subject of urban design competitions – calls for proposals for future development ideas. Some of the competition entries are only a subject for a brainstorming discussion about the future of the cities or its parts. Some of winning entries become basis for real masterplans which are implemented later. In this article several case studies of competitions and its results have been presented. Also, a methodology classification has been proposed. Also a classification has been proposed. Three case studies of urban design competitions has been discussed: Wygoda settlement' in Bia³ystok, Gizynek settlement in Stargard Szczeciñski and city centre of Goleniów. The findings of the research on this case study help us understand whether competitions might be used as a tool for future city 'modeling'. The author is a researcher and also an architect and urban designer, as well as the author of many competition entries