Manufaktura – nowa przestrzeń turystyczno-rekreacyjna Łodzi

Abstract

The political system transformation in Poland in the early 1990s caused the collapse of Lodz factories that the city was famous for in the 19th and 20th century. The process of revitalisation has turned out to be helpful to them. The former factories are being transformed to meet various goals. For example, modern lofts are made in Scheibler industrial premises and the Focus hotel was opened in the former Kindermann factory. Manufaktura, a shopping and recreation centre, was created in 2006 on the premises of the former factory area belonging to I.K. Poznanski (27 ha in area). This led to a combination of two worlds, the world of commerce and the world of historical heritage. The answer to the question what the results of creating the area in the city are is quite complex. The investment brought about a number of both advantages and disadvantages. 1. An obvious advantage is opening the previously closed area and operating of over 200 businesses there, which significantly affects the economic development of the city. 2. The revitalised area has been accepted quickly as a place where one can spend their spare time by Lodz dwellers and people living in the vicinity of the city. Undoubtedly, opening Manufaktura made Lodz more interesting for tourists. It gave to the city so far perceived as dull and unattractive greater public appeal, which was appreciated as Manufaktura was awarded the title of 2006 Tourism Product. 3. Another important result of opening Manufaktura is dissemination of the revitalisation process in the city. There has been an increase in the number of similar undertakings since the firm Apsys got interested in the former I.K. Poznanski factory. Furthermore, the city authorities themselves took action aimed at revitalising Lodz centre, thus trying to renovate not only a part of the city area but its larger sight-seeing complex as well. 4. Opening Manufaktura both resulted in and enhanced a new way of spending leisure time, i.e. in a shopping centre. The market square, a newly created public space, encourages relaxation and participation in numerous cultural events. Manufaktura caters for everyone, from shoppers, gourmets and cinema-goers to those preferring less popular forms of spending free time (e.g. museums or climbing walls). About 14 million customers visited Manufaktura throughout almost one year of its operation. Unfortunately, it is difficult to estimate how many of them are just dwellers of Lodz and its vicinity who go shopping and satisfy their spiritual needs there and how many are genuine tourists. Undoubtedly, Manufaktura has become an element of Lodz tourism product, its pride and a symbol of trans-formation. The disadvantages connected with the factory revitalisation include: – creating social conflicts mainly due to implantation-like revitalisation, – vanishing of the original character of the factory premises; only the industrial part was renovated whereas the former workers’ houses on the opposite side of Ogrodowa Street have not been converted; additionally, no information on the original historical function of the former factory premises reduces the educational value of the area, – due to multiple stages of building the centre, its shopping and recreation qualities have been more obvious by now whereas its cultural and tourist functions have not been significantly developed yet (e.g. the lack of a hotel).