Malgorzata TOMCZAK
Łódź - regeneration of an industrial city
The fate of Lodz is a tale of many extremes. The story of its dynamic development, which took place in the 19th century, has come full circle in the second decade of the 21st century. Before our eyes, after years of post-transformation crisis, Lodz is once again reborn and buzzing. An industrial city is regenerating, with multiculturalism, innovation and entrepreneurship embedded in its history; its key areas are being revitalized. The city is attracting new developers like a magnet, creating investment conditions for them like a promised land. Streets are changing, parks and green areas are being created, townhouses and palaces are getting a new look, essential infrastructure and urban transportation are being developed.
Creative industries are also developing, framed by the famous Museum of Art with an outstanding collection of Polish interwar avant-garde, the cult film school or the heritage of the Dadaist group Lodz Kaliska.
Finally, Lodz is a medium-sized Polish city interesting for its complex and unique history, but average compared to other such European cities. But, as Prof. Mariusz Sokolowicz argues, "there is nothing wrong with being average"!
So let's open our eyes to Lodz!
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On June 22-23, the Open Eyes Economy Summit at EC1 in Lodz will host the international congress "Regeneration of Industrial Cities," of which A&B is a media partner. Let's meet there to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing Lodz and similar cities in the near future. Please also visit the streaming platform www.regeneracjamiast.pl.
