housingcultures

The concept of cultural patterns of use and arrangement of dwellings

Polish housing sociology and the concept of cultural patterns of use and arrangement of dwellings.

Currently, sociological studies of dwellings are rather rare in Poland. Yet, there are valuable Polish findings and concepts concerning housing. In the seventies communist regime provided funds for housing research in order to adjust and develop this sector of the economy. Communists’ interest on residential environment was closely related to the idea of a home as a concrete element of social life. The home was meant to be only a place to sleep and rest; while leisure and activities were to take place in a social space. Researchers who investigated housing needs and conditions produced a huge inventory consisting of the dwelling equipment, localization of different activities, and description of styles of dwellings. Also, a number of photos of dwellings had been taken. Based on these findings the concept called “cultural patterns of use and arrangement of dwellings” was introduced.

The theory of “cultural pattern” is closely related to concepts of lifestyle. Cultural patterns are defined as “these elements of life style and life standard of social group which manifest themselves through forms of family activities in dwelling and through objects and spatial aspects of family’s functions and dwelling’s functions” [s. 82]. “Factors that mostly differentiate the ways and conditions of living are education and socio-professional affiliation, and as result of these two – income and dwelling conditions of a family and type and size of a family” [Trautsolt-Kleyff 1985: 80].

The following criteria had been applied in order to create a typology of cultural patterns:

a. family values (externalized by activities and goods chosen to arrange dwelling),
b. type of a family and its inner structure (relationships between family’s members),
c. aesthetic choices,
d. capability to arrange the home according to needs of family members.

The following patterns and their repetition had been established as:
- imitative – 60%
- festive – 15%
- functional – 13%
- creative – 2-5%
- folk – 5-10%

Figure 1. Frequency of patterns (countryside dwellings not included).


Imitative pattern was to be characteristic for the middle class The middle class is defined by the author as a social group which members obtain average results on social status scales (average education, income, etc.). The most important factor influencing the use and arrangement of a dwelling is a need of the prestige which manifests itself by two features of the dwelling. First, the role of the living-room is limited to the representation. Second, the dwelling has no distinctive style of arrangement – dwellers copy other s tyles and fashions. Further typical features are: a redundancy of furniture and one-function rooms (a bedroom or a dinning room). A living-room is usually arranged with furniture along one wall and a table with chairs along another wall, opposite to a television. Dwellers lack a conscious approach to residential environment and ability of expressing their own needs through the use and arrangement of space.

Dwellings included in the festive pattern are very similar to these of the previous pattern, but attitudes and values express through the similar arrangements differ. The dwelling is divided into two spheres: festive and everyday.

Dwellings, used and arranged according to the functional pattern, are characteristic for dwellers with high education and originated from cities. Their main feature is “ localization of particular functions according to family’s needs” [Trautsolt-Kleyff:112]. Comparing to the imitative and festive patterns, there is no representative room in such dwellings. The biggest room is used as a living room. No dominant design is met in such interiors, but furniture is ordered functionally and according to specific needs of family members. The functional pattern dwellers individualize space and adjust it to meet their needs. Individual adjustments do not spoil the aesthetic entity of a dwelling. These qualities are characteristic for both functional and creative patterns. Dwellers attributed to other patterns treat “space as a set of separated rooms and stand-alone furniture and equipment” [Trautsolt-Kleyff:117].

Dwellings inhibited by artists, scientists and the intellectual elite are included in the creative pattern. They are more avant-garde, sophisticated, and eclectic than previously described. Dwellers combine in a syncretic way different styles and designs, for example they unite a kitchen with a living room, and try to consciously express their individuality and worldview through arrangements.

The folk pattern is characteristic for dwellers who have moved from a countryside to a city. Dwellers often use the biggest room of a flat as a common bedroom with one full size bed in which all family members sleep together. In the center of a smaller room a table is placed. This room also includes a closet. Family life takes place in the kitchen, regardless of its size. The typical interior decorations are: sacred paintings, paper or plastic flowers, mascots and other gadgets.

Presently, these patterns are outdated because the structure of Polish population is different than before the fall of the Iron Curtain (1989). Changes can also be observed in a visual sphere. The free market supplies new and modern furniture. More current research shows the increase of new-tech devices in dwellings. In general, transformation of Polish society after the end of communist regime has affected many (if not all) spheres of social life.

Bibliogaphy:
Trautsolt-Kleyff K., „Wzory kulturowe użytkowania i urządzania mieszkań. Potrzeby rodziny a koncepcje projektowe”, IWP Zeszyt 93, Warszawa, 1985.