Industrial Heritage as a Form of Territorial Capital. The Example of Łódź

Abstract

In the last two decades there has been a far-reaching reinterpretation of the factors and mechanisms of socio-economic development, described in the context of the territorial paradigm. The concepts of territorial capital and the territorialisation of development processes have been introduced, which firmly expose specific space resources and both the material and non-material determinants of economic development. The post-industrial heritage, which constitutes a specific characteristic of many Polish cities, is an element of that territorial capital. This heritage includes both material and non-material elements and is perceived as a key factor in territorial development. The aim of the article is to analyze industrial heritage in the context of the paradigm of territorial development. A case study investigation of former industrial sites in Lodz offers concrete examples for theoretical analysis. According to the authors, this capital offers a specific territorial potential in Lodz and still exerts a significant influence on its development. The paper is based on an interdisciplinary approach, which interweaves economic, social and technical threads. The applied research method is based on a critical analysis of the literature on the subject, combined with analyses of the case studies.