Kierunki rozwoju przestrzennych układów handlowych we Wrocławiu
Spatial Directions of the Transformation of Retail System in Wrocław

Summary/Abstract: The article presents research verifying the transformation process of the retail structure in Wrocław. It is an interesting example of urban units which experienced the political and economic conditions of two different systems – socialist and capitalist, and also the period of changes in between. Following Palomäki and Zipser’s methodology, the analysis of retail hierarchy changes in Wrocław was carried for three time periods (1979, 1997, 2014). The hierarchy rate was based on 3-dimention data matrix: qualitative, quantitative and spatial. The important part of the research is the graphic visualisation of retail localisation changes. The methods used allow for determining the stable components of the retail system and tendencies of transformation. The results of the research point to important questions. First of all, the stable elements of the hierarchical retail system (stronger than political and economic changes) were observed in the town structure. The centre of the town was recognised as a stable main point of the structure. Secondly, this high position of the centre can be powered by big-box stores. Finally, the components of the system make it a multi-level one, with the number of levels in the hierarchy being changeable.

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