The functional transformation and dynamics of industrial buildings in Central Europe on the example of Wrocław agglomeration from 1980s to 2020s

Following the post-1989 political transformation, industrial areas in Central European urban agglomerations experienced significant dynamism and large-scale change. Their distribution and, above all, the functions of buildings have evolved markedly. This study examines the scale and nature of functional transformations in Wrocław’s industrial areas. Its novelty lies in the use of quantitative analysis of building function changes based on cartographic data from the 1980s–2020s, applying GIS tools and change detection methods. Previous research mostly provided qualitative descriptions of transformation mechanisms without precisely defining their scale or extent. Findings reveal an ongoing process of deconcentration of industrial areas, alongside growing diversification of building functions in formerly monofunctional, production-oriented zones. Consequently, Wrocław’s urban space – as in other Central European cities – is becoming more functionally complex, with notable social, spatial, and planning-related consequences that require ongoing monitoring regarding their impact on urban quality of life.