Uploaded on 2016-05-02 by JolRy

After getting familiar with the course content I have become aware of the relativity of livability criteria. „For whom, when & where” is not specified in the task, that is why I tried to be as objective as it was possible. I decided to take under consideration the Carol Ryff's principles of psychological well – being, because I think these factors are the most basic, hence adequate for most of the people. I tried to attribute given criteria to principles. The most often used criteria become the first one in my ranking. 1. Culture 2. Job opportunities 3. Education 4. Political stability 5. Safety **2. Why do we live where we live?** I live in Gliwice in southern Poland because: 1. I was accepted there to study architecture and urbanism 2. I stayed and didn't think about moving anywhere, because the faculty has a good renoma and it is about 30 km from my hometown (1. renoma 2. economic reasons) ![one of the architecture school rankings in Poland][1] ![map of the distance between my hometown Rybnik and my study city Gliwice][2] 3. I can live there in a cheap dormitory, 200 m. from my faculty, surrounded by other students of architecture **3. To what extend does your own place of residence fulfill your ideal livability criteria?** It fullfills my education and economic criteria, but also those very basic for me, which usually I take for granted like: political stability, health care, housing, sanitation standarts. Partially it fullfills safety, infrastructure, transportation criteria, but not as good as I wish it could fullfill. **4.  What would you change?** From my student perspective I see that the livability could be better if students were more connected with the city. Very often they choose it because of rational reasons but do not like it. It is small city, but young people do not know it and are not interested to know it more, beacause of poor city transport. When we have free time we go somwhere near and these are always the same places. There are too little attractions for young people (propably also for middle age and eldery). Even if there is something to see, usually it takes too much time to go there because of the poor city transport, so it is the first thing that I would improove. **5. Why do we move?** It is easier for me to provide 5 qualities than to choose places. I am planning to move abroad for my PhD degree or for work. It will be possible hence 2 years. Qualities: 1. Education quality (focusing on researches in architecture and urbanism). 2. Job or grant possibilities – it is necessary for me to move. And it is connected with my need of autonomy, financial freedome and possibilities of growth. 3. Culture 4. Quality of architecture 5. Environment Places: 1. Cambridge, USA 2. Delft, Netherlands 3. Zurich, Switzerland [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14621938946261822.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1462193951748256.jpg