Space is the most significant concept for our faculty. It connects all our staff and serves as a symbolic word for our community. That is why we encourage all visitors to actively participate actively—please write down words you would use to describe space. This will allow us to create a conceptual map during the exhibition presentation. Together, we will explore the importance of space in our lives. We already know this—at our faculty, we research, describe, analyse, and try to present and familiarise others with space. We recognise its significance and multidimensionality. This is why our research on space is so diverse. At the exhibition, we have divided it into four thematic sections, each highlighted by a different colour.
SPACE AS HERITAGE AND IDENTITY
In this section, we describe the symbolic and identity-related importance of place. We strive to observe various socio-spatial conflicts, and we are interested in issues related to colonialism and its legacy, which we examine through case studies of major cities in West Africa. In Nigeria, we explore the significance of places crucial to building local communities. We also investigate conflicts related to neo-colonial tourism in Indonesia. In Central Europe we study the heritage of the Spiš Pledge towns in Slovakia, and we attempt to characterise the ethnic group known as the Walddeutsche from the Polish Carpathians, which has been essentially lost to contemporary culture.
URBAN SPACE AND QUALITY OF LIFE
The next section focuses on interpreting the spaces closest to human life—the mutual relationships that form communities. Thus, it is not about an area in terms of land but rather about interconnected networks of human relationships, issues related to ensuring basic needs and service provision, as well as, conversely, social problems such as homelessness. We also examine how nature influences people in cities and how urban planning is evolving. We attempt to predict where the future might lead us.
NATURAL SPACE AND ITS PERCEPTION
In this part of the exhibition, we present how nature co-creates space—from landscapes to microclimates and the quality of life of inhabitants. We explore how landscapes change after a volcanic eruption on an island, how the northern Sahara region is systematically turning into desert, and conversely, how glaciers matter to us and alter landscapes The world continuously surprises us, so we strive to capture its dynamics and understand the mechanisms shaping our planet—both locally and globally. We observe, document, and analyse—to better predict changes, protect natural resources, and wisely plan the future in harmony with natural processes.
SPACE OF DATA AND VISUALISATION
The final section is dedicated to data analysis and visualisation. In geographical sciences, we frequently need to illustrate the spaces we discuss. For this purpose, we utilise cutting-edge technologies: GIS—Geographic Information Systems; 3D modelling, which can also form the basis for worlds created in computer games; satellite imagery; and even visualisations using artificial intelligence, which is now supporting the work of cartographers. Our goal is also to develop increasingly effective tools for presenting data.