Bringing new ideas to housing research

Building, housing, and urban pathology have been discussed in the literature worldwide. In recent years, the Polish residential market has seen the emergence of extremely small and non-functional dwellings, very dense residential projects with limited access to sunlight and small playgrounds, and even projects built in the middle of nowhere. The media show more and more outrageous cases of what has come to be called ‘pathodevelopment’. The problem is real and it has economic, social, and legal dimensions and consequences. Using desk research and case study methods, this article attempts to create a holistic definition of ‘pathodevelopment’, classifies its forms, and considers the reasons for this phenomenon. According to the author, ‘pathodevelopment’ is related to various unethical actions taken by developers trying to maximise their profits, while acting to the detriment of future residents, the owners of neighbouring properties, and sometimes even municipalities. These actions can be institutional, urban, infrastructural, architecture, construction, or marketing in nature.