Master's thesis research, 2025
British Houseboat Dwellers: Survey Insights
What does it truly mean to live on water?
in 2024, I conducted my master's thesis research about the emergence of water-based living in my home country, Poland.
Apart from field research and in-depth interviews in Poland, I wanted to understand how this way of living unfolds in different cultural contexts. Hence, I have decided to conduct surveys in three countries:
Netherlands,
UK,
and France.
Although in my thesis alone, the survey responses were used mostly as a reference point for the phenomena in the Polish context, I was particularily in awe of the responses I recieved in the survey done in the UK.
I was lucky to gather more than a hundred responses from British boaters who shared their experiences, needs, worries and dreams related to their floating dwellings and the surrounding environment and infrastructure. The results consisted of both numerical data and open-ended answers which together created compelling stories that I've decided to summarise visually.
Process
Analysis
Excel + R
Editing
Excel pivot tables
Illustrations
Photoshop/
Illustrator
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University of Warsaw, 2024
How Biodiverse Are Warsaw's Urban Cemeteries?
In big cities such as Warsaw, cemeteries often occupy a significant percentage of urban areas. Yet, they are often overlooked in studies on biodiversity; we do not recognize them as a natural resource, and, as a result, we might manage them inappropriately from an urban planning perspective.
The impetus for conducting this study was our belief that there are reasons to perceive cemeteries as unique ecosystems, as they are home to numerous species of plants, birds, and animals.
The aim of our study was to demonstrate the degree of biodiversity in Warsaw's cemeteries and compare it with ecological lands. This enabled us to redefine these specific spaces and highlight their value to the city in the era of the Anthropocene and the climate crisis. 🌿
The study employed the quadrat method. On each examined cemetery, 3 or 4 quadrats measuring 1m x 1m were designated, within which plant species were counted. Subsequently, species were identified and counted within quadrats in Warsaw's ecological lands. In this way, cemeteries were compared to protected areas.
The results of measurements conducted on four cemeteries and four ecological lands within the area of Warsaw revealed that, based on the average number of species, biodiversity is higher in cemeteries than in ecological lands. A particularly notable discrepancy was observed in the central part of the city. At the city-wide level, the average for cemeteries is 11.3 species, compared to only 7.38 species for ecological lands.
Thus, it was concluded that the studied cemeteries constitute valuable urban green oases and are an important natural resource for Warsaw. 🌳
