Abstract
One of the key reasons behind the urban sprawl process is the desire to increase the quality of life by living in “better” conditions. “Smart growth” is an alternative concept for the extensive development of the city, integrating different ways of land development in a compact manner. The main current of the work is to reflect on the quality of life in the urban areas. The aim of research is to determine ways to “heal” the spatial development of urban and suburban areas under the existing conditions of increasing urban chaos. The interpretation of living conditions for particular social groups is needed to find solutions that increase the quality of life. The background to the research is an analysis of literature on the subject, the consideration of good examples and own observations.