Corporatre space

This is apposite.

I have been pondering writing about what I have seen as a creeping 'corporatisation of public space' across Newcastle and especially around the two Universities and, by extension, their ever expanding property portfolios. Quite apart from the possibility, real not imaginary, that sometime soon we public types will find ourselves shut out or severely curtailed in our daily lives by the 'ownership' of prime city locations and bylaws enforced by private security companies, the designed and over designed spaces themselves are spreading an anodyne and sensation-less landscape of nothingness, removing all those features that make cities interesting, confusing and an expressive presence. I am glad to learn I am not alone. The example given in the link is London, but it applies equally to Newcastle. Or soon will.

So this is apposite (Off site link.)

The comments includes this link to a Channel Four interview that sums up the gulf that exists between corporatist encroachment and defenders public space (Off site link.)

More on this theme to come.