"At the time, the zeal of architectural modernism was all-consuming. Many cities outside London, such as Newcastle, Liverpool, Bradford, Birmingham and Plymouth, saw sections of their mostly Victorian historic centres lost to comprehensive redevelopment."
A timely reminder of what has been lost from Simon Jenkins in The Guardian today. Timely, because a wave of spec building has swept over this city and doesn't look like its ending soon. The Chronicle warbles on about exciting developments (sic) around the city that hinge on office blocks, blocks that will join others that have never had paying tenants since they were built in the pre-2008 boom.
Jenkins, not that I am a fan of his, is surely correct in claiming that for many of us, the very features of urban living that have produced the greatest creativity and dynamic growth have come about by re-purposing older buildings and transforming districts collectively, rather than through corporate speculation. Prize examples are to be found in and around Shieldfield, where dilapidation and neglect create chances for low budget revivals. Ironically, as with Ouseburn this eventually draws in the white Porche driving developers, sussing out a market for the chic well heeled in search of authentic urban roughage minus the roughs. Still, there is hope and as the article shows, we can win.
Read the article here (off site link).
No comments:
Post a Comment