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High density housing does not have to be as bad as it often is here.
Plus, it's easy to blame the architects, but there were a whole shedload of other problems that had to be addressed in a hurry in the 60s. You seem to forget huge swathes of city housing were demolished in a matter of months.
. A walk round my estate reveals this perfectly; the terraced houses with gardens are far better looked after than the flats in the bigger blocks. And the people who live in each are roughly in the same economic situation.
So how would you explain the trashing of houses and the general area around the old Queen's Park, Wrecsam, and area of housing, not high rise.
Why not pop up to have a wander around Blacon one evening? OK, in Blacon there are a couple of high rise, but not around Stamford Rd. And yet nearer the station there are the same style high rise buildings which quite respectable. Strange, innit?
I disagree. It's hard to be all happy and cheerful when the environment you're in is dingy, oppressive and depressing. People have no pride in their environment, so tend not to care. A walk round my estate reveals this perfectly; the terraced houses with gardens are far better looked after than the flats in the bigger blocks. And the people who live in each are roughly in the same economic situation
yeah but you can't just draw a paralell between the two because different factors determine the outcomes, for instance the council will give priority to housing families in houses and young single people in flats. when i was young and living in a flat, i didn't really give two shits what my environment looked like, tbh i had other issues to deal with and different priorities.
are you telling me that all tower blocks are dismal and depressing ? i don't think so. i think lots turned out that way because of poor housing policies and poor economic poicies not always because of bad design.
i happen to think that that estate in london with all the 45 degree angles is visually stunning. would i want to live there ? not really because of factors other than the arcitechture.
Elfin,
Are you professionally involved in the industry (Construction, architect or similar?)
All it is, you present a new and often entertaining thread about architecture as it is an obvious personal interest, yet you (appear to) have a limited understanding (within the opinions expressed in this thread) of how the 'design' process can manifest.
Architects are not always the leading influence and often have to design to a very specific brief. A brief which is often the product of many ill-informed departments having their two-penneth.
Just to clarify, I am not an architect, not my cup of tea.
Yeah, got to say that some of the old terraced estates in Leicester were enough to make my finger nails crawl. Windows breeze blocked up, still people living in the houses. Monday morning on the way to work looked like the end of a civil war. Not a pleasent enviroment. Oh, and it was also one of the not so bad area, Aylestone, roughly 1996ish. Pleased to be gone.... However, I think that it's still a preferable enviromet to the St Mathews style tower blocks. I wouldn't drive through there on a Monday morning!
Kevj - to give Elfin his due he did say above that he considered both architects and planners to be jointly responsible, which is pretty much the case.
I've worked in a LA planning department for a few years (not as a planner before I get crucified!), and they are responsible not just for the 'planning' but also the development of generic design guidance for their area. And as you say, those who write the project brief carry a degree of responsibility, as dothe architects who then interpret that direction into the specific design.
yet you (appear to) have a limited understanding (within the opinions expressed in this thread) of how the 'design' process can manifest.
Oh right ok then.
As SueW sez; I'm not blaming the architects entirely, but they, alongside others responsible, should hold their hands up and say 'yeah, we got it wrong, we're sorry'. That never seems to happen, people just blame some reason other than their own input.
Anyway tasty bacony mushroomy pasta with mozarrella.
I should be back later though.
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[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-13979860 ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-13979860[/url]
I think some are.