2020-03-06

Series of Tweets (1): How to Make Maximum Use of Brownfield Sites

Peter speaks on “How to Make Maximum Use of Brownfield Sites ” and begins to release a series of March tweets in future. It will show a series of topics such as how to reuse “Brownfield” in Haskoll project.

1.     Recent historical investment by the Chinese Government in Industrial Development is huge and of historic proportions (Photo 1: China: Investment in Industry by State-owned Enterprises, 1979-1988)
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2.     1760 UK underwent the ‘Industrial Revolution’ based on the invention of the steam engine, meanwhile the Ming dynasty of China had invented football! I love these 2 pictures as they show the power of invention in moving on human progress! (Photo 2&3: Newcomen’s The Steam Engine & Ming Dynasty’s Cuju Football)

3.     Memory and heritage can be respected through ‘preservation’ but also ‘reuse’ of our existing buildings and sites. This makes up our ‘collective memory’ which gives cities such emotional value to its inhabitants and visitors. (Cover photo: 798 = Adaptive Reuse)

4.     In the development of our cities ‘adaptive reuse’ of existing buildings and sites is crucial. Here is a Haskoll project, Grand central, Birmingham, UK. for what was the industrial heart of England, Birmingham. This project turns what was a dirty and unwelcoming main line railway station into a social place of meeting and commercial activity as well as a public square including restaurants, cafes, shops and large department store but also maintains an attractive and fully functional railway station. True TOD design at its best! (Photo 4&5: Past & New Scenes of Grand central, Birmingham, UK)