2020-04-10

Post Pandemic Memory and Innovation

People are already asking the question, how will the world be different after this global pandemic and how will it affect our lifestyle, social interaction and the urban way of life?  Does it bring into question the model of high rise living and dense urbanisation which has been taken as the norm for the environmental sustainability of our world? (Photo 1)

Is high rise living and dense forms of housing with city parks, right? In London whilst the central government have been positively promoting daily exercise some local governments have been busy closing public parks to discourage too many people from congregating and compromising ‘social distancing’ guidance. Dense living formats and a world economy that is based on world trade patterns and a huge growth in air travel is now in question. (Photo 2)

China’s cities have all undergone change based on a shift in heavy industry and manufacturing and the monuments to this are now sitting empty and seeking new uses and radical change that will support a new lifestyle and urban experience. So what should this experience and lifestyle now be? (Photo 3)

In a previous blog Peter has suggested walking as a newly found pastime and also that neighbourhood based cultural centres that contain a library, theatre, galleries and cultural events are such activities and building types that (while not new), may have new found value for urban living. Both are tied up with the 2 following aspects of a positive urban lifestyle.

The first is retain ‘memory and continuity with the past’, a physical connection with the past heritage and culture of the place. This is what makes a city unique with personality and heartfelt meaning for its people.

The second is places for ‘creativity and innovation’ that allow for the radical changes that the future promises due to the technological advances that are being made.

The reuse of derelict industrial sites provides the opportunity to provide places that can deliver in both of these areas of urban life. Here are 2 examples:

The first example is from the industrial north of Germany, a huge industrial plant that in 1991 was turned into a pleasure park for the city of Duisburg. At Landschaftspark, memory was central to the design. The site was designed with the idea that a grandfather, who might have worked at the plant, could walk with his grandchildren, explaining what he used to do and what the machinery had been used for. It is in the tradition of nature repossessing manmade structures and creating picturesque beautiful landscape. It has places for concerts, for artistic expression and for social gathering. It provides countless opportunities for gardens which are places of recreational activity and for social gathering and interaction. The waterway and old tracks and rails are new circulation routes and walkways not just to connect but encourage exercise and walking as a recreational pastime in itself.  (Photo 4)

The second example which Peter is proud that Haskoll had a role with from around the year 2000-2002 is the Eden Project in Cornwall UK. The site for this project was a disused China clay quarry that had come to the end of its 165 years of use in the early 1980’s. Haskoll got involved to help solve a lot of circulation problems and improve the income and profitability of the project. This project was attracting a good number of visitors but the spend per head was low and making the project financially unsustainable.31.32.33 (Photo 5)

The project is difficult to access and takes a long time either by car or public transport however it now receives more than 1 million visitors per year and has started to generate a profit. This was not always the case and only through very active ongoing management holding many special visitor events has it become successful.

Both of these projects make good use of past industrial environments, the retain a memory of the past and also use creativity and innovation in exciting new ways that strengthen social interaction, community and recreation that is essential to a sustainable and desirable urban lifestyle.