Replacing
Understanding what existed previously
Completed in 1969 Stretord Mall offered a central commercial amenity, replacing the traditional high street (King Street) with a privately owned covered shopping centre.
The Mall roughly follows the original streets' layout however its uniformity lacks the visual richness King Street provided.
Many older residents enjoyed the facilities the mall offered yet missed the independant retailers, 'hussle and bustle' and vitality previously existent.
What constitutes a High Street?
I began to explore the visual qualities of King Street. Central to the nature of the street was the vast array of activity taking place within the void between the building.
'the past is a known familiar possession in which we feel secure'
Kevin Lynch, What Time is This Place (1979)
'the voids of the city become the spaces themselves'
James Stirling, Source Unknown