Analysing Almere, a Dutch new town, helped me to understand the role of a visible past in creating a places identity. This exploration lead me to question whether references to a places past are builders of identity or irrelevant token gestures.
I concluded that visible references to a cities past are paramount in shaping and projecting a recognisable sense of identity both to visitors and residents.
Exploring High Streets Abroad
The role of the High Street and its History
Understanding
The following articles provide a strong argument that the decline of many British high streets is due to their over reliance on commercical venues, leaving them highly at risk to economic fluctuations. It is therefore necessary that my project mixes a variety of commercial and non-commercial activities, diversifying from shopping.
The Plight of the British High Street
'the city comes alive through the drama of temporal juxtapositions, weaving evidence of differing periods and accidents of layouts'
The Concise Townscape, G.Cullen (1961)
Dunstable, Bedfordshire, 2011