Brockhaus Encyclopedia Infographics by Martin Oberhäuser, via Behance

CLONE-CITY

Architectural Research Dissertation

 CLONE-CITY - Has the Notion of ‘Place’ Been Undermined by Current Models in Retail Planning and Design?

Abstract

The urban landscape of South Wales’ two largest cities, Newport and Cardiff has been in a state of constant transformation since the inter-war periods, accelerated in the 1960’s with the clearing of the industrial centres of these two cities and the progression to a service based economy. The unsuitable developmental nature of the central areas of these ‘towns’, where the remnants of their industrial past still loomed; posed problems for large developers. This paved the way for the Americanization of the UK’s retail landscape where large out of town shopping ‘Non-places’ acted as a backdrop for the growing consumerist needs of the late 1970’s. There was soon a governmental shift in opinion and policy as to the suitable nature of such developments, the large scale abandonment of town centres, independent retailers calling out for help and the political elite echoing their cries. A policy shift towards a series of ‘Retail-led’ urban regeneration projects soon became the norm, masking themselves as the cure to degeneration and investment. As European cities became more ‘mall-like’, large retailers downsizing to fit the retail spaces and medium sized retails shifting upwards in size, the city has shifted once again to a shopping-mall pastiche. This has given rise to terms such as ‘Clone Town’s’ and ‘Copycat Developments’ where the very nature of contemporary developments has allowed for a scenario of an incapable flexibility within the retail sector, where the provision of diversity, a factor acknowledged as vital to the success of our inner city environments remains unobtainable(Jane Jacobs 1961). The competition that was once waged between city and suburb, has migrated to the city; not only do the urban businesses of Newport and Cardiff face a greater danger from an alliance of retailers within the city, than from shopping centre suburbs, but these two cities have been competing with each other and the region as a whole. Newport suffering under the weight of it’s bigger brother, Cardiff. As both cities embark upon promoting themselves as global players and competing against their European counterparts have they become just another metropolitan voice of ‘Post-Industrial Revival’ where the inherent nature of their adopted globalisation has potentially created a difference and similarity, risk and opportunity; affluence and exclusion. Cardiff has already set out it’s policy of ‘boosterism’ and Newport is following blindly with the figures suggesting a different outcome. Within this context the notion of ‘place’ and ‘idenity’ has arguably been lost to ‘brandhubs’ and consumer landscapes. Is this purely down to market forces, the financial downturn or does the problem lie in the very nature of the machiavellian form of capitalism and this stage of ‘Clone Town’ globalisation that South Wales has adopted, where the a gradual homogenization of architecture is regarded as acceptable? Who creates ‘place’ in our cities and who are the parties invovled in this proccess? 

You will find more images and be able to read a full online version by clicking read more below:

BAU BLOCK Render

A street render for a recent studio project using photoshop, vray and sketchup. Took 5mins to produce, 9 hours to render haha, I wanted the lights to be pretty accurate. Looking for your opinions.

The final image shows progression through experimentation with different light techniques, levels of contrast and areas of emphasis.

This video will make you smile

This video will make you smile

The Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping

My dissertation reading allowed me to come across this Chapter from "The Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping" called "Resistance". I published it on ISSUU to make it freely available as the book is rather expensive, happy reading and look forward to your comments on some of the issues and questions raised.

Open publication - Free publishing - More architecture