With a few of the oldest options hidden from sight, what does this imply for the capital going forwards?
Cardiff, in my opinion, has a few of the most hanging structure of any UK metropolis. While you stroll by the centre and really lookup, it’s not possible to not discover the combo of grand outdated stone buildings that give town a personality that feels fully its personal, however from what I’m seeing, I’m not sure if we are literally in a position to discover these intricacies in a metropolis which could grow to be steadily extra fragmented as time goes on.
There’s a uniqueness that might simply rival a few of the structure you see in bigger European cities. However not too long ago, with a lot chatter surrounding the thrilling new developments being dropped at town, from the 50-floor skyscraper, to Cardiff Bay’s new indoor area, I’m questioning if we’re focusing sufficient of our consideration to what’s being misplaced, in addition to the factor that makes Cardiff, Cardiff.
What precisely is that factor? For me, it’s all the time been an open, but sturdy sense of group. It’s enjoyable, and there is a freedom to be precisely who you’re. Reflecting the sturdy values of Welsh delight, but nonetheless all the time open to new change.
However has it bought to the purpose the place planners are saying sure to new issues with out permitting house to consider if there may have been a greater solution to do it in a different way? By no means miss a Cardiff story by signing as much as our every day e-newsletter right here
On a small scale, on St Mary’s Road, your eyes is perhaps extra more likely to be mounted on one of many many eating places close to the citadel, or the crowds outdoors O’Neill’s or the most recent vibrant bar chain to affix the excessive road. It is also extremely simple to overlook the fascinating particulars above the outlets of Queen Road.
Due to the hustle and bustle, I hardly see individuals stopping to note the outdated particulars on the skin of various buildings which sit proper above completely different companies. That in itself is not essentially a nasty factor, however whereas Cardiff is not perceived as a stereotypical “fairly metropolis”, I’m wondering if that is due to what’s really right here, or simply individuals’s attitudes in direction of it.
What typically frustrates me is that there doesn’t all the time appear to be the identical worth positioned on sustaining Cardiff’s character as there’s in different cities with outdated buildings.
Locations like Bathtub, York and even elements of Manchester make a degree of celebrating their previous. London is clearly positioned barely in a different way, however typically shines by on the subject of creating residential and dealing communities which stream even in a concrete jungle.
However against this, Cardiff typically feels prefer it’s making an attempt to hurry in direction of one thing that’s fully completely different fairly than constructing lovely issues which make individuals cease and take a look at what’s round them.
The massive red-brick tower with the white lettering standing proudly behind the prepare station, Brains Brewery chimney was one in every of Cardiff’s most iconic landmarks. Not way back, in the event you stood close to the Principality Stadium on Westgate Road it was not possible to overlook.
Now it’s virtually hidden behind the brand new Central Quay growth that includes the brand new condo blocks. The chimney remains to be there however its visibility, and the sense of id it gave that a part of that metropolis, has virtually vanished.
Moreover, the row of vibrant Victorian buildings that after stood at Guilford Crescent have been additionally torn down in 2019, regardless of some fierce opposition from campaigners.
As time goes on, I believe lived-in locations shall be what individuals will now all the time crave. All of us prefer to romanticise the place we stay to some extent, and with the ability to bodily view older options and remind you of tales which existed prior to now, I discover oddly comforting.
Even once you take a look at residential developments across the outdated Spillers and Bakers constructing, which I’ve been instructed is town’s oldest condo block, you may see how the method to design has modified over the previous few many years, because the residential buildings primarily based round it positively work extra in concord than take away something. There’s even a serene canal stroll which winds across the web site which was constructed lengthy after Spillers and Bakers was constructed.
Now, so most of the new buildings really feel like they’re making an attempt to drag your consideration away from town’s previous fairly than in direction of it, and I believe for anybody who loves their metropolis it’s much less in regards to the aesthetics and extra about what completely different locations imply.
Buildings, to me, are extra than simply locations to be, as they offer us a solution to expertise life by time. While you lose them, or after they’re drowned out by one thing generic, you lose that sense of continuity that makes individuals so invested in an space and watching it develop.
And when a metropolis like Cardiff, which has such a wealthy and sophisticated historical past, begins to neglect that, it turns into just a little bit much less itself.
Anybody who’s ever moved to town and arrived with none actual expectations will in all probability know what I imply. What strikes most individuals about this place isn’t simply the large landmarks, however the vitality created by completely different experiences (and really with the ability to see outdated options which make town particular).
If we had tips which possibly insist that newer buildings respect scale or make it possible for there are nonetheless areas created which have an unobstructed line of sight to a major landmark, I believe that will go an extended solution to defending older sights within the metropolis.
Typically within the centre, though it’s not filled with streets made purely from uniform-like Georgian or Victorian properties, typically it’s genuinely nearly defending every little thing which is right here and benefiting from that.
The outdated Service provider Place in Butetown has stood empty for years. And round Mount Stuart Sq., so most of the older buildings are boarded up beside new glass blocks, whereas acquainted spots like Porter’s outdated house on Harlech Courtroom have disappeared to make manner for tall towers.
I’ve visited Manchester all through my entire life, and have seen how areas like Deansgate have developed whereas nonetheless holding on to its sense of place, and it very a lot looks like the brand new and the outdated sit facet by facet.
Cardiff may try this too, however it simply wants a barely extra intentional planning, and a bit extra delight in what’s already right here, as a result of if we preserve constructing greater with out pausing to look again in any respect, I believe we threat dropping extra of what we need to characterize which from what I’ve gauged, is a dedication to honour what it means, and has meant to be Welsh, in addition to creating areas which work for individuals sooner or later.
