I’m all for having a vision to provide a shared goal but I do think that visionary is often confused with big or dramatic change (like rebuilding an area or closing roads). I think small scale developments can be life-changing but they’re not as exciting because there’s a lack of visible output. For example, local decision-making about neighbourhoods is a slog and largely invisible work but could be very empowering, or insulating homes and retrofitting them for carbon neutrality is, again, a complex, massive but tedious task that would make a difference to people’s lives and climate change. Mildly boring visions are what’s needed!
Grand visions look nice on paper, but personally I love cities that have grown up in an
higgledy-piggledy way and the excitement of walking a city not knowing what is around the corner as you shift between architectural styles. Particularly love places that have kept parts of their medieval footprint and have grown organically!
What happened to Glasgow's visionaries?
I’m all for having a vision to provide a shared goal but I do think that visionary is often confused with big or dramatic change (like rebuilding an area or closing roads). I think small scale developments can be life-changing but they’re not as exciting because there’s a lack of visible output. For example, local decision-making about neighbourhoods is a slog and largely invisible work but could be very empowering, or insulating homes and retrofitting them for carbon neutrality is, again, a complex, massive but tedious task that would make a difference to people’s lives and climate change. Mildly boring visions are what’s needed!
Really enjoyed reading this …. Glasgow is a fantastic city …. motorway free would be wonderful.
Nice piece Neil!
Grand visions look nice on paper, but personally I love cities that have grown up in an
higgledy-piggledy way and the excitement of walking a city not knowing what is around the corner as you shift between architectural styles. Particularly love places that have kept parts of their medieval footprint and have grown organically!