LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTS – 1st to 30th JUNE
www.londonfestivalofarchitects.com
A CITY FOR EVERYONE. A beginner’s Guide to
Urbanism. Talk at the Czech Embassy Notting Hill.
A talk featuring Osamu Okamura and Manijeh Verghese chaired by Peter Smisek happened at the Czech Centre London on Monday 6 June – part of the London Festival of Architects Events.
How do we relate to something as huge and complex as a city? How do we “read” a city?
Osamu Okamura was born in Japan where there seem to be some pretty dire housing developments for the less well-off and then lived in Czechoslovakia later. His book – A City for Everyone – A Beginner’s Guide to Urbanism embraces the expectations of modern City dwellers.
Both Okamura and Verghese are interested in the outdoor as well as indoor experiences of city dwellers – including walking, cycling, and barrier-free public transport. Verghese discussed activities in the open air involving installations for animals and even worms as part of the content. These would be in green areas or parks in a city.
Different countries around Europe have various ways of housing city dwellers from total ownership to rent-paying and some countries have far less council accommodation than that experienced here in the UK though of course, Margaret Thatcher made it possible to buy one’s council house and pay a mortgage off instead of paying rent this is by far not the norm in many other European places. Micro housing was also discussed as well as the huge prices asked for buyers in London who want a flat – say two bedroomed, or a house. In Prague, apparently up to 90 per cent of houses are owned by the tenants.
The Builders’ Centre has an exhibition which is worth seeing. It is at 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT.
“We want to democratise architecture” observed those at a Chicago symposium on the subject. Cities create a lot of pollution and use a mass of energy.
To summarise, housing and the architectural plans surrounding dwellings for city inhabitants is probably, if not definitely, the most important single thing anyone enjoys as they choose to live in a built-up busy hub of a very crowded and happening area.
It is the duty of those who have dedicated their many years of study to this cause to come up with the best possible outcome for city dwellers to enjoy good affordable housing and also the wonderful green spaces available so readily in London though less so in Prague for example and some other European capitals.
Try and fit in an event during the London Festival of Architects and if you’ve got things to say on the matter, try and make your voice heard.
PENNY NAIR PRICE