'Raze Cumbernauld to the ground!'
It was a TV programme that did it: the people of the Scottish town of Cumbernauld (52,000 inhabitants) told the nation that their dearest wish was to have their own town razed to the ground. They had turned to the British TV programme Demolition after it had called for viewers to nominate the ugliest building in the United Kingdom for demolition.
But instead of a single building, many Cumbernaulders asked for a more radical approach. And everything had once looked so promising. In the 1950s, Cumbernauld was built to house people moving out of the over-populated Glasgow. The residents from the city were very happy indeed with their new homes. And the pride of the 'New Town' was the first British indoor shopping centre.
In the 1970s, all this was officially recognised when the town actually received an architecture and planning award: the prestigious Reynolds Award from the American Institute of Architects. Described as the ‘most significant current contribution to the art and science of urban design in the western world’, Cumbernauld was a banner-bearer for modern urban development. The style made blatant use of enormous concrete slabs. The buildings are all built on stilts of unworked concrete with the authentic 'atmosphere' of the formwork used during the construction work. Renowned planners also worked on the design of the residential areas.
Decline
'Cumbernauld was indeed a utopian town, but it was also massive, overwhelming and unfriendly.' That is the view expressed in The Times by architect James Simpson from Edinburgh. 'When it was built, housing standards were low. The quality of the buildings was poor, there was no insulation and windows just fell out for no reason.' In the early years, the residents put up with the inconveniences. The war had just finished and you were expected to be happy just to have a house at all.
But times change. The country became more prosperous and people more critical. And the centre went into decline as the people and the facilities moved out to better places.
The ‘ most significant current contribution to the art and science of urban design in the western world’ got worse and worse. Graffiti and traffic fumes have left their mark: the concrete walls now look depressing and run-down. The Scottish climate has caused rust and peeling paint. Broken windows now go unnoticed.
The heart and soul have gone from the town and so nobody was surprised when the former ‘New Town’ was nominated as the worst place in Great Britain in 2003. Even more people packed their bags. And even though the award for 'Town with most shopping trolleys dumped in the streets' had its funny side, the alarming number of suicides is obviously no joke. Cumbernauld has developed into a major problem.
Sensationalism
The Planning and Environment Director of the North Lanarkshire Council, David Porch, is firm in his response to anybody who asks about the problems. He says that a lot of work has gone into making improvements but that 'the sensationalism of British television is undermining the constructive work of the Council, the developers and the local community. Certainly, the town centre needs to be brought up to 21st-century standards but North Lanarkshire Council is already tackling this problem in collaboration with other partners. The centre will be refurbished on more modern lines so that it is adapted better to the demands of present-day consumers. The area is being promoted to major developers and the retail trade. The Council is making serious investments in cleaning up the centre and the residential areas. New jobs, houses, schools and companies are moving into the town. The idea behind the restructuring is to provide the people of Cumbernauld with high-grade services and surroundings they can be proud of.'
David Porch regrets that 'some people are too short-sighted to see the good things in their surroundings, and this has a destructive effect on other members of the community.'
ReUrbA
Hans Karssenberg, a consultant with ReUrbA, recognises the problems facing Cumbernauld. He explains that towns like this were built at breakneck speed throughout North-West Europe after the war. Now they are wrestling with the difficulties associated with restructuring. The ReUrbA method is a response to this problem. Karssenberg makes a link between ReUrba and Cumbernauld: 'Against the background of the ReUrbA method, it would be fascinating to hear whether and how they are now using the four basic principles. We would like to know more about their ideas and difficulties. How are they collaborating with residents, investors and other stakeholders? How are they using communications and marketing instruments?'
One problem with the restructuring work in Cumbernauld is already clear: unwanted media attention.
|
News
ReUrbA²
Partners
Projects
Method
Library