Regeneration Game

As a counterpoint to getting upset and protesting about potential demolition of things in Brum that we like  (not that we’re going quietly over the Library or the Flapper – FB group about to hit 800 people), I thought it would be nice to proffer a few candidates for “regeneration”. Regeneration, in this instance, means “make it look nice or knock the sod down”. No easy jibes here, although the Orion Building and Beetham Tower are really nothing-y — and Selfridges needs a wash (it’s filthy up close, especially the bridge).

Here’s a few ideas of stuff that could be happily replaced with more yuppie flats:

The McLaren Building

A big brown stain in the sky” Blockish and uninteresting, and the most scatological colour scheme on our horizon.

McLaren Building

McLaren Building

1 Lancaster Circus

That’s it on the left — the only picture on the internet, and why would anyone take a photo of this supremely boring building. Take the wrecking ball to it and we could see the glory of the Ben Johnston, the fire station, hell even the skateboarding goths.

Google Image Result for http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=179768
Uploaded with plasq’s Skitch!

Centre City Tower

Another square blob (if such a thing could be said to exist), this, like the Holiday Inn and the Axis tower are just dull and grey.
Centre City Tower (Birmingham) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uploaded with plasq’s Skitch!

Lloyd House

It looks like it’s about to fall over, and has a hint of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. Not the friendly face of your local Police Authority.
Lloyd House, Birmingham / Emporis.com
Uploaded with plasq’s Skitch!
So, be Clive Dutton for a moment — you can change the city beyond recognition — what would you do?

This entry was posted on Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 1:34 pm by Jon Bounds and is filed under Birmingham, environment, fun. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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