Thursday, August 11, 2011

Panic on the high streets of London...

 
Bucking the trend I have written something for Building Design about the riots*. It treads some of the same ground as others I guess although it leads (I hope) to more interesting questions about where the riots took place and why. In particular the focus of the violence on high streets and shopping centres is both obvious (it was about looting) and symbolic. There's much more to be said here about the spatiality of the riots and their relationship to post codes, gang geography, networked organisation and gentrification.

Wouter Vanstiphout's excellent analysis of the urban consequences of the riots is also in this week's BD and we will both be taking part in an on-line discussion hosted by the magazine on Monday lunchtime. Also worth reading is Will Wiles' eloquent and thoughtful post over on his blog Spillway.

* Incidentally, it reads a little oddly because the first para has been dropped which featured John Major's infamous quote about criminality: "We need to condemn a little more and understand a little less".




























1 comment:

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