Mixing the Old with the New - The Great North/South debate

The age old North/South debate kicked off this morning at the NLA's 'The North/South Debate: Protecting views across the Thames - cultural imperialism or intelligent conservation?' breakfast talk. With UNESCO now demanding for more control over the construction of tall buildings that are potentially harmful to the view of the Tower of London and Parliament Square, the argument raised was whether this was a hindrance to the development and evolution of London.

While protecting the views of Wold Heritage sites such as the Tower of London and Parliament Square is imperative, can this be done at the expense of the development and evolution of an ever changing city? As highlighted by Paul Finch, chair of the Design Council Cabe, the beauty of London is that each building provides a layer in its history. The city itself represents not a stagnant environment but rather, the evolution and change of the city is projected through buildings such as the Tower of London and the Shard. While it is often accused of being obtrusive and domineering with its architectural brilliance being arguable, it is certain that iconic buildings such as the Shard leave a mark of an era on London.

Image courtesy of 'Lets Tour England' 2012

Building to rigid guidelines and standards, may protect the views of our more historic buildings, however are arguably a hindrance to the newer development that will shape the future city. The importance of preserving key heritage sites however should not be dismissed, as the history of London cannot be engulfed in a wave of new tall buildings. Yet it is imperative that preservation of the more historical London should not be a concrete justification in hindering the development and evolution of an ever changing city.