Posts filed under 'Street life'
Public space for people
Sunday lunchtime. The sun is shining, the pan pipes are playing and the waiter is serving sea food and pink wine at the table next to us. If you shut your eyes you might be in a typical street cafe in a typical European town centre. And of course that’s where we are. Since Edinburgh is now asking residents for comments on how to improve their public space they might take a few tips on going European from their old rival Glasgow.
There’s a buzz about Buchanan Street which you won’t find in Princes Street or George Street and the difference has absolutely nothing to do with tram works. The secret of success in Glasgow’s shopping centre is giving people room to move. Or in other words, getting rid of cars.
Sitting under Rogano’s umbrella you can hear voices in the air and feet on the street because there is no incessant rumble of traffic. Admittedly Glasgow has done some crazy things, not least driving a bloody great motorway through the centre of the city (maybe one day it will follow the example of other world cities and dig up the M8). But it is miles ahead of Scotland’s capital when it comes to pedestrianisation.
For some pigheaded reason Edinburgh retailers have almost always opposed moves to create pedestrian shopping areas (Multrees Walk is the exception). And where cars are technically prohibited from driving you may be sure to find them parked by pavements where other cities might place cafe tables and seats.
Cars polluting ‘pedestrian’ space in Castle Street – where’s the cafe culture?
I feel depressed every time I walk past Castle Street – with that fantastic view of the castle it could be a great place to open a Rogano style street cafe (come on Oloroso, what’s stopping you?). The Grassmarket is better but there are still too many cars in what could be a great experience of the Old Town.
A barrier of cars in the Grassmarket.
So, it is good to hear that Edinburgh City Council is inviting public opinion about what to do with ‘town centres’ such as Tollcross, Stockbridge, Morningside and Leith.
But I wonder what they will do with the answers. For years good ideas have been collected and then quietly forgotten. Somewhere deep in City Chambers there are plans for Edinburgh city centre drawn up by the urban regeneration guru Jan Gehl, the Danish architect who transformed public space in the cool climate of Copenhagen (his new book Cities for People has just been published).
Much more recently Greener Leith asked local people what would make it easier to move round Leith. Ideas included expanding cycle lanes and cleaning up dog litter. But by far the most popular suggestion was to pedestrianise The Shore (see all the results here).
Lets hope this time the message gets through.
How to transform your town centre? Get rid of the cars.
June 14th, 2010
Enlightened city had let you be
till Mammon’s grasp said ‘damn the tree’;
So far the trees are still there: a splash of green between grey buildings in a grey street. Otherwise only cars and traffic signs add colour to one of the posher parts of Edinburgh. Planning permission for a new building on the ‘unfinished’ edge of the tenement threatens the trees. I am printing a protest poem by Gordon Peters, one of the neighbouring residents, because it says so clearly what I feel: city life is also about what happens in the space between buildings. Why fill every gap?
In both poetry and prose Gordon Peters has supported a campaign against a decision to build a new home in Hart Street. The Planning Committee gave permission anyway to Richard Murphy, an architect whose work includes Dundee Contemporary Art Centre, and whose practice aims to produce “architecture equally of its place and of its time”.
The no-hopers who post comments on local newspaper websites interpreted the protests as opposition to any modern building in the elegant New Town. But you only have to read the articulate summary of the Hart Street Resdent’s case to see that is not the point at all. Here is a brief extract:
‘ The New Town was built with the intention of there being open space, trees & gardens; allowing new houses to be crammed into little gaps between Georgian buildings & onto small gardens is undermining the style & quality of the original plan. There is no shortage of housing or office space in Edinburgh’s New Town area; indeed there is a forest of estate agents’ signs offering property for sale or rent. Why was planning permission granted without there being a genuine, long-term need for development; & what is the result?’
I heard Gordon read his poem at a party and asked if I could publish it on my blog. Intriguingly just a few days later I saw the poem pinned to the wall of another architects’ office – Gaia Architects – who just happen to occupy the old Hugenot Monastery at the back of the gardens where the trees grow. I was there on totally different business, to gather information about inspiring and sustainable use of timber in innovative new Scottish architecture, so we didn’t talk about the campaign. Besides, the poem is not about the building. It’s about the tree – and what green space gives to the city. Since I took these pictures there is just a little less green as the cotoneaster and ivy have been cut down, perhaps in preparation for next year’s building. The poem raises doubts about the future of the trees:
Tenement Tree
In blossom or leaf, or russet or bare,
you stand as a sentinel, one of a pair;
your sister along is safer a bit
though developer’s shovel would spew her with grit.
No harm have you done but only sustain
life all around as you drink in the rain,
your listing is said to hold off the axe,
but not from a Council whose ethics are lax.
You’ve heard the yells of women haunted
sheltered Huguenots not wanted,
seen the proud elm yield to the saw,
kept blackbird and squirrel in your maw;
a doomed pigeon you kept on stance
as the peregrine struck just like a lance;
while brambles and currants beside bore fruit,
guarding the tenement you took root.
Enlightened city had let you be
till Mammon’s grasp said ‘damn the tree’;
the planning officer did his best
neighbours rallied, to the provost a pest;
but burgesses whose icon is a tram
determined to build seeing gold in a pan,
yet recession’s cold draft would see gold turn to dust
and you dear tree saved, to await further lust.
Gordon Peters April 2009 [you can hear Gordon at local poetry 'slams' in The Strathmore in Iona Streeet Leith. Check The Skinny and The List for details]
September 18th, 2009
The National Portrait Gallery is plastered with graffiti. Empty shops fill with art, music and dance. Subversive signposts undermine the shopping mall. Bright paint covers a grey tenement. Could be the stuff of nightmares for some but to me it is like a dream come true. Ever since I first visited Berlin I have wanted to run round Edinburgh with a spray can. Yesterday I found Fringe fever and the recession are doing the job for me.
First the Portrait Gallery. One of my favourite buildings is closed for restoration for two years but someone has had a stroke of inspiration, allowing street artists into the space for the Fringe. Rough Cut Nation is a wonderfully generous gift – a remix of Scotland’s history by young artists adding their own interpretations to the murals – refreshing the dark space of the old building: challenging and uplifting.
21st century centaurs in the National Portrait Gallery (thanks to Anny Deery for the picture).
Admittedly Kelburn Castle got there first, wrapping an old pile in protective clothing so Brazilian street artists could cover it in graffiti with some help from Scottish talent. All living in the castle for a month.
But just think of the scope for putting some anarchistic oomph into Edinburgh. Never mind the tram chaos, never mind the financial fiasco, we could make a great virtue out of empty shops and holes in the roads. Next year lets wrap the RSA in sheeting and cover its face in graffiti (a fantastic defiant response to the mess in Princes Street).
Visual poetry: Burns Banner in Market Street
Or, how about doing something similar to the Scottish Parliament? After all, the architect Enric Miralles does seem to have incorporated some of his design for a covered market in Barcelona into the Holyrood building. So a touch of street art would be very fitting – have your say, spray your views on Scottish politics here! Better still, let’s give a make-over to all those banks we now own.
And open up those empty shops. Yesterday I ventured into Princes Mall for the first time in ages and was amazed to discover something adventurous brewing beneath the canned music and smell of fried foods. Hard to believe this was the cavernous space that once housed events like the Great Northern Welly Boot show many many Fringes ago. Sadly, the city fathers thought it a good idea to turn the old fruit and vegetable market hall into a bland shopping centre. But maybe, just maybe, the recession brings new opportunities to reinvent the space.
It is very cheering to see Princes Mall has given floor space to Shop and Spot the Signspotting Project. The signs sometimes cast ironic shadows on their surroundings but someone with a sense of humour obviously sees an entrepreneurial opportunity for the shopping centre. At the same time they also allowed Poorboy Playrooms to work some mischievous magic in empty shops.
More fun less fear: Brian Ferguson of Poorboy with the Playroom poster.
And why not? With a bit of imagination empty shops can become art galleries, community cafes, music venues, street theatres – a new sense of purpose in the worn out market place. Edinburgh twinned with East Berlin? We might even discover there is more to life than shopping.
Why not?
August 27th, 2009
And so, let’s pause a moment here, draw strength – and reclaim what is ours. Ron Butlin
It was a fine affair: a red carpet, a string quartet, speeches from private and public bodies, a poem composed for the occasion, and fizzy wine to wash it all down. But, rather oddly, the official opening of St Andrew Square was closed to the public. I was in a hurry or I would have stopped to take a photograph of the sign on the locked gates. It didn’t seem quite the right spirit to celebrate an otherwise generous and welcoming space. Ron Butlin’s poem, on the other hand, was perfect.
Perhaps it is churlish of me to mention the locked gates, I was among the privileged company ushered into the marquee specially erected for the occasion. But it seemed a strange contradiction to close the gates while inside the big tent speakers and guests proudly celebrated the opening of a new public space. Since Alex Salmond proudly announced that he walks up the Royal Mile from parliament to city centre (was that why he was 30 minutes late?), he was unlikely to be phased by meeting a few folk on the way to the red carpet.
Even so, it was good to hear so much enthusiasm for the garden and due credit given to the old Edinburgh City Centre Management Company who made it happen. They had to work hard to negotiate ‘the possibilities and prohibitions’ of the capital city as the Makar, Ron Butlin, so succintly puts it.
And credit is certainly due to Essential Edinburgh and their event organisers for including the Makar in this official opening ceremony, for giving the poet a place on the platform, and for publicly celebrating the fact that St Andrew Square is now Edinburgh’s poetry garden.
Here’s the last verse of Poetry in St Andrew Square which Ron first performed in draft form at the completely public opening of the poetry garden two weeks ago.
Ours is a city of possibilities and projibitions where we do our best to find the best way forward, and to seek out kindness where we can but only in these very public gardens, only in the green spaces of these very public gardens, can we feel the reassurance of the Earth beneath us.
And so, let’s pause a moment here, draw strength – and reclaim what is ours.
Let’s do just that: the gardens are open every day from 8 am till 6am.
September 10th, 2008
I set off for the launch of the poetry garden this morning with two boxes full of lotus flowers and a big tartan umbrella. Which was just as well because by the time I reached St Andrew Square it was pelting with rain and blowing a gale. Even so I walked home with a warm glow an hour later and not just because the sun had perversely decided to shine as soon as our little ceremony was over. We had left lotus flowers bobbing in the water and a feel good atmosphere in the garden; we had claimed the space for poetry and the people. The revolution starts here.
And it’s an ill wind or an evil downpour that brings no-one any good. When Mike the operations manager from Essential Edinburgh got to the garden this morning he found the water had drained out of the pond but that sudden shower helped to fill it enough to float the blossoms Lilias, Jane and I had spent the last week (and a lot of paper) folding into shape. Then the wind blew them merrily across the surface (the origami, not Lilias and Jane) and, with another stroke of good luck, the printer delivered the poetry postcard fliers in time for Ali to bring them to the garden.
So altogether a great occasion. The press had been lured to the other end of George Street to see Sir Sean Connery close the book festival but thanks to Ewan we had secured a much bolder Scot in Richard Holloway, chair of the Scottish Arts Council, to open poetry in St Andrew Square. And Ron Butlin, Edinburgh’s Makar or poet laureate, read a poem he had written specially for the occasion, “even though I was told I wasn’t going to get paid but that’s what us poets are like.” Or words to that effect.
I wasn’t in a position to take notes but the line that stuck in my mind was “Edinburgh so full of possibilities and prohibitions.” That so beautifully sums up the city’s divided personality (part banker, part bohemian) I took an instant liking to the new Makar and I asked Ron if I could have a copy of the poem. I took an even greater liking to him when he confessed he hadn’t quite finished the poem – he was still working on it but wanted to produce something to mark the occasion.
So now I am home again, with an unused box of lotus flowers I am not sure what to do with. There may be other opportunities. Alex Salmond is officially opening the garden on 10 September. Perhaps I can float something subversive on the pond to mark that occasion. Alternatively, I can just keep them for the monthly lunchtime ‘personal poetry shopper’ events the Scottish Poetry Library will be starting on 5 September. I have great hopes that together we can make poetry rock Edinburgh’s boat.
See the City of Literature website for details of the poetry postcard if you want to make your own wish for poetry in the garden. The more subversive the better!
August 25th, 2008
What was I worried about? The weather was great, the people came and the plasma screen worked – or at least it did once Tommy shot off to get batteries for some crucial part and Alan spent half an hour trying to get hold of the technician at the hire shop.
After focusing on the film aspect of FEAST in my last blog, for 40 minutes or so it looked as if we would be showing the crowd a blank screen. But the new batteries did the trick and as soon as the music began people moved towards our makeshift stage, where Mrs Szeto served Chinese tea at tables between the cured meat and ostrich burgers at the Eating Place food market in Castle Street.
My other worry had been potential competition from the loud band in the big tent housing the Malaysian Festival at the other end of the street. Magically, their music stopped when it was time for FEAST to begin and the musicians even came to listen to FOUND, Kimho and Filip with real interest, or so it seemed to me. A victory for interculturalism which is what Kimho’s event was all about.
So after weeks of fretting, sun shone on the FEAST. I’m hoping Alan and Tommy will get back from wooing the crowds at the Connect Festival soon to upload the film and music because I am struggling to find words to describe the oddly magical mix of percussion, electronics, yang chin and soprano sax while Alan blended his images of Chinese food with live film of the music makers. There’s Bobby on wok playing a fast rhythm for Galloping Horses while Kimho shimmers on the yang chin, Filip’s sax soars and FOUND work their electronic mischief on all the sounds and rhythms. My neighbour Nick, summed it up perfectly, “it’s not a combination you would dream of but it really works.”
The ring of smiling faces seemed to prove the point.
One problem I never dreamt of was that the FEAST website carried the wrong time for the performance. Apologies to Rob and other friends who were misled by the blog. That’s a lesson for me: always update the website!
August 31st, 2007
I don’t really have time for this. I have worrying to do and weather forecasts to check. BBC says Edinburgh will be fine, warmish and might even manage a little sun. MetOffice shows a big grey cloud over the city. I think I’ll go with the BBC, much better for our outdoor FEAST.
The sun shone on Castle Street when FOUND went to investigate the space: let’s hope it does today!
In just two hours I shall be doing my roadie bit, helping to shift gear (woks, gongs, gazebos, loud speakers and a few hundred flyers) up to Castle Street for the first street event I have been involved in organising. I love the creative energy of FOUND and Kimho and I am really impressed that Edinburgh City Centre Management and Scottish Enterprise and Good Practice were prepared to back an experimental event that doesn’t fit easily into any category. (Donald Reid of The List put us on the spot when he asked whether he should describe it as film, music or street theatre).
If all goes well – that is if we get good weather and an enthusiastic crowd – I hope FEAST can show how much more welcoming the city’s public spaces could be, and how there is room for both art and commerce in the city centre, and the more experimental, innovative and risk-taking it is, the better.
Of course there’s no shortage of street life during the festival but for the rest of the year the capital is much less lively – compared with cities like Prague, Berlin, Barcelona…so it’s probably just as well there isn’t any more time because I would now launch into one of my rants about cars taking space where people should be (incredibly police have been moving stallholders and street performers off the Mound while they allow cars and vans to park all over the pedestrian space in Castle Street). But not today! Make way for the FEAST!
But, first, thanks to Rob and Michelle and Nick among bloggers to spread the word! When I have more time I would like to follow Michelle’s link to the Urban Screens conference in Manchester, exploring the non-commercial potential for projecting images onto all kinds of screens and buildings in the city centre. Funnily enough FEAST is going to be doing just that so we’re happy to be in The List under ‘film’.
August 30th, 2007
Delighted to discover MK has posted pictures of The FEAST on Flickr. Here’s just one of them, have a look at the others on the slideshow, enough to make your mouth water.
August 3rd, 2007
I am just wondering how to write about last night’s event when I discover Rob has beaten me to it. He must have been up a lot earlier than me today because he has already posted pictures and words about a sampling session at Out of the Blue in the Old Drill Hall capturing the quirky creativity of the night.
I am burdened with detail because I am involved in organising the event. Trying to stuff words into a nutshell, The FEAST hopes to encourage greater understanding between Chinese and Scottish communities through food – Dim Sum to be precise – and music inspired by the sounds of cooking.
The idea comes from Kimho, a musician, who believes food is the best way of bringing people together. He also likes to fuse sounds and inspirations of old and new music from all over the world. So that’s how he comes to be playing his Yang-chin alongside the electronic experimental pop of the artist/musicians FOUND while Alan the drummer and film-maker glides about on a skateboard capturing images of Eric the chef cooking up Dim Sum in front of a hungry audience in the Old Drill Hall off Leith walk.
All this raw material will be turned into a live performance of The FEAST (food, film and music) at The Eating Place food market in Castle Street on Thursday August 30.
I think it’s quite a lot to take in (which says a lot for our sponsors!). Rob focuses mainly on the music and mentions the food in passing. But I am struck most of all by the comment he makes on the value of blogging in documenting the event as it grows instead of writing a lengthy essay for the sake of sponsors at the end of the project. I agree, I think a blog can be a more natural way of communicating to the wider world and if you get it right sharpens the name of the sponsor without any grovelling.
At least that’s what I am hoping we can offer with our blog on The FEAST wesbite which we will soon create, not just to list the sponsors but – since understanding is the aim – to document what everyone involved is learning from each other: Scottish farmers and Chinese chefs, Scottish businesses and public bodies, Chinese shop keepers and artists and musicians from both communities. Making links between people is part of the plan. Which is why I spent some time last night scattering flyers for the Eating Place at Out of the Blue and picked up Out of the Blue postcards for the food market. (I think the best things about Edinburgh need to get in touch with one another).
If possible we will document difficulties as well as triumphs. So here’s one for starters. I must admit last night’s show was so unpredictable that at first I was a little relieved that none of the big boys had been able to come to the filming session. Watching Eric chopping meat and kneading dough I realised what a lot we were asking of a young chef who is not used to cooking under a spotlight. But he did it beautifully. Then I began to worry about the number of people who had come; how were they all going to get a promised sample of Eric’s cooking? No problem there either! The quietly efficient Mrs Szeto and helpers suddenly appeared with baskets of Dim-Sum-made-earlier as people lined up for their share while Kimho and FOUND began to make music.
Somehow it all came together. So no grovelling but thanks to the sponsors who have started this creative journey: Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothians, Saigon Saigon Restaurant, Edinburgh City Centre Management Company and in particular Tristan from ECCM who gets up very early in the morning to help organise the Edinburgh Farmers Market and (not quite so early) The Eating Place in Castle Terrace and has put us in touch with Scottish producers and growers contributing to the FEAST. I hope we will be meeting them all in our FEAST blog when it is made.
August 1st, 2007
