The first impression one gets of Singapore is how it stands up to its reputation as the garden city. There is greenery everywhere, including the inside of the airport arrivals area welcoming people to Singapore. It is impossible not to recognise the effort and dedication towards landscape and horticulture in the city.
Last week I spent 36 hours in Liverpool on an urban design fieldtrip as part of my post graduate course at UCL’s Bartlett School. On reflection it is clear to see that Liverpool is a city of two halves: one side being a shiny new Liverpool for tourists and attracting investment; the other is typical of many post-industrial cities in the UK, out of sight and lacking acknowledgement.
I have just returned from a short break to Ireland, accompanying my distance runner husband, Paul, as he took part in the Dublin Marathon. The event – and in particular the number of spectators lining the city streets on a late October day, got me thinking about the positive role that participatory events can play in the life of a city.
It occurred to me recently how important hotels are in the mix of uses found in towns and city centres, having recently had a tour behind the scenes of the refurbishment of the Grand Hotel in Birmingham.
