Let bygones be bygones

The relationship I have with spaces, buildings and cities is very personal and entwined in memory. I’ve had the opportunity to live in some wonderful cities and places. But every time I become very attached to them, so when it comes to leaving I always make my exit by acknowledging that I won’t return. I simply can’t. I prefer to preserve all the good memories I had during my time there.

I lived in Leeds for two years and found it hard to go back, even just for a short visit. Talk of how things had changed was too much. From the flat to the streets and even the neighbourhoods I have lived in London, all of these have become forbidden zones for me.

Memory plays a significant role when it comes to changing the face of a city, whether it be designing a new building or protecting what we already have. Some are being demolished by bombs whilst others are sacrificed for the “new is good and shiny” mentality. Although there are consequences – to change is not necessarily a bad thing.

We are not going to save the world with architecture but to a large degree the cities and buildings we live in will inevitably always leave a lasting impression in our memories. Architecture can drive movements like Gezi Park did in Istanbul or maybe even one day a writer will craft another novel to protect a piece of architecture like Victor Hugo did for Notre Dame de Paris and it will become a true classic.

The London Festival of Architecture has chosen a romantic theme for this year. The extensive programme will offer a lot to consume for a month and I am very excited to be a part of it. The Destruction of Memory screening, Daniel Libeskind’s talk, and White Arkitekter’s discussion on preserving emotional connections to place (hello!) are on the top of my very long list of things to do.

Have a great festival!