City [dis]membering....Göteborg

..proportions (?) the existing surroundings (left and right) transformed into ordinary scenery. Why not 10 more floors mr. architect and city "planners" ?

Lisbon....from city to theater scenery

This is the destination of most buildings built around 1900. The "restoration" process consists mainly in the total destruction of interiors. Against all the international recommendations and agreements for good building conservation, Lisbon has its own short term/no return final solution. 

The land of "short term"....

These pine trees were planted by the time of the Expo 1998 in Lisbon. Pine trees are very common in this country, so one can presume that they knew that their roots grow with a large perimeter and close to the surface. The choice of pavement is astonishing and, of course, condemned to failure. Did the people who planned the trees speak with those who planned the pavement ? Amazing !!

The result, 25 years later, is a completely useless and deformed/destroyed pavement, impossible to use for persons with disabilities. 800 meters of useless pavement and money that could have been thrown into the Tejo river. Act first and think later....

Goodbye Kjellbergska Gymnasiet....

1935, by Ragnar Ossian Swensson

In the age of environmental friendliness and sustainability (as standard meaningless blablabla), the local politicians decided to tear down this former school building. Under any circumstances, will we get any new buildings of such quality ! Take a close look at those thick and firm brick walls....what a waste 😡 

Demolition "green" city....Göteborg

Kjellbergska Gymnasiet (a building of excellent quality), 1935, by Ragnar Ossian Swensson

Olof Wijksgatan before the demolition work began

..the same place today 😡

Confused Göteborg....

..blind city "planners" and architects are a plague. 

Zombie city....

Husargatan, Göteborg

City "planning" from the 1980`s. What was the purpose of placing the "backside" of the buildings towards the street...?

"Aesthetic ignorance"....

..the new Göteborg trademark

The five steps of the Portuguese methodology for the destruction of built heritage....

Palacete at Praça Duque de Saldanha, 1908, by José Luís Monteiro (photo: João Carvalho)

.."abandoned" for some decades

..step 2

..the practice of step 3 at Praça Duque de Saldanha

1 - The absence of maintenance for some decades.

2 - After the last tenant leaves the building, the main door should be closed with an iron chain with a padlock. This may seem like a peculiar measure, but it sends the message that the building is beyond salvation.

3 - The opening of some windows to accelerate the process of decay.

4 - Now is time for the removal of some tiles from the roof in order to accelerate the infiltration of water.

5 - Finally, if steps 1, 3 and 4 are insufficient or slow, there is always the possibility of a “spontaneous combustion”.

   

This methodology has been applied with plenty of success for some decades with the passive cooperation and understanding by the (in)competent Portuguese authorities.

Some photos stolen from MAGG

City [dis]membering....Lisbon

..by blind architects, blind urban "planners" and blind local authorities !

The art of "killing" a street....

..by placing the "backside" of the houses towards the street. Here a good example from the 1980's at Skolgatan, Göteborg. Very efficient indeed...:-(

Carl Nyrén`s Handelshögskolan under demolition....

 ..1956

Vasagatan, Mars 2, 2020. Handelshögskolan från 1952 will soon become history.

Läs här vad Byggnadsvårdsföreningen skrev om byggnaden 2015

City [dis]membering....

..here at Teatergatan in Göteborg. A recent creation and more like the city as kindergarten for the architect.

City [dis]membering....

The portuguese destructive methodology for classified areas....

The gardens of Palacete Mendonça in Lisbon, April 2017

..and today.

The gardens are classified (protected by law), yet the trees were mutilated by the converging incompetence of authorities, owners, builders, etc. Unfortunately, not an isolated example, but more or less the "modus operandi" that slowly (but firmly) is destroying the character and authenticity of the city of Lisbon. 

City[dis]membering....

..an old tradition in Copenhagen

In a consolidated historical village like Ponte de Lima....

..is this a bad joke, bad taste....or both ?

City [dis]membering....

..like many other Swedish cities during the "architectural blindness" of the 60`s, 70`s and 80`s.

Uppsala, 1960, by Bengt Edlund (Backström & Reinius). 

Domus Varuhus....

KF:s head office at Slussen, Stockholm (with its own architectural department)

Nyköping

 Söderhamn

 Mönsterås

 Norrköping

 Norrköping....very 70`s

During the 1960`s and 70`s, around 200 department stores were built in Sweden by KF (Kooperativa Förbundet)), usually in city centers and without regard to earlier historical environments, which were demolished without mercy. Now 40 years later....they are all gone.