To feel weirdly sad that a shit hole is getting redeveloped.

[UrbanBrawl]

Several times a week I walk past a small part of a city centre made up of a collection of fairly routine Victorian industrial buildings - what used to be small workshops. They’ve been empty for years, run down, graffiti everywhere, falling to bits. But they ooze character. I don’t know why, it’s sort of urban decay, a glimpse of the past. There’s just something sort of quiet and time-capsule like about this small collection of ramshackle buildings.

Anyway, they’re now slated for demolition, to build another tower, made from glass, identical to dozens of others in the city, and in other cities. Once done it’s going to be cleaner, look nicer but it’s also a bit soulless? I feel quite sad about it. AIBU? Any know what I’m talking about?

I agree! It's these buildings that show that one place is different from another. In Dundee they managed to keep so many Victorian factories and workers flats and they are gorgeous, you can see the history of the place. Then down by the river its all boxes and glass. I lived in a town that was decimated during the ww2. Everything that replaced it is brutalist, and I cant tell you how happy I was to leave/escape! It looked like every other town in the vicinity and felt so soulless.

I have to drive into the industrial part of a northern city once a week. It some ways its depressing... but in other ways its beautiful. Some if the buildings are getting developed into other things... quirky bars, flats etc. (I'm visiting a sports venue that's been there since the 90s in a converted building).

I love it when developers keep and improve the original buildings. It so worth it aesthetically.

OP, google The Custard Factory, Birmingham for an example of brilliant regeneration.

@Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService it's important to remember that the buildings we are often hoping to preserve would have had their detractors. Something else may well have been there and people would have objected when it was knocked down.

There's definitely some things that I think everybody hates and they wonder what the architect was thinking. But I would say Brutalism is an example of that, until I meet someone who loves it!

I was once on a training course with a lady who wasn't from London, and she said she really disliked the historical buildings - I think she ultimately decided to live elsewhere because she really didn't like it.

The question of beauty is actually a separate one. I agree that we are currently in a phase where there is a deliberate effort to reduce beauty. I think it's a terrible shame. I also think it contributes to making people feel really low and down.

I do feel it's a separate issue to preservation of historic buildings, though.