Archinect - News2024-05-07T16:42:29-04:00https://archinect.com/news/article/149972316/we-are-building-our-way-to-hell-tales-of-gentrification-around-the-world
‘We are building our way to hell’: tales of gentrification around the world Orhan Ayyüce2016-10-05T19:23:00-04:00>2022-03-16T09:10:02-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/q2/q2ewh0zbtsji1rkc.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>My issue is not with areas being improved, it is how gentrification is about one demographic of our society changing an area for themselves and not for the benefit of everyone.</p></em><br /><br /><p><strong>Portland, US: ‘We are currently building our way to hell’</strong></p><p>“I am a 70 year old carpenter and I have seen more decay in the quality of life in the last three years in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/portland" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Portland</a>, Oregon – pearl of culture in the Great Northwest – with the one-term mayor ‘Chainsaw Charlie Hales’ who was previously a lobbyist for the the ‘home builders’ – read developers. Towers built into the sky on alluvial soil – the stuff that turns to pudding in an earthquake. Hundred-year-old classic neighbourhoods injected with ‘cereal box’ buildings invalidating residents’ privacy and daylight.</p><p>From my perspective, I would call this a travesty: ‘Bankers gone wild’. A spreadsheet vision of creating investments that spread the risk, with total disregard for community culture which, prior to this, was well protected by zoning. The people here have a campaign called <a href="http://www.stopdemolishingportland.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stop demolishing Portland</a>. Such beauty is being replaced by such tastelessness, as though the reason the people want to live here is to be housed like gerbi...</p>