Day to Huehuetenango

Up late, collected laundry and then went to the centre of town, parque central to get a microbus to Terminal Minerva to get the chicken bus to Huehuetenango. It was a day of moving between buses and trying to get comfortable on them right the way through from the earliest part of the day. The journey from Quetzaltenango where I am at present to Huehuetenango (pronounced way-way-tenango should you be passing this way) is rated by lonely planet as the best bus journey in the country. After seeing the bulk of it at dusk on my return I can understand why. Unfortunately, on the way there all I could see was steam rising of me and everyone else on a rather cramped former American school bus as we collectively clouded up everything which resembled windows for the best part of the whole two hour journey.

I did have the satisfaction of getting across town via a couple of local buses to 'las ruinas' which appear to be of Mayan origin and are just a little neglected - there is graffiti on them. I don't know if I heard someone at Teotehuacan outside Mexico city comparing the ruins there to a contemporary housing estate or if it was one of Peter's issues, however, they did seem to resemble the three estates area to a degree and I assume that I am not the first to think of juxtaposing these images with some from Bells Lane, Kings Heath or of the Three Estates Area, Kings Norton. The ruins do resemble a skate park, BMX stunt area and a few other things to an extent. Maybe when I get home I can consider doing this. Until then I have done this please check out the shots of Huehuetenango and Zaculeu on flickr. There was something so urban 1960s Britain about the site I can't explain it, the archaeologists tended to look rather like council workmen because of the overall ambience of the site.

I've spent the last couple of days alcohol and nicotine free and was considering having a beer as I was leaving Zaculeu when I met the two guys in the photo above who have assisted with maintaining my self discipline when it comes to alcohol - they were steaming. There was something dare I say, very English about the girl who was serving the two guys drinks, something I really can't place. Likewise there was something very similar to my younger brother about the guy who was collecting fares on the microbus on the way to Terminal Victoria this morning. I've seen facial resemblances here in Guatemala that for whatever reason tend to remind me of my immediate family more that people in the UK do. I had a bit of a similar feeling in India but not to the same degree as I have done here in Guatemala.

There is a street off Parque Central which is necessary to walk down on the way back to this Hostal, Casa Argentina and I had dreams about it several months before I came away. There was nothing significant about the dreams only that I hadn't been here and I don't think I had seen images of the street on TV. I assume that I had seen the street on TV somewhere and there was use of memory inhibitor which may have in effect supressed the memory into my subconscious - god knows why I prefer this type of explanation but it makes more sense to me. I don't believe the theory on dreams from psychoanalysis nor the notion of being psychic, but I do think the rational explanation for such phenomena does included rather basic psychological principles. I don't like the idea that a basic psychological principle could be used in effect to facilitate mental illness and I would hope that this does not get over looked. I also had dreams about the layout of the house I stayed in at Antigua which did not surprise me in the least - there was something very familiar about the family and life with them. Still, I've made it through all this so far without any significant problems.

London skyline and urban design.

There have been a few issues relating to the London skyline that have required some attention recent and gladly these matters have made headline news. I personally aim to avoid criticising Prince Charles and others for taking this matter seriously and doing what may be necessary for much of the character of London to be altered, almost definitely on a permanent basis once planning permission has been granted to developers to build a skyscraper within the city. What I think tends to be interesting about the media portrayals of the debate is that there is quite often direct criticism of architects rather than attention paid to the Town and Country Planning Acts that can be passed through parliament and amended locally. I don't know if there is a tendency for the media only to comment upon issues where they can hold an individual responsible for the development of a building and thus point the finger at them for changing the character of a city but it does seem very bizarre when there could be democratic solutions offered and Town Planning restrictions placed on building within specified areas, including for instance the City of London.

On a trip to the Lake District last year one of the bus drivers who was talking as he drove commented upon the lack of freedom in the Lakes area to add PVC conservatories on the buildings in the area. I assume this is correct and that planning permission would be required but not granted for this type of venture - there is a policy which has resulted in the maintenance of the character of the area. Presumably the next step in the south east would be for politicians to offer some form of democratic solution and put in place restrictions on the height of buildings and for this matter to be decided democratically. I don't know if this is taking place to the extent that may be necessary but there should be more political debate on this matter as well as debate involving other public figures.

It's perhaps interesting to reflect on this issue in Antigua, Guatemala for a couple of reasons. There tends to be maintenance of a tradition design to the buildings here because of earthquakes more than anything else - the city has three volcanoes around it giving indication of the tectonic plate movements below. As a result most of the buildings in the area tend to be only one story high. There were higher ones built but owing to earthquakes they tend to be in the minority. Also, the buildings that have survived earthquakes, notably those built by the Spanish colonisers do tend to be of religious significance. This may be owing to the fact that religious buildings were at the time they were built seen to be one of the most significant elements of infrastructure to introduce but also because the style of religious buildings to a Catholic may also be slightly different to Protestants. There seems too a degree to be a desire to build some Catholic churches on the highest ground. I don't know if this is incorrect however, there does not seem to be the same tendency for this to take place in the Protestant churches. Whether this was in order to make churches more prominent and exude the power of God and the Church as some form of higher being is perhaps a misapprehension of mine. I maybe wrongly assume that 'the skyline' and debates around it may have some Catholic undertones to it that maybe don't reflect Protestant British character.

It was also interesting in Nepal that owing to an earthquake several years ago, many of the buildings were still being rebuilt and first and second floors were planned to be added on over a period of years which I presume is how a lot of English development may have continued for years. We're not in contact with either town planning or architecture as a nation any longer and probably haven't been for several hundred years.

There could be rather facile questions asked about the phallic nature of the skyscraper and the rather shallow addition it makes to a city's character as if it were some genuine indicator of a city's status which it is not. In Adelaide, when I was there ten years ago or so, another backpacker commented upon a postcard of the state capitals in Australia, that Adelaide was the only one which didn't have a skyline, as if this were of the least significance. Perhaps I should be more open to American urban design but this does not strike me as being of any importance. To me the skyline is not something that lifts an otherwise normal city to the status of a global city – this is not necessarily a significant indicator of a city’s prominence.

With a little knowledge of planning in the UK, as someone who is aware of general trends relating to the west side of the city being generally of greater wealth than the east, the high ground in the city being generally of more affluent settlements than the low and the centre being more valuable on the whole that the periphery high ground has always been important to us - perhaps as a safer space. This could perhaps be introduced into the design of high buildings - to reflect elements of our national character. It also does strike me as odd that Prince Charles is to a degree still anticipating to be referred to as 'your Highness'. 'Highness' being above, better or somehow superior to the lowness of me. Excuse me, but this does feel rather paradoxical. Who does he think he is?

The issue of why journalists have focused on architects as the villains of the piece does concern me, as this will no doubt cloud debate on the matter. Why the broader range of factors that shape an organisations desire for particular premises not outlined more frequently in the media as well may also contribute to divergence between the average member of the public's view on local architecture and the agenda of the corporation. This could perhaps be improved upon. Also, perhaps there are other means of resolving this apparent conflict. Is Canary Wharf of some symbolic importance, as if some ‘Excalibur’ protecting the rest of the city through it’s significance in the economy? Could symbolism of the architecture provide a means of compromise? Perhaps issues like this and others related to how design can shape the city could be part of social and personal education in schools?

There are many reasons for improving yourself through appreciation of the arts lets hope this link leads you to appreciation of the London skyline.

Discourses of deformity – is there reason to engage in ritualised Charles bashing or should we offer our time to consider the London skyline?

The recent issues raised by Prince Charles relating to the London skyline may seem a little like asking if Londoners may eat cake – it is interesting from the national coverage that there have been a number of issues left out of the discussions – one of which is the considered need for a city to have a ‘skyline’, that is a profile view which reflects the character of the commerce and industry of the locality. This is largely an American issue and may not be that significant in terms of the nature of British cities, largely within the context of international debates and considering London as a global city, it is a relevant discussion. When I was in Australia a fellow backpacker scoffed at Adelaide because it was shown on a postcard with all the captial cities of each of the states of Australia as being the only one without a noticeable skyline as if it were not a place of the least significance as a result. I presume, perhaps wrongly, that this is linked to the development of big cities and the macho comparisons between cities as having greater prowess than each other because of the manhood of the skyline. However, for most people in London there are far more significant issues, in terms of the impact that decent town planning can make on quality of life through offering local services, a greater sense of safety in public space and suitable space to exercise in public. Unfortunately, maintaining a heritage of this type of matter has not been a preserve of the Royal Family – at least not in terms of how the mass media wish us to perceive them.
I have stated this before – there are a multitude of perspectives to take on the city as a geographical phenomenon. To an extent there may be some mileage in seeing the city as an organism which grows and changes to suit the challenges made to it. Reference to social ecology and the need for a discussion on how much of a living organism. The animal that may have run through city space for millions of years is now a pest to be exterminated. While I don’t wish to encourage foxes and rats within cities we are considering the urban zone as something which it is not meant to be. Does Prince Charles criticise forests for not having level trees? Maybe we as a nation should only support development projects in the Amazon which are likely to leave it tidy?
There can be a reframing of the buildings which have dominated London’s skyline for centuries can take place as part of a movement of updating the city rather than damaging it. Is this another difficult stage in the process of recognising that Britain is no longer a leading light in technology and what really hurts is that British engineering and design are not what they once were? Is there not scope to consider the changes made to the Louvre in Paris and the additional extensions which were meant to compliment the existing framework of the buildings? Is his highness employing any adequate frame of reference to evaluate whether or not the buildings which are being added to the London skyline are making any significant addition to the way London is seen? There can be a conflict between the modern and the post- modern – should this debate be reconsidered alongwith other thinkers not just within the bodies that his highness has assembled to restrict development Does this not reflect a healthy balanced and developing economy which is directed by several significant forces – perhaps they are too American and this is what the problem is?
It does make interesting reading having read some Goffman recently and the remarks on stigma – there is reference to the imoral individual as being a “….blemished person, ritually poluted, to be avoided particularly in public places….” (Goffman, 1987; p11) this does make me wonder what intention there was in drawing upon discourses relating to less than physically perfect individuals (read London being ‘pockmarked’) who presumably would be excluded from society (the international community) if they weren’t to improve their appearance. I did want to check the original speech from the text as there were also reports in the media regarding buildings in London being ‘dwarfed ’by the likes of Canary Wharf. It does seem unwise to select a discourse of deformity when challenging the development of a city like London which should be welcoming, supportive and innovative in terms of how it deals with disability.
A city is not some form of sculpture unlike the perceptions of architechts who may see it that way – it may in some respects be influenced by Plato’s observations of humanity working towards the ideal and everything in life being in some ways or other being a less than perfect representation of the ideal form. It does make me slightly concerned when looking at how good the architechture is in London whether or not Prince Charles has any significant regard for the likes of Coventry, Birmingham and Sheffield city centres. Are there just as strong moves to preserve what is left of the architechtural heritage of these places?
The centre of Birmingham now apears to be significantly better and has been described as having an American theme in the regeneration that has taken place. The design of the new Bull ring around St. Martin’s Church which resembles the flesh of a fruit around the stone at its heart, that is St. Martin’s, seems like quite a good example of urban design although it is questionable in terms of how effective views of Selfridges are at promoting the city from the other side of the shopping centre. As an emblem of the city centre it does seem like just as good a symbol of the city and is perhaps all that is necessary – perspectives on the skyline are just not necessary. Does the stone at the heart of the fruit interest the Royals in terms of how St Martin’s has become a strong symbol of the surviving city? Will they walk down from the New St. Station, which was literally buried, to the view over the bullring shopping centre on a clear day and wonder if the shopping centre was meant to symbolise the flesh of the fruit around the stone, the continuation of life, St Martin’s church.

Healthy Liverpool – Will the Healthy City initiative influence the profile of the city during time the city is the European Capital of Culture?

There are a great many academic levels to approach the subject matter of ‘the city’ upon and I’ve had some involvement in several of them. There was my involvement ‘in practice’ within the Health For All initiative which was developed in Plymouth which led to the Healthy Plymouth project in the early 1990's. The Healthy Cities ‘movement’ tends not to be too widely known outside the public health and local government circles that have been the most significant proponent and as it was aimed primarily at these professional groups this doesn't necessarily indicate a failing. My involvement was largely dependent upon the Princes’ Trust having opened the door for me after I’d been on a course, that is the Princes’ Trust Volunteers. I guess I was involved to be, within an ecological perspective that is taken within the Healthy Cities movement, one of the white blood cells within the organism that the project can be and assist with the development of the other cells, or individuals, that function within the larger urban body. Clichés aside, there was to a degree mutually supporting relationships that ensured that those who were there because of qualification, I had recently finished a first degree, were benefiting from the street-culture issues that were brought in by the other members of the group.

On some levels the ‘Healthy City’ is only a fascinating concept which may only appeal to the academics who have an interest in this type of initiative, when on other levels it should have excited the community groups and individuals who may have some connection to it and they may have felt the equality of status that this initiative could have brought through. Each community group given some sense of equality of status as a functioning organ within the city-organism may be failed to materialise within some healthy cities and it’s not been a feature that has really ‘lived’ – most models and theories related to health promotion are lacking in some respects. The world health organisation designation of Healthy City status or accreditation may not mean a great deal beyond the immediate public sector staff who have worked on the many projects linked to the initiative.

On other levels, the city is the economic hub, with some areas in need of area-based regeneration, or a cultural backdrop to a range of cultural activities. It is a location of higher rates of crime and various forms of criminality and disorder than rural counterparts. And it is a competitive unit which forms a large part of a regions economic activity, that are each to an extent in competition with other regions of the UK, Europe and elsewhere further a field. It is an architectural and town planning phenomenon with various levels of action through from community participation to being a ‘design phenomenon’ with skyline features which may infuriate HRH Prince Charles and delight others. It also may have identity which can impact upon the life of virtually everyone who has lived or worked in the city.
There are sociological levels to life in the city that may make rural areas envious and environmental issues to grapple with that may make city folk ashamed. As an academic area the city is a significant social, economic, cultural, aesthetic and environmental phenomenon.

What strikes me most about the potential of Healthy Liverpool is that it does have some capacity to tackle an issue of the esteem that many Liverpudlians may be held in owing to the prejudice held against Liverpool as a crime ridden city or scousers as criminal in nature. There doesn't seem as strong an emphasis on tackling regional prejudice as there is on dealing with racial or national differences and I regard this to need re-examination. Perhaps, there could be reasonable to tap into the local pride that no doubt is strong in Liverpool and carry out a number of innovative community safety initiatives over the year of culture aiming to try to explore why the identity may have been associated with Liverpool and what the costs and benefits of tackling what can be dealt with – may be undertaken. There is an diverse theoretical background necessary to develop this type of initiative but interestingly, from a Healthy City perspective, the city has the resources to heal it’s identity and restore it’s equilibrium. Can they innovate social and cultural change on a large scale and shape the way that Liverpool is perceived on a national and international level over the next few years.

There are some very interesting issues which could be tackled in terms of the colonial heritage of the entire nation through this type of initiative notably the relationship between Britain and Ireland and also the role that Britain, with a particular emphasis on Liverpool, played in the development of slave trading: will the year of culture be used to reunite communities within the city in the manner a 21st century city may need to look to do? While there may willingly be a finger pointed at those from Liverpool over any scouse related prejudice, there could be a scar not on the conscience of the world but on the descendents of the wealthy who may feel some animosity from those who descended from the relatives of those who suffered in the potato famine in Ireland that British action contributed to significantly. Has this led to shame in those who control media images and they still sense resentment from the descendents of those who were subject to maltreatment from their fore-fathers? Are the population of Liverpool secondary victims of British history? Maybe the UKs national media-barons owe something to the likes of the average Liverpudlian and could assist in changing the profile of the city – with the city leading the process.

Urban Policy - The last 30 years.

After beginning the process of scanning in all of my academic articles in a PDF format - how illegal this is I can't say - I find that it very reassuring using my PC for what it's probably best for. PCs are really a major asset if used for storing vast quantities of information in electronic format - paper articles can take up a large amount of space and on CD virtually no space at all.

After finding the articles I had rather unfathomable about ten years ago I now find them rather easy to get through despite not having the depth of knowledge in economics which I think is necessary to really get to grips with the area. Will I find the articles of any significant use after the Kings Norton New Deal for Communities experience? May I be able to add any advantage to the experience of the New Deal for Communities staff or residents through summaries of the reviews of information? The regular comment from the residents who were on one hand disaffected and disengaged was they had '...heard it all before...'. On the other hand there were some slightly different elements to the programme in terms of the approach and the content of some of the projects that were likely to add a slightly different flavour to the attempts at tackling multiple deprivation. I don't know if the small and appropriate differences in planning and delivery would actually constitute a new paradigm in urban policy as some may claim, there is also the question of whether there have been significant shifts at all in delivery - is urban policy being delivered in a significantly different manner than was actioned under conservative governments of the 1990s?

Urban regeneration is a very complex process involving a number of professional disciplines as social action can be viewed from a great many perspectives in terms of it's suitability and effectiveness. On reflection, urban policy has a heritage as old as cities themselves. To a very large extent it is necessary because cities are geographical forms which exist because of the control of capitalism by an elite has shaped the population that lives in a defined area. Capitalism has functioned through highly controlled rather than free markets and peasants may have migrated towards cities centuries ago because they were offered better living conditions prior to adequate induction into the areas that they moved. Is the longer term history of an area that significant a factor when looking to influence the manner in which urban policy is delivered? It would be interesting to examine what improvements in delivery this would lead to and what problems this would cause if historic influence in its many forms were to be more prominent in regeneration delivery. Do historic factors which shape local culture and regeneration processes adequately come together?