Realitycheck Member Username: Realitycheck
Post Number: 655 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 11:22 am: | |
Just as 'our' inspired and inspiring visual artist sees grandeur in The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit, so does Ann Arbor architect Aaron Pilat. As this week's guest blogger at the MetroMode e-zine, he shows and tells about living in Rome for 10 months to "document and analyze the re-use of historic architecture and urban space as a means of informing redevelopment in Detroit." He'll add at least a couple more posts and invites responses to the questions below (ahem, after you post 'em here, I hasten to add).quote: I spent a year in Rome studying the re-use of historic architecture and urban space throughout the city. Through photographs, sketches and diagrams, I investigated how 23 different buildings and urban spaces in Rome survived and evolved within the urban fabric. . . . Many of Detroit’s industrial ruins, though abandoned and decaying, still stand as evidence of a stronger, more prosperous Detroit: monuments of a city and industry that once changed the world. Rome returned from near extinction and in contrast, is now a thriving city of ruins. New and old buildings coexist in harmony through adaptation, re-use and preservation and the result is a vibrant and flourishing city that is continuously redefining itself. What I am trying to figure out, and what I need your help with is this question: What can Detroit learn from Rome? . . . Detroit’s abandoned train station and Fisher Body Plant 21 are prominent icons and though they are in ruins could still be integrated into a musical or artistic event. In what other ways could these ruins be celebrated?
Aaron Pilat |
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 9105 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 11:42 am: | |
Much like Detroit, the only nice place in Rome during the middle ages was around Campus Martius. With the aqueducts all broken, and nobody repairing them, people had to live near the river. |
56packman Member Username: 56packman
Post Number: 2521 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 1:05 pm: | |
And the leader fiddled while Rome burned, like Detroit. |
Gistok Member Username: Gistok
Post Number: 7501 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 2:38 pm: | |
Ironically Rome had over 1 million people during the time of the empire. That dwindled down during the dark ages to less than 25,000... a figure that was not exceeded until the eve of the Renaissance. Even by 1500 AD Rome paled by comparison to the larger Italian cities of Florence, Venice, Milan, Genoa and Naples. It took until the 18th-19th century for Rome to become the largest city in Italy once again. |
Lowell Moderator Username: Lowell
Post Number: 5147 Registered: 09-2003
| Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 3:28 pm: | |
As I like to say, "Athens' got ruins, Rome's got ruins; ours are bigger." |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 14807 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 - 7:03 pm: | |
I thought Kwhyme was playing with his...um...flute. |
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