Comments on: Ground Control

By: Elemental » Links for July 14th through July 16th

Elemental » Links for July 14th through July 16th — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:03:30 +0000

[...] Ground Control | PD Smith | Kafka’s mouse – Minton's book duly added to my wishlist. Review: "Sections of our city centres are being sold off to private developers to create shopping monocultures such as Westfield London or "malls without walls" like Stratford City, which is being built for the 2012 Olympics and is one of the largest retail-led developments in Europe. It is, says Minton, "a private city within a city" and represents a return to the early 19th century when aristocrats owned great swathes of London, fortifying their estates of up-market housing with gates and private security forces. Now, “land and property which has been in public hands for 150 years or more is moving back into private hands”. Minton argues that today’s privatised city centres and gated communities are fostering "a new culture of authoritarianism and control"." [...]

By: PD Smith

PD Smith — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:19:06 +0000

Thanks Mark!

By: Mark Tebau (@urbanhumanist)

Mark Tebau (@urbanhumanist) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:59:24 +0000

Great review. I would call it "re-privatization" and I shall pick up the book. Thanks

By: Review: Ground Control | PD Smith | Kafka’s mouse | Urban Humanist

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:58:01 +0000

[...] Smith’s excellent review of Anna Minton’s new book, Ground Control | PD Smith | Kafka’s mouse provides insight into the changing city and what you might call its reprivatization. Minton’s [...]

By: Elemental » Interesting links for July 14th through July 15th

Elemental » Interesting links for July 14th through July 15th — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:40:12 +0000

[...] Ground Control | PD Smith | Kafka’s mouse - Minton's book duly added to my wishlist. Review: "Sections of our city centres are being sold off to private developers to create shopping monocultures such as Westfield London or "malls without walls" like Stratford City, which is being built for the 2012 Olympics and is one of the largest retail-led developments in Europe. It is, says Minton, "a private city within a city" and represents a return to the early 19th century when aristocrats owned great swathes of London, fortifying their estates of up-market housing with gates and private security forces. Now, “land and property which has been in public hands for 150 years or more is moving back into private hands”. Minton argues that today’s privatised city centres and gated communities are fostering "a new culture of authoritarianism and control"." [...]