The core theme of this entire blog spot
is about what makes up a Caribbean Urban Space in contemporary society. It also
looks at the ways in which these characteristics may differ or are similar to
developed cities of the world. I decided to reflect upon three other blogs
written by my course colleagues as it was directly related to the vision I had
when creating this blog. These blogs are related to urban architecture, urban diet
and the urban issues that are prevalent in urban spaces as it becomes more
urban in nature.
Urban Architecture and design is
directly related to this theme as it encompasses both past and the present of
urban spaces. In the past there seemed to be some British influence in the way
the buildings where designed and structure. Today however, you have a more
modern urban design with towering skyscrapers and high- rise, high income
apartment complexes, a phenomenon that did not exist some decades ago. This
just goes to show how globalization and the breaking down of barriers between
nations and the sharing of ideas has influenced the way we design our space and
is responsible for the changing urban form of the city. The morphology in terms
of building design is one that is leading towards a more developed city as
opposed to the simple building structures that exited many years ago. There
also seems to be a move towards cities that are more themed and provide
entertainment as a variety of business establishments are set up in the inner-city
areas. What is becoming a norm is the gentrification of Ariapita Avenue which
is frequented by most Trinis for night lift activities. In cities such as Niagara Falls in Canada,
this idea of an entertainment street or themed street also exists making it a
characteristic not solely unique to us.
Conversely, an urban diet urban diet is one that is
becoming increasing homogeneous around the world. Food is allowing for the
convergence of many cultures and spaces around the world. In Trinidad and
Tobago for example, our mineral resource wealth has allowed us to have high
disposable incomes. In addition the onset of economic imperialism and open
markets, have created opportunities for foreign fast food companies to
establish themselves here. As a result of this, what you find occurring is that
as people become busier with their jobs and earning an income, they may opt to
buying fast food to feed their families. These meals are consistent and
convenient at an affordable price. What many persons fail to realise however is
how gradually these fast food restaurants are becoming part of our culture and
dynamics and how we design our urban space. It is not only the proliferation of
fast food outlets but also the high imports of foreign foods which is shaping
our urban lives. As a result you now have issues such as obesity and a variety
of lifestyle diseases existing in the urban space that never existed many years
ago. Interestingly enough these characteristics are not unique to our urban
space and many cities around the world struggle with the same issue. However,
these developed cities may have the necessary infrastructure in place such as
large open green spaces where persons can exercise and maintain a healthy
lifestyle. In Port of Spain there are limited green spaces and most persons
rely on the Queens’ Park Savannah if indeed they need to exercise or for
recreation. Many persons do not opt to use this space because security seems to
be a challenge.
Is the city really an illusion of urban paradise? I would have to agree and disagree. On one hand of the spectrum there
are many issues that affect the city in many ways. These include flooding due
to land reclamation and ecosystem destruction, limited green spaces as well as
traffic and congestion to name a few. To some this situation may not be the
most promising thing in terms of the cities sustainability and longevity. I
will depart on the point however that it is not an illusion per say, but
instead it is the epitome of years of adaption based on the socio-economic
needs of that time period. Maybe it might not be what the Global North sees as
planned and modern but our urban spaces are rich in culture and heritage, an
element non- existent in many modern cities. Instead we should embrace our culture
and provide solutions to the problems experienced. For issues of traffic and
congestion, maybe we can turn towards the high occupancy vehicle instead of
allowing many single occupant vehicles into the city at one time. In addition,
we can aim for a city where the pedestrian is catered. Abandoned plots of lands
can also be turned into green spaces within the city to allow for healthier
lifestyles. Policies can also be put in place to protect vulnerable ecosystems
around the city. The historical architecture highlighted previously should also
be preserved as in the future, these artifacts can be used to generate income
for our economy.
In my opinion, although our urban spaces
do face some challenges, some of which are shared with the developed parts of
the world, it cannot be denied how unique our urban spaces are in terms of
form, history and culture. This constitutes to our urban space, this is where
we live.
Acknowledgements
A special thanks goes out to my course colleagues K. Swamber, A. Laidlow and T. Arjoon.
For further reading, visit their blogs:
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