Heritage
There's an interesting debate brewing here in Perth about architecture and exactly what constitues heritage. From this morning's paper:
"East Perth train station, a perennial inclusion in lists of Perth's eyesores, has been earmarked for heritage protection by the Town of Vincent."
Now I've made snide remarks about that station — it's spectacularly brutalist, only slightly softened by the use of bricks rather than featureless concrete — but it remains a striking example of the architecture of its style and time. While I can't say it's an aesthetic that I like, that doesn't stop it being an historical artefact.
It's just a very large, prominent one.
The chief executive of the council in question puts it like this:
"Heritage is not just straight forward old buildings. It encompasses the aesthetic, social, scientific and architectural categories. It is obviously very thought-provoking and different people will have different opinions."
How are heritage and aesthetics related? Should an "ugly" but historically important object or building be protected? What do you think?
Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 and filed under Photos.
Comments
I was all for keeping Council House and those government buildings up near Kings park... but... wow... the East Perth train station is pushing the heritage envelope! I will look at it with fresh eyes when I next drive past! Interesting.
Posted by: rosemary on June 30, 2006
East Perth train station is no doubt very ugly. It still amazes me that it ever got the green light to be built. It must have made the brickies happy though - plenty of work to be done!
What makes the station even worse is the faded grey asbestos (I think that's what it is) that runs the length of the platform. Very unwelcoming.
Posted by: Andrew on June 30, 2006
I try to think of architecture like music. I don't like every style of music but that doesn't mean that there can't be both good and bad examples of that style. Also one might make exceptions for buildings / songs which have value for other reasons other than that they are a good song. Men at Work's "Down Under" often used as an unofficial sporting anthem might be an example. Hope that makes some sense. I'm not sure how the East Perth Train Station fits into this.
Posted by: Chris on June 30, 2006
I've always looked at it as a landmark, like a monument to that style of building and I think they are right to preserve it.
There are not a lot of big buildings like that. And what we'll have is big holes in our history if we keep pulling down the 'eyesores' and only preseve the quaint ones.
Posted by: Andrew Tetlaw on July 5, 2006
