When looking for historical quotes to set the context for an article, you are rarely disappointed by the words of Winston Churchill. Indeed, it was he who said, “We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.”
Not bad as a prelude for a piece on the impact of how the heritage of the built environment affects the desirability of a city. But to continually rely on one man for words of inspiration can smack of a lack of imagination.
And so, it came as a blessed relief to stumble upon the words of John Ruskin, a polymath of the Victorian era, who said, “When we build, let us think that we build forever”. Ten words that sum up why the architectural pedigree of an area and its enduring appeal are closely interwoven.
The subjective nature of what constitutes good architecture sits somewhat uncomfortably for someone who spends more time analysing statistics than extolling the virtues of streetscape. But fortunately, from an analytical perspective, there are others who have done that heavy lifting in listing our nation’s heritage buildings and designating our Conservation Areas.
And it was these two measures which we used to deliver a shortlist of the most desirable heritage cities.