Champs Elysees to fight banalisation
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The Paris city government is making moves for the Champs Elysees to regain more authentic chic ambience, rather than being over run with global retail brands, the only firms who can afford the high rents. The Champs Elysees has been dubbed a commercialised money trap, losing it’s exceptional and symbolic character.
Perhaps at last there is a realisation that cities should try to be something special and unique, not just contain rows of the same shops that you find everywhere else.
February 6th, 2007 at 10:15 am
[...] Well you could argue it is down to market forces, these shops can only survive if they can make a profit Could Edinburgh City Council or the Scottish parliament only allow “quality” shops in the Royal Mile? I am glad that at least issues like these are being discussed as I blogged about the the Champs Elysees recently. I always feel that many beautiful locations are spoiled by cheap commercialism and have wondered if anything would or could ever be done about it. I have to say that Venice is one of the worst examples I have visited. It is such a beautiful city overun every street bulging with tourist tat. [...]
February 12th, 2007 at 11:59 am
[...] I have been reading more and more recently about trying to preserve the distinctive and unique character of cities such as Edinburgh and Paris. A Skyline Project has been initiated in Edinburgh to assess the views and vistas of the city. However the city council’s new headquarters are obscuring views down Waverly Valley. [...]