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A tale of two regenerations

My contribution to the catalogue for Conrad Shawcross’ stunning Chord installation in the disused Kingsway Tram Subway in Holborn. My essay compared the Edwardian remodelling of Kingsway with contemporary proposals.

TALE-OF-TWO-

“The progressives envisaged a tree-lined boulevard with free-flowing traffic, partly inspired by Haussmann’s Paris but exploiting the very latest in engineering technology. It was to be a street worthy of the metropolis of a great empire at its zenith and there were strict planning guidelines … Nothing was to be allowed to lower the imperial tone and new public houses were banned, although 51 had been demolished.”