Layers of Sheffield

Walking around Sheffield, it is hard to believe how modern it seems, especially considering that rarely are the buildings ever being torn down. There is a great dichotomy of places that would in most situations be tourist attractions, or museums in Australia due to their heritage, but are merely being re-used either as houses or have further been renovated to accommodate an up to date use in Sheffield. Significance in Sheffield, possibly England is the ability for continual use of a place and its resources. Sheffield is hugely contrasting to 'Docklands' in Australia, which similarly was highly industrialised and has changed, while there is almost every effort to hide the 'old' in docklands and most buildings are built over the top. Sheffield rather re-uses and gives further life to the existing. Even in regards to their roads, bumpy and misshapen as shown in the photo here where multiple layers of previous roads can be shown.




Multiple layers of roads tell a story

I am surprised that such conservation of a city would go so far and to keep the existing however dilapidated in use. Further there are many aspects of Sheffield that seem, underused and underappreciated, such as Kelham Island surrounded by a decent waterway seemingly forgotten and abandoned from any hope of attraction like the photo below, some fantastic artwork behind a café lining the water bank however the bank all along overgrown with reeds and no access for appreciation quite unlike say Bendigo which still uses its water ways, despite the stink, as an attraction. Sheffield seems predominantly about functionality without loss of heritage, possibly why the city centre is so great and the high percentage of heritage buildings



Contrasting forms of appreciation

 

These other photos are some written aspirations of possibly ‘schoolkids’. Wanting more, is it possible that Sheffield is becoming a place of new opportunity with a growing percentage of outwardly aspiring generations?

 



Aspirations of Sheffield's youth

 

- Josh Lee (Bachelor of Community Development)