In the month that Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower celebrated its 10th birthday and plans were unveiled to rejuvenate Southampton’s Bargate, it seems the subject of city identity is once again a hot topic.
But does a city need an iconic monument cemented into its roots to give it an identity and sense of place – and if so what’s Southampton’s ‘icon’?
When Michael Portillo delivered the keynote speech at a Business South annual conference a few years ago he argued that the very thing that sets a city apart, makes it distinct, is its architecture.
Almost every major city in the UK and, indeed the world, has some form of architectural masterpiece with which it is synonymous. Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Rio de Janeiro has Christ the Redeemer and New York has more architectural icons than you can shake a selfie stick at. At home, as well as the Spinnaker Tower, now enhanced by the Emirates brand, there’s diverse range from the Coca Cola London Eye to Salisbury Cathedral – even Birmingham has the Bullring (ok, a little dubious admittedly!)
So what is Southampton’s icon? During last year’s ABP Southampton Half Marathon, for which Lee Peck Media delivered the PR, the image of the Itchen Bridge became synonymous with the city (and the aching thighs of the participating 6,000 runners). The Bargate monument is also a contender and with plans afoot to redevelop the area, it could become even more prominent.
But Southampton has never been a city to rest on its laurels and we could very well be in line for a new identity for the city over coming years. As our client, developer Grosvenor, hands over the Arts Complex in Above Bar, which incorporates galleries, theatres, homes and restaurants, to the City Council, Southampton’s skyline may have a new area of focus. After all, it’s not one building or monument that creates a sense of place, it’s something that’s collective and has a feeling of cohesion. The city’s Cultural Quarter does just that.
The subject of place-making is set to continue long after memories of the Spinnaker Tower’s anniversary fade. Next year the Solent Design Awards, which celebrate on a biannual basis the best architecture and place-making in South Hampshire, are set to shine a light on the finest examples once again. Being heavily involved in the awards as the agency responsible for sponsorship, we’re looking forward to seeing which developments the judges cite as the best.
Putting our own judge’s hat on for a second we have an opinion on what defines Southampton’s identity and it’s not something made of bricks and mortar. To our thinking it’s the iconic view of giant cruise ships docked in the city’s port that defines us. Southampton is, after all, the Cruise Capital of Europe and the home of Carnival UK, which has Cunard and P&O brands in its stable.
It’s true the cruise ships may not be fixed into the ground with cement and joists but they are forever etched into our history and our ‘place DNA’. Just like the city itself these floating icons are ever-evolving, always entertaining and full of opportunity – a couple of weeks ago we enjoyed a tour of Britannia together with lunch courtesy of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce. Whether you love cruising or not, these architectural leviathans are a marvel to behold as they tower above the landscape.
What do you think defines Southampton as a place? Email your thoughts to lee@www.leepeckmedia.com or join the debate on our Facebook page.