I heard this story on the radio first, which led to me being nonplussed when I later saw the pictures.
Stories like this, and the current frenzy for listed buildings in the UK makes me feel there is a little too much respect afforded past architecture. Should we be keeping structures that aren't beautiful either by the standards of their time or ours, simply because it is old? Will we be eventually constrained in creating new styles, if we are stuck preserving past ones?
Well an inventive architect could incorporate the theme of these into a new structure, if not actual pieces. I could see bringing some of the decorative structure for a large indoor area, or modeling the exterior on it.
However similar sentiment can lead to stagnation as areas are not developed and instead become depressed from disuse. Now granted most of the push is likely coming from the lack of housing for the rich than trying to find new space for the poor
You need to keep a couple of them. Hence the 1980s skate park that recently got Listed status. We built loads in the 1980s, then most of them closed and got demolished, leaving just a few remaining.
Stories like this, and the current frenzy for listed buildings in the UK makes me feel there is a little too much respect afforded past architecture. Should we be keeping structures that aren't beautiful either by the standards of their time or ours, simply because it is old? Will we be eventually constrained in creating new styles, if we are stuck preserving past ones?