WHAT AESTHETICS?

Feb 24, 2010 Peeping Tom

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It is a bitter irony that the government could have co-sponsored a photographic display which included exhibits of our architectural heritage while at the same time erecting a massive security building on the grounds of the former ‘Residence’ on Vlissengen Road.
That building, which was the former official residence of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, now houses the National Art Gallery and is now known as Castellani House. From the enclosed eastern balcony there was a splendid view of the grounds. That view will soon be obfuscated because the government has begun construction of a Central Intelligence Agency on the said grounds.
During yesterday’s Mash Day celebrations, I wandered away from the thick crowds to have a peek at this controversial structure which has been assailed as destroying the ambiance of the Castellani Grounds.
Having had a good look, I would have suggested that instead of wasting money to build a new structure on the grounds, it would have been much better to have located the proposed security office within Castellani House and to remove the art gallery to another location where the national collection would be better viewed.
Locating the Central Intelligence Agency on those grounds makes no sense, because you cannot have a major intelligence headquarters located near to where the public has access, and the National Art Gallery is a public place frequented by visitors. It now means those visiting the art gallery will have to go through a monstrous security network before entering the gallery since those in the Central Intelligence Agency will be wary of the presence of visitors so close to their building.
From an aesthetic point of view, it is a travesty to have built an additional building on the grounds. But the ‘Residence’ had over a period of time taken on a look far different from what the original architect had intended.
Perhaps when next there is a photographic exhibition in Georgetown about old historic buildings, a depiction of what the original building looked like can be displayed, so that it be contrasted with what is now Castellani House.
Georgetown was known for its historic buildings. Old photographs of some of the main landmarks of the city revealed beautifully designed and constructed buildings such as Parliament, St. George’s Cathedral,  City Hall, the High Court and Parliament.
These old photographs showed another distinctive feature of the grounds on which these buildings are located. They were always spacious, since this tended to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the buildings.
Over time, all manner of structures have encircled some of these buildings, detracting from their aesthetics. There are no longer spacious grounds and wide avenues surrounding these buildings. Instead huge, monstrous structures are springing up all around these historic buildings thus dwarfing their presence and reducing their aesthetic appeal.
For example, the building authorities should never have allowed large buildings to have been built near to the St. George’s Cathedral. This is a historic landmark that was always in the old days visible from afar. Since most of the surrounding buildings, except for the Bank of Guyana were not high structures, it gave an imposing presence to the Cathedral. The same it was for all the other historic structures.
In a matter of months, there is going to be a dramatic transformation of the way the Cathedral is seen, for a huge structure is going up nearby which will be not much shorter than the Cathedral, thus removing the contrast that was so much a part of the appeal of this building.
It is the same with Parliament. It is now surrounded by heavy commerce and buildings and no longer has that striking appeal of years gone by.  The old Lighthouse was under threat of being obscured by a huge hotel which was proposed for the seafront area.
As I moved around the city yesterday, there were other distressing signs. There was a plan to rebuild the Palms Building, but that seems to have been put on the backburner. In fact, what should not have been part of the grounds for the residents of that institution, now houses a small concrete building.
If there is a plan to build a new home for the indigent, why invest in such a structure? And why not have left the area where that building has been constructed as grounds in which the residents could relax?
On the lovely grounds of the High Court, a huge building is being constructed. A bank is under construction opposite the Pegasus at a location, which used to be a sports ground. A school has been built in Eve Leary also on a plot of land, which used to be dedicated to recreational purposes. Even the Police are erecting a huge building at the junction of Carifesta Avenue and Camp Road.
Then there was the shocking discovery that the old mosque on Church Street has been pulled down. Now who authorized this? This is a building of historic significance in Guyana and ought not to have been pulled down. Did the Heritage Society object to this?
All around you see this total disregard for aesthetic appeal. Who knows perhaps, one day, they may indeed build a public outhouse at the Cenotaph!

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