"Although we talk of the "Bilbao effect" - how one remarkable building can change the way in which a city is perceived and boost its economy - there is little evidence to suggest that architecture in the form of a single gesture can really have such restorative powers. Without easyJet, it is far from certain that the small economic gains in Bilbao would be measurable at all. But now every failing town or institution is considering some sort of architectural makeover. A smart new building can have the opposite effect of showing up those areas that are struggling."
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- bill 7-12-2004 6:51 pm