All day long our neighbourhood is filled with the sounds of construction: drilling, hammering, the rumble of heavy trucks. Looking out from our balcony, we can see the closest spot from which these day-long rumblings come:
The noise seems to never stop and I often long for quiet. The spot in the photograph, though, is an example of what is happening in other streets near where I live; as well as on the main roads. The constant construction and zeal for creating condos is changing the skyline that I see everyday.
The buildings that are going up now are higher than the existing ones. And I know that in the next few years, this view of the horizon will change even more.
Do you see a changing skyline where you live?
© Colline Kook-Chun, 2015
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In our city they have tried to change the skyline without consulting residents or going through proper procedures … result is at least one court order requiring the removal of ten or so stories. Corruption, greed and ineptitude all play a part.
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Unfortunately these 35 story buildings have been approved – even though residents of the neighbourhood fought against it. Just shows what money and power can do. And I am sure there may be even a little corruption in the mix.
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The same the world over. It stinks.
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Agreed.
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No change in skyline allowed in my vicinity, Colline. All the houses are single storey and no changes allowed. I’m sure that in a big city, things are very different. Sorry about all the noise that you have to endure. Aren’t your windows double-glazed?
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They are but in summer time we do not keep them closed. Even with everything closed, though, we still hear some noise.
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my daughter is an architect in Berlin, and she (and even her little kids) are proud about every rising construction; yes, there is a constant noise with not a single interruption – 24 hours a day if you add the permanent traffic noise, emergency ambulance cars etc. – I’m not wondering, that the whole family escapes on every weekend to where the horses, frogs and storks are…
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Unfortunately not every person is able to escape the noise pollution of the city. It is no wonder that there are those that feel depression. Our souls need the open spaces of nature.
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Nope (Thank Goodness), but I sure do where I was born. Dallas looks different every time I visit — and I visit often.
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The constant building to go higher seems to be an epidemic found in every big city.
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I know it be very upsetting if it affecting me or my area.. sad…but population and businesses call for it..
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Unfortunately that is true Gerry.
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I live in an outer suburb and my skyline stays pretty much the same. There is no new building in my neighborhood, A trip into the city, however, reveals a skyline that is ever changing, and one that is far different from that of my childhood.
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That is the pleasure of living in the suburb – that and the quiet 🙂
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We constantly hear that there aren’t enough homes for an expanding population, Colline, but there are lots of ‘for sale’ signs and houses standing empty. I would hate to live in a high rise.
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We have not yet seen an empty house in Toronto. The problem in this city is that there are not enough houses to go around – which has driven the prices of houses up and forced many people to live in high rises.
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People need places to live, so what else can they do? Build apartments. I haven’t been to Hong Kong but my student of last year lived on the 14th floor of a 2 bedroom apartment never seeing the outside world!
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At least I have windows in my apartment 🙂
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That means a lot!
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Definitely not my idyllic panoramic scene Colline, looking at your pics make me want to move to pristine countryside, clear mountain air, babbling brooks gushing with fresh mountain waters.
One would only live in those condominiums in your pictures if they were compelled to.
Kind regards.
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Your image of babbling brooks and pristine mountain air is definitely calling me Ian! 🙂
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The City of London skyline seems to change from day to day! But where I live in the North-London suburbs nothing much has changed since the terraces went up in the 1890’s and the tower blocks were built in the 1960’s. The factory behind us was demolished around twenty years ago and replaced by modern 2-storey housing that is actually lower than the factory was. The centre of that estate has a couple of 4 storey apartment blocks but they are further away and so also don’t appear taller than the old factory. The social issues with high-rise housing mean that most councils in the UK will probably never go back to building tower blocks – though existing ones may get modernised.
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I visited a couple of London suburbs when I passed through a while ago and I am pleased to learn that not much has changed.
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Bummer Colline – but city building lots are SO expensive that contractors have to build density to make ends meet. We were amazed when we visited China at how many were going up and so quickly! Happily, here at home we have nothing higher than 3 stories and a very strict architectural review board. In nearby Charleston SC the skyline is restricted to keep it below the level of the highest church steeple. It’s a big city with a wonderful small-town feel!
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I like that there is nothing higher than 3 stories in your neighbourhood. That used to be the case here, but things have changed in the last few years – especially with the plans for the light rail that will pass through the area.
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I can completely sympathise – I live in Hong Kong and they’re constantly building new skyscrapers. The noise is endless and the skyline in a constant state of flux. I think it’s becoming a problem shared by more and more cities!
Thank you for the follow by the way!! 🙂
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I have heard many stories about the city of Hong Kong and the number of tall buildings there. Understandable when land is a premium.
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The crazy thing about Hong Kong is that the vast majority of the area is empty. There’s a lot of green space rubbing shoulders with intensely busy pockets of concrete jungle.
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I am surprised to hear this as I always thought it was crowded with skyscrapers. One definitely learns something new everyday 🙂
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yesssssssssssssss 🙂 But I can’t say I am so glad for this. You know my thoughts. Istanbul is changing very fast… Your photographs is nice, showing how and what going on there. Thanks and Love, nia
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Your city is changing as much as this one Nia – and it is not always for the better.
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I am not sure the skyline has changed much near me for hundreds of years except for the trees. There are probably fewer of them since they do a lot of logging. I am always amazed at how high they build in cities now. 🙂
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It would be a sad thing if your skyline were to change Robin.
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I live in a tiny village but we are having a freeway built just north of us. This will likely turn our village into a town or city. I doubt I will be living here by that time but it will be an interesting transformation.
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It will definitely affect your village if there is an offramp at that spot.
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The on/off ramp is about 2 miles away
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It will definitely affect your village then.
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In China, my skyline is ever-changing. Luckily, there’s no construction noise. In the US, while the skyline’s not changing, there’s a lot of road construction and along a forest way someone’s building a car wash that will mar the area. The troubling thing is that so many neighbors went to the public hearings to protest and the committee in charge recommended that the village council reject this plan. The ignored the people.
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It is upsetting when they do this – it makes a mockery of the so-called meetings at which the community can voice objections.
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I live in an old section of London, so the skyline isn’t changing, but there’s always scaffolding going up and down on the buildings around me. Lots of painting and renovating. Miles hates the noise.
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I cannot say that I blame him. The buildings do look good, though, when they have been renovated.
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The closest large city to me is Washington DC and they have height restrictions. With good reason I believe. Folks that commute there and are looking for parking disagree and would like to see some large parking lots in the sky.
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Hopefully those height restrictions will not change anytime soon.
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I don’t see it. Washingtonians hold firm to their “we are not New york” attitude as a badge of honor.
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Such transformations often seem invasive.
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They certainly feel that way.
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