These pictures attest to a period of economic decline in the city during the mid-twentieth century, which can still be felt in some parts of Glasgow today. In these areas, aesthetic concerns are ignored in favour of cost, and shop fronts are made from the cheapest and most readily available materials, which often stand in stark contrast to the sandstone tenement flats above them (see right top and right third). Even when elements of the traditional facades are retained, modern signage often interrupts the aesthetic.
In some areas, Victorian buildings have been replaced by 1960s blocks (right bottom), and although new businesses do spring up, they often do not reflect the traditional shop front layout (right top), resulting in a disjointed and incoherent overall impression.
Debra image © Josephine Roscoe 2013.
All other images © Friederike Well 2012.
