From the editor

摘要

What a fantastically obvious, simple, and profound point Joseph Rykwert made when he wrote that in 1963, for his book The Idea of a Town. It came to mind following the airing of David Chipperfield's view on London, in relation to Berlin, earlier this week. In the German capital, 'there is still an idea of the public realm,' he said. In London, however, 'we have given that up. We have declared the public realm dead; the question is how to get stuff out of the private sector. We are unbelievably sophisticated at that.' Was Chipperfield thinking of the Garden Bridge, that much-heralded 'public asset' that will prohibit groups of eight or more from walking across it unless they've received prior permission, be closed from midnight to 6am, and bar cyclists? He didn't say, but he may as well have been.