Construction and Demolition
Construction and demolition often go hand in hand; especially nowadays. We have to get rid of the old in order to bring in the new, and as we run out of space this becomes even more of a truism. Those parts of the country where there is the highest demand for property tend to be the areas where there is very little space left to exploit. This means that in order to meet our requirements we will need to remove older buildings to allow us to build new. It seems almost certain that this connection between construction and demolition will continue as long as we like to live in urban areas.
The Need for Construction and Demolition
Sometimes people can feel a bit threatened by this cycle of construction and demolition. If we have grown up in an area it can be threatening to see the local landscape changed in such a destructive manner. Sure, these buildings may have seen better days but they are part of where we live and when they are removed it is like taking away from who we are. It is understandable that people do get upset by the construction and demolition cycle but there is little doubt that it is required.
The reason why we depend on both construction and demolition is that our urban needs are always changing – usually by increasing. Some cities have seen huge explosions in growth and if we fail to meet the requirements of these populations it can lead to huge social problems and lower standards of living. Buildings that may have served us perfectly well in the past just don't live up to our current requirements. If there was no limitation on space this would not be so much of a problem, but the fact that space does tend to be limited in urban areas means that our only option is to knock down the old to make way for the new. In many instances these older buildings will be falling apart anyway, and most will agree that a nice modern department store is of more use than a row of boarded up shops.
The Value of Construction and Demolition
There is no doubt that this construction and demolition cycle brings a lot of value to people's lives. It can rejuvenate areas that are dying, and provide new employment opportunities for those living in the local area. As well as adding life to the local employment opportunities for people it also means that they can benefit from now commercial and public properties such as; shops, cinemas, bars, restaurants, libraries, and every other type of service. Seeing an area that was rundown returning to glory is one of the great benefits of construction and destruction.
There is just no getting away from the need of the construction and destruction cycle. Unless we all go back to living simply in the forests we will need to accept it as part of modern life. When we look at the benefits of this type of work we can grow to appreciate it a lot more.