Tomorrow's landscape: Sylvia Crowe + the brutalist public spaces of the Cumberland Basin Road Scheme

[@hannahmilliner2653]

I think you're absolutely correct about the sense of being on the edge that the Cumberland basin conjures up, especially with such a starkly beautiful view up the gorge. Even that view itself underscores the feeling of liminality, I think, being composed of so many different elements. The suspension bridge framed by the towering 300+ million year old cliffs of carboniferous limestone, the concrete and asphalt brutalism of the current portway forcing its way along the base of the gorge beneath, the huge expanse of mud flats exposed and hidden as the Severn tide forces water in and out of the channel... it's a pretty unique place, all in all. Cumberland basin's road layout is absolutely horrendous to drive through, and I personally think it's decades overdue an overhaul and a rethink (preferably shifting the focus away from such a heavily car-centric infrastructure), but... I can't lie, I have to admit that what will be lost in the redevelopment process probably isn't completely without merit or value. I think you've done a fantastic job in this video of articulating a lot of what I've felt about the basin in the past, but never really been able to put into words.

[@Zagneek]

Superbly done. It’s a fascinating area - that abruptness from stark urbanism to countryside is quite unique for a British city

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

And the other way around too.

[@southcalder]

It’s definitely something I loved about Bristol. Just a short walk from the city centre to relatively open countryside. Nowadays, the city I live nearest, Glasgow, is a very long walk from the centre to the outskirts. The city I work in, Edinburgh, is a little more condensed and has relatively open countryside and even some big Green hills within the city boundaries, but nothing compares to the lop sidedness of Bristol.

[@TimSmithWordSmith]

I’ve spent hours filming, photographing and walking around this collection of structures. Thank you for expressing a lot of my love for this awful, brilliant, concrete carbuncle.

[@davecorke9092]

As a driver, a cyclist and dog walker this space is so emotive from every angle of use, a excellent film well done that chap D :0)

[@johnbeaven8951]

Anyone of a certain age will also remember the highly unusual red neon street signage which was unique to just this " Cumberland Complex" scheme. Some of the direction signs lasted well into the 1980's but many had letters no longer lit etc. The signs were in lower case lettering and each sign was encased in heavy cream coloured steel framework that shielded the neon from sunlight etc. Most Bristolians over about 50 will remember them.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

that sounds great, wish I'd known, would have tried to find photos!

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

Forgotten about them. Thanks.

[@wetasspaddington]

as a kid coming down the portway into the harbourside through here was always so epic: going past the rugby club, along the seamills bridge, down the hill, past the willow whale, seeing climbers on the gorge, the tunnels randomly sticking out the cliff looking like something out of minecraft, then coming around the bend and seeing the absolutely massive iconic bridge so high up. diving into the short tunnel type thing and then being greeted with an truly odd mix of architecture being the announcement of entering the city so dramatically. first ashton gate sticks out slightly, and then driving past the first row of house (the last one before the turn has a waving flag of the spanish republican international brigades - always fun for us, i am from spain but grew up in the middle of farmyland severn vale - we always came down via the m5 and even there i remember the giraffe cranes at avonmouth and the hovis silos), then being greeted with these brutalist tendales towards the airport, but we would always come off and into the redeveloped harbourside of its modern style and parked in the (very expensive im told) millenium square car park. the short drive through hotwells road was always very strange to me because its old georgian and victorian housing sandwiched between two far more modern areas. the nautical theme with the absolutely massive victorian ss great britain is also great, it used to have even more colourful flags ! the trip back was still good but never as cool as that experience, just a bunch of huge weed-themed graffiti on the quarryfaces across the river. will probably look much cooler if the train ever comes back that side. now this has just got me thinking about the whole "@ bristol" centre mess which i recall very well, could probably make a mildly interesting video. the original science museum (one of the best in world if that counts for anything) will always be called "explore @ bristol" to little boy me. still such a waste that they just have an entire imax cinema sat there in a city with a cool film history, but im happy at least that 20C flicks hold their festivals there :)))

[@marcusnewey8287]

I've always lived to the south of Bristol, and, as a motorist, love the A370 approach, got to be one the all time best entries to a city. country road, small town, vista of city, BANG concrete, water, bridges, docks and in a matter of two minutes you've gone from countryside to the City centre. Love it.

[@Pjs75]

PD Thanks for your considered and erudite latest YT. Far from being a 30min period of ‘aimless waffle’, your presentation - emphasised with visual ‘time lapse resets’ - is reflective, philosophical and valuable. The lack of any intrusive ‘voxpops’ with your concentration on your own observations, opinions and utterances, is persuasive and valid. Now I live far from your city. But as a 12yr old, I used to go by BR train from my original ‘home’ town of WsM (enough said: that is why I moved away), to Georgian premises in Clifton - the destination for a prescribed course of ‘Othodontics’, {when there were such constructs}. I contend that there is nothing so persuasive as regular, independent youthful, adventures away from a small town ‘Home’, such as I experienced, to emphasise the opportunities for independent observation. Especially, I believe, when alighting at Temple Meads from a wooden non-corridor ‘3rd class’ carriage, at a period of societal, emotional & financial transition. So, in my youth I saw the Bristol of early post war years, through to the early 60s when I finally made it to the Metropolis. I find your 30+ YT videos a refreshing contraction, or glimpse of ‘what was’, ‘may have been’ & ‘never will be again’. Keep up the contributions to ‘Time Capsules’

[@johneast4235]

I think you articulated well That feeling of being on the edge of the city. It’s quite an unusual but powerful feeling, to feel on the edge of something whilst being in the middle. Loved the long video shots too

[@bengriffiths442]

I love the view of Cumberland basin from the top of a double decker bus, coming into the city. The gorge, the bridge, ashton court, hotwells, clifton and the harbour. All different but all so interesting. Thanks for another video, I really enjoy them.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

thanks! don't think I've ever been on a double-decker through there, quite tempted to take a useless ride to nowhere in particular and back to do that now you mention it

[@trainandbikefan]

Good to see another subject given your treatment..... From a motorist's (well mine at least) viewpoint back in the 60s/70s this was a major improvement for getting around Bristol southside. Prior to building the M5 motorway it also enabled holiday makers from the Midlands to dodge around the A38 / Gloucester Road, etc. congestion - which was hellish at weekends! But yes, much more should have been done to use the wasteland beneath. I'd completely forgotten the cafe, but I moved from Bristol over 40 years ago so didn't see it suddenly vanish. However my main reason for commenting is that back in the early days Cumberland Basin was a very brutal concrete scene - now, as you have captured it, it looks quite lush with trees and other natural vegetation dominating the background - so I guess it does have a strange charm. Thanks for your work PD!

[@PedestrianDiversions]

hello and thanks for your comment- again ;) you're so right about the trees, I only really realised when editing, if I put some january footage under a sentence about it being blesk and concrete-y then it matched, if I put june footage in it undermined my narration a bit. sad to think many mature trees would probably be sacrificed for a rebuild, of course they'll plant more but then we wait decades for them to fill out...

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

5:19 The control tower of my youthful school runs. Of course it was linked to Thunderbirds. Even when I was lucky enough to experience being first behind the gate as the swing bridge operated, although driver dad wasn't so enamoured. Later in my sixth form years, I came to appreciate quite what a unique entrance to a city this is. From the Long Ashton bypass flying over the countryside, past the big ouse of Ashton Court round the corner and bang you're in tobacco warehouse territory mixed with sixties roads are king. Then back down to ground level and instantly thrust into beautiful Georgian terraces compleat with bricked up window tax windows. What a journey!

[@burntoutcar]

I travelled through here regularly in my childhood in the eighties and early nineties, and a lot of what you said struck me then, even if I wasn’t able to articulate it. Wonderful video, thank you very much!

[@matthughes6474]

In summer 1979 I lived in Windsor Tce overlooking all of this. Two things I remember well: one was the water level rising to cover the lock gates and island completely. The other was the workers repairing repairing the road on the swing bridge. When the bridge swung then so did they - through 90 degrees!

[@Bobbin_Hoode]

Ah, so good to get another video! Just so you know, your cadence and content hit right in the sweet spot of interesting and chilled out. If you would like an angle to approach the Easton/M32 area from, you could do worse than following the river and path down from Stapleton or, if you've got your walking legs on, Winterbourne... Complete with diverting around private land sections and maybe a diversion to the old Frenchay hospital site... Ok, there's a couple of videos in there maybe. Anyway. Always ready to watch your videos when they come out, always glad you're doing them when you want to. Quality and sustainability over quantity any day!

[@crc5244]

I find this Cumberland Basin area so weirdly intriguing and I really enjoyed watching. Thank you! I hope in any future development they at least keep the control tower as a relic of the past.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

thanks! it would be nice wouldn't it. failing that, at least rescue the interior and put it in the m-shed or we the curious or something - I didn't show a present day photo of the interior controls, because obviously I would never have dreamt of going past the open gate with the barely visible 'no entry' text on it, to sneak a peak, but if I had done that, I would have seen that it still looks all very original 60s, really of-its-era stylish industrial design

[@Pierre-de-Standing]

@@PedestrianDiversions ;)

[@ekZ11761]

I skate here pretty well every week and have passed through it tens of thousands of times since being a child. I was really, really interested by this piece, particularly your point about the physical and mental space and ending up liking the apparently unlikeable -- thanks very much for making it and sharing.

[@artiesquires2573]

growing up and living in Southville I've found this area a consistently satisfying area to find some peace and... well not exactly quiet. the Daveside and its twin skatepark around the corner are areas i will sorely miss when the inevitable reconstruction of the area takes place, even as someone who's experience skating is mostly getting a concussion. the area serves as an excellent place to get away from the constraints of public space and do what you want, in a surprisingly safe manner. looking at other similar areas (dean lane for example) nowhere has the same level of feeling away from everything without also bringing a sense of anxiety about who else is looking for that experience, i suppose you have the constant sound of motor traffic to thank for that. nothing has ever given me a more intense feeling of love for the city than watching a band like Los Savages set up gear and play a set in a skatepark to the sound of the motorway. That being said, the beauty of the area is entirely from the contrast from urban life and I'd like somewhere to live, so if someone smarter than me can knock it down already and put something nicer in that would be great. pps: I love these videos and your subtle dry humour and style of narration are an excellent mix for someone interested in urbanism and local history who finds a lot of the other stuff out there a bit melodramatic sometimes.

[@2penry2]

What a great video, thoroughly enjoyed your narration and thoughts about the space.

[@jennybooth9609]

Harsh but fair on the 1960s optimism that sited a cafe and playground in the loop of a motorway junction. Human use aside, the rest of the landscaping (I mean the modelling of ground levels and shapes) is calm and well-scaled, respectful of the landscape beyond. Thanks for the enjoyable polemic, will be very useful for my essay on Crowe.

[@EuanMcG]

As someone whose family lives in Portishead and drives in through here regularly, I love your analysis of the area! Your style, attention to detail and engaging analysis of the architectural side reminds me of Jonathan Meades in some ways, and that's great

[@Hairnicks]

Used to live in the olod Campbell's Steamship offices overlooking the Cumberland Basin in the late 70's, before the docks were tidied and everything was full of weeds and derelict buildings. Great place then, no-one ever went there and we had it to ourselves, have some wonderful old photo's from then.

[@seanjose219]

I'd like to see those pics.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

me too!

[@patholio]

That bought back happy memories of exploring the myriad underpasses and spaces under the Brent Cross flyovers in NW London.

[@seanjose219]

I'm grateful you are covering this topic. This is my favourite area of bristol. I adore the brutalist architecture and unique space. Many people would never consider it had an aesthetic design, rather just efficient use of concrete to create roads, but the space and concrete is beautifully designed - the stairs being a great example of this. I appreciate you highlighting the importance of spomeniks. It was merely the most similar structures i could think of so someone would know what i was refering to. The struggle against facism deserves the utmost respect. It's sad her designs wern't fully realised, or demolished, the fountains and cafe looked wonderfully modern yet charming, great to see them in photos at least so thank you. You're right about it would have been listed with a different name on it like Corbusier. Great video, your research and videos are very much valued. Some great footage and script. I appreciacte your authentic style. I've also been trying to find the designer for the bench, to no avail. I hope somebody in the comments knows. I appreciate your conclusion but i think it would have worked if it had of had housing or a decent selection of shops or activities. If this space was in easton (where there's a kind of sister space under the m32) then it would be being used for markets and community events, as the space in easton is, despite lacking the green spaces and unique brutalist charm of the basin. It's too out the way and neglected is my theory.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

Yes I meant no implicit criticism of you re: the spomeniks thing. It just needed saying in general :) The concrete here really is so stylish, another example I didn't have time to mention in the video is the tapering of the pillars as seen at (e.g.) 1:59. Little things like that illustrate that however much we might dismiss it as ugly, now, they were putting in extra effort to make it as good looking as possbile Sylvia Crowe also envisaged the space should be animated with markets and the like. I did see crossfit classes happening there, which I suppose is a community event of sorts. I've spent almost no time in Easton so can't really compare personally... I suppose with this 'Bristol vs roads' (sporadic) series I've got going, one of these days I will have to look at the M32

[@jamesdoe1479]

Brilliant video, really enjoyed it. The good intentions of the optimistic 1960s overrun and subjugated by a combination of the dominance of the highway and lack of reality in terms of public usability and economic realities

[@adamfizz]

"Man United and Newcastle legend Michael Owen" is an underrated joke. Another belter of a video, cheers!

[@susanross963]

Thank-you. I like walking through here, for all the reasons you express. Because most of the traffic is raised up, I find it quite peaceful.

[@quora1820]

The 'Metrobus' bus lane runs near me and its pretty crazy that a park and ride/metro system just doesn't run on a sunday at all. There are a whole bunch of issues with parking in residential areas nearby on matchdays, and i'm certain a lot of that would be alleviated if people could use the park and ride/take that bus to get to games.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

Yeah it's daft, I think the constant stream of cars, pedestrians, cyclists in the shot illustrates that people do in fact wish to go places on sundays. to me, not running public transport for half the weekend is effectively saying people who can't afford a car or who have mobility issues preventing them cycling etc, do not deserve the same richness of life as the people seen in my shot. I don't think it's exaggerating to say I consider that shameful. and that is all notwithstanding the practical point of the stadium being there! add that in and it's even dafter. in a halfway sane world we'd have had a new Ashton Gate station open as part of the re-opened Portishead branch about 10 years ago

[@scottkeir7924]

Great work. And I appreciate the conundrum you start talking about at 26:07 or so - that it is an unsuccessful landscape as planned, but has found success as a place of escape and solace. When I was working at the Bristol Archives in the nearest tobacco warehouse to the road last year, I delighted in discovering that glorious bench, which also acts as a viewing platform for the various commemorative plaques for the scheme. I was always disappointed on the times when I found someone else there - a ridiculous thought given how big Bristol is, but appropriate for the area, as you say.

[@martinbrooks1562]

Strangely hypnotic 😮

[@MSmifffy]

Brilliant. From both a visual and audio perspective.

[@mozismobile]

yep, the unloved spaces where you can find a bit of solitude are valuable. But also very hard to plan for. Loved the video, appreciate your thoughts.

[@henrylovespies]

I used to live round here. I loved this part of the city, the stark, bleak but mostly empty area was great for walking around at night, the bmx track under the carriageway, the short walk to some beautiful parks and Ashton Court. It was a great place for graffiti and raves and contemplation of the contrast between nature and urbanism.

[@KaitlynnUK]

Thank you, I found this really interesting, and rather enjoy your presentation style :D

[@Jack93885]

I think liminal is most truly an appropriate definition for this space. I used to live that end of Hotwells Rd and would occasionally walk through when it was later, darker and, calmer - more quiet. It exuded that typical liminal energy that you see online. I'm not sure I like the idea of building more housing there, from a perspective of what feels "right" for the space. As you touch on at the end, there's a value to the qualities the space already has and I think it'd be a shame for all these kinds of spaces to disappear because the land could be put to better use. If it were down to me, I think I'd lean into the liminal quality of the space, making it nicer to transition through with nicer footpaths and foliage. The other thing I'd appreciate is some blank concrete walls, under the road, for the purpose of being blank canvases for the graffiti culture there. Maybe waist hight though as I think I might find it quite uneasy to obstruct too much view of my surroundings.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

Yeah I think we're on very much the same page re: what feels right for the future. I rewrote the last bit umpteen times and one of the prior drafts was even closer to your comment - I said something about how in the spike island video I had a generally "cool, bring it on" stance when it came to building Wapping Wharf style in this area - but having spent so much time there I've rather changed my mind and see the value it inherently delivers by being open space - even an overtly low quality open space. And that it would be nice to lean into those qualities. Bearing in mind that flood-risk thing, design the whole thing to be submerged. So not leaving it as a truly 'wild' space - still having footpages and benches and play equipment or whatever - but with a semi-wild quality, designed to flood whenever mother nature sees the need - in doing so hopefully lowering the risk of flooding elsewhere... but of course that would be a lot of property developer money eschewed, and the council is broke, so I'm not holding my breath

[@deepestdub]

Fantastic stuff. Wonderful imagery complimented by smart and evocative narration. Deserving of a much wider audience.

[@dukeofaaghisle7324]

Thanks. I’ve been enjoying your videos for some time. This one was particularly interesting as I had walked along Spike Island some years ago between the Balloon Fiesta and Temple Meads. Away from the inevitable traffic, it was quite pleasant. I wonder what Sylvia Crowe’s near-contemporary Ann McEwan would have made of it.

[@konskift]

This is getting to the quality of a betjemen film-essay!

[@raindaypictures2226]

Absolutely love this video; perfectly encapsulates an area in which I have spent many an idle hour and feel really attached to despite having moved away.

[@edwardheap7102]

Really enjoyed this! Was one of my favourite spaces for walks in lock down for all the reasons you outlined. On a summer night the automotive focussed structures, remnants of dockside industries combined with the stark transition of urban to rural give the whole area a distinctly 'American' vibe to me. Like somewhere from a Chandler novel.

[@greenbank234]

A classic piece of work1 It reminded me a bit of the 1982 film Koyaanisqatsi - it's a film with loads of time lapse photography of roads, etc. and a similar environmental theme. Cheers!

[@CTCTraining1]

Valuable time capsules for the coming decades ... sometimes a chat with a few locals who were in/adjacent to the development when it took place could add some colour. Hope you will cover the selected scheme as/when it comes to pass. Keep up the great work 😀👍

[@PedestrianDiversions]

yes I think the lack of other local/involved voices is a big weakness of my vids on topics like this or the totterdown one. but I'm socially inept, much more comfortable filming concrete than setting up interviews haha I'll be sure to cover the changes if I'm still here when they happen, which I am slightly starting to doubt...I saw a news article yesterday (typical, the same day I upload it, news come out to make it slightly out of date) which implied repairing/reinforcing the existing plimsoll bridge etc might still be on the table. With the general way of things at the moment I could well imagine BCC taking that as a cheaper option, prolonging the status quo for a couple of decades after all

[@CTCTraining1]

I quite understand ... maybe there is an oral history group in Bristol who could let you have some library material? I know round Colchester we have historical societies accumulating tapes of what people remember from their youth. You never know, someone else may have already done the leg work for you and might appreciate a way to share it with a wider audience. Just a thought 👍😀

[@PedestrianDiversions]

@@CTCTraining1 that's a good thought, I did use a snippet like that from a somerset farmer in my teazel vid which I thought really added a lot, I should look harder for bristol equivalent archives

[@seanjose219]

Thanks!

[@ChangesOneTim]

You've hit many proverbial nails on the head here - as well as share your thoughts on how this space could be better 'repurposed' - well done! Thank Christ your videos don't involve music, foreground or background...the temptation of others to belt out the opening bars of 'All Along The Watchtower' at the swingbridge section would have had me wailing into my beer.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

ha! no I avoid music for two main reasons, I find it hard to hear narrators sometimes, and I cant be bothered with licensing issues

[@RedScare67]

This is great. I've nearly always wondered what the point of the play park was as I was driving out to South Wales. I think whatever goes there is going to suffer the same problems as now though, as there's no through-traffic for pedestrians. If there was something on the other side, then I think the problem just gets shifted. It's an odd place. Great video

[@stevei-c8739]

Thanks for enlightening me. Thinking of all the times I’ve driven around here and wasn’t aware of the history.

[@fractalcat2121]

Thanks. Oddly, was just thinking this very morning that it's been a while since your last video and here you are. I like this area too and I often cut through on my way home to Southville from walking my dog on the downs. Amazing to see how it looked when new

[@PedestrianDiversions]

Many thanks! I wish I could've shown more photos of how it looked when new. There were some great ones in the Sylvia Crowe Collection but unfortunately I wasn't allowed to license the photos from there, only the plans. There are also some more on the Know Your Place map

[@AlexPacker]

Thanks for taking the time to share your passion for the city - I hope the powers that be take keen note of your comments, because I agree on every point

[@PedestrianDiversions]

thanks!

[@chrisdunderdale]

Great work!

[@LeadFarmer1597]

Absolutely fantastic vid, thanks for the info, commentary, and sense of humour! I definitely have a better appreciation for the area. As always, looking forward to the next one!

[@giantfrigginnerd]

Hey! Us nerds like the whining monotone.

[@Rob.Coleman]

Don't forget the directionless waffle, we like that as well👍.

[@ChangesOneTim]

@@Rob.Coleman Clever directionless though, as by the end of his videos you realise he's drawn it all together and it makes sense 😃

[@benday1218]

Very Jonathan Meades, nicely done.

[@hymek7017]

Excellent. That was so worth every minute of your time to create this excellent video. Many thanks.

[@adrianrutterford762]

Very interesting and informative. Thank you.

[@mopheeoos]

Great vid! Interesting subject and reflections so well put! Keep em coming.

[@keithreynolds]

Fantastic film. Thank you.

[@madhatter61]

Very interesting and thought provoking, thanks.

[@gregvideo07]

You must have put a lot of work and hours into this . Well done !

[@mattuk56]

Love your videos. Can u do one about the old Gaol and that area oneday?

[@PedestrianDiversions]

I mentioned the gaol a little bit in the gaol ferry bridge vid, and what's become of its footprint these days (wapping wharf development) in the spike island vid. (I guess you might have seen them already but I'll mention it for anyone else who might not have.) dunno if I've got enough more to say for a full vid about the gaol but who knows, maybe. feel free to throw any specific points or questions you've pondered at me - sometimes the smallest thing can set me off - this whole vid only really existed because of @seanjose219 comment about the spomenik bench

[@mattuk56]

@@PedestrianDiversions I mean more about the actual gaol and hangings there and the former entire structure ect. Crappy fact when I was 12 or 13 I climbed across the top of it above where the iron doors are and a HUGE drop the other side.

[@thesoundofgunfireoffinthed5654]

great to see another video from you king

[@paulbennell3313]

Superb. Subscribed.

[@simonmeeds1886]

Bizarrely I was in the area only today with my camera. I wish I'd seen this before my most recent visit. Excellent video.

[@ianhalsall-fox]

Another thoroughly researched and well presented video. That's Bristol alright. I trust if you haven't done so already then you will be filming around and under our dear M32 which is an allegory for what Bristol thought of its waterways - the poor old Frome. Thank goodness the Totterdown Gyratory never came about, although I guess it was started given the Council demolished so many decent Victorian houses and replaced them with meh 1980's houses when they finally cancelled the project!

[@PedestrianDiversions]

I really should do the M32 and/or Frome at some point, but I so rarely go to that part of town...ironically because all the big roads are so hostile

[@adben002]

Thanks

[@PedestrianDiversions]

thanks!

[@reserved-words]

Thanks, really enjoyed this one!

[@PedestrianDiversions]

thanks!

[@hannahcarlson2518]

I love the 10 extra minutes in your videos!

[@PedestrianDiversions]

which minutes are the extra ones though?!

[@wteff8586]

What a great video! I loved the length and your thoughts on all of this! New subscriber for sure!

[@PedestrianDiversions]

unfortunately you arrive at a point where my ideas and motivation pipelines are quite dry, no idea what or when the next vid might be. but welcome

[@user-pd6nl7pt2e]

I love this channel! Bristol’s answer to Johnathan Meads. ❤

[@PedestrianDiversions]

that's the third time someone's said that...must admit I had to google him as I live under a rock. anything particularly i should see/read?

[@andrewlynch8468]

@@PedestrianDiversions On France meadesshrine.blogspot.com/p/shrine.html

[@petemitchell9111]

At last, I was getting PD cold turkey...

[@PedestrianDiversions]

yeah I'm afraid a video every couple of weeks rather burnt me out, back to a more as-and-when approach

[@smorris12]

I love the flying control room. I think it's because it reminds me of similar structures from Lego sets and plan books.

[@robinbennett3531]

Here's a tip: People who don't like your (great ) voice can just put the subtitles on and some of their favourite music. Thanks for these videos

[@jaquesaulait]

Interesting, nice one.

[@gustinian]

I suspect nearly all Brutalist critics are really complaining about the neglect and overall lack of maintainance. The British rarely leave any budget for upkeep, preferring to have something concrete as it were.

[@jessery475]

Respect for getting that retro font for the text in the thumbnail. See it all over the city. Would you mind sharing what its called. PS love your work.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

found it on some free font site as 'Decorated 035', not sure if that's its proper name or if it's a knock-off

[@electrathewonderdog]

I love the fact not many people come here. I used to explore on my bikes back in the 1990’s before I moved away

[@gs188]

To be fair to the original design, noise levels in period from 1960's traffic volume of lighter vehicles with thin tyres was probably far less unplesent than now. Its just another unforseen element of how much things have changed through the structures working life.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

true

[@stevestrange2004]

I remember the cafe, but it was always shut! It be a sad day when they tear this down. It does it's job, but a lack of insight and care have let it down

[@rorytaylor3761]

Murakami reader here. Yes.

[@thehearingaid]

Damn no got shots of my old house :D Lived very close to here (one of the red townhouses) But yeah some bits of the graffiti were nice but it wasn't an area anyone ever used. Even if they made a skatepark or other activities it may have had some life. Did always enjoy the rose of denmark though.

[@hydorah]

Your title slide / thumbnail absolutely nailed the font used for signage on a lot of brutalist public buildings I grew up looking at - and using as we wuz poor, I tell thee. What font is that?

[@PedestrianDiversions]

found on a free font site as Decorated 035 but I think the original one had another name, can't remember it, will see if i can find

[@hydorah]

@@PedestrianDiversions Wow what a lucky find! Thanks for answering my query!

[@stevethomas5849]

crikey Sylvia was the same age as my Grandmother. Sylvia was responsible for Cumberland Basin. Gran was responsible for great jam tarts.

[@badnewswade]

I also love that area for much the same reasons, and I'm afraid of what might replace it. New housing is unlikely to be anything that will benefit ordinary people, as new housing in Bristol always boils down to either investment properties for billionaires or luxury flats for millionaires. Any road scheme will disrupt the little ecology that has managed to survive what we've already got, so why change it at all? Was it really designed to fall apart after a mere 60-odd years?

[@PedestrianDiversions]

I'm no civil engineer but I gather 50-70ish years was a pretty typical predicted lifespan for concrete bridges etc from this era. As for housing, I think the land is nearly all owned by BCC so could theoretically be all/mostly affordable/council housing but of course in reality I share your scepticism

[@Chaka421]

The new mini-ramp put in recently makes it the best location in Bristol. At least in heaven I can skate.

[@metatron007]

My favourite part is Noah's restaurant on Brunel Lock Rd, foods really good...

[@PedestrianDiversions]

filming location for Sid's Cafe in Only Fools and Horses too. was going to mention it/show it but it's been revamped from its 60s design and ot felt long enough without it

[@TheElfishGene]

The 'bass'uns' greatest appearance was in Adge Cutlers 1967 video I wish I was back on the farm. starting at about one minute 12 seconds in, in the link below. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoCVl4CobZyHgqs

[@PedestrianDiversions]

amazing

[@SirKenchalot]

I wouldn't call this directionless waffle; I don't think I agree with some of your appreciation of the area with you coming across a bit like someone suffering from Stockholm syndrome trying to make the most of their captivity and seeing the good side of their kidnappers, who know doubt only had the best of intentions. Maybe if there was a way of depicting noise and air pollution on city plans and diagrams, things might have turned out differently but it seems people didn't think about that back then, or possibly now. Rail infrastructure has incredibly low average noise pollution and little if any air pollution but motor vehicles are quite different as well as taking up multiple times as much space as rail for transporting the same number of people. Let's hope a Boston MA style 'big dig' could bury this monstrosity, allowing traffic through but forcing it out of sight and earshot.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

not quite stockholm syndrome I don't think, it's not like i'm out here campaigning in favour of schemes like this hehe. but yeah it's fair to say there was an element in this video of deliberately seeking out some silver linings, since I've lamented the bad side of such roads in several prior videos, and don't want to just be a roads-are-bad moan channel. from an urbanist perspective tunnelling all the through traffic out of sight and earshot would be my favourite option, no doubt, unfortunately that would mean a tunnel portal emerging in the avon gorge SSSI where there are rare plants that grow literally nowhere else on earth and whatnot, so I'm pretty sceptical that will happen

[@daniboyo]

Waiting for all of the Liverpool fans to comment…

[@MrJohnQCitizen]

I have a photo of my dad sat on that wooden bench

[@thisiszaphod]

Never got fond of the basin, but can appreciate the attraction. The trouble is that it went the way of most brutalist constructions - unkempt and unloved, and as is the norm, appeared a good idea on the back of a fag packet at the time, to go sour very quickly. Incongruous with its surroundings, down the decades it is about time it went, frankly. The road network it was designed to fit with never came - the ineptitude of Bristol City Planning in building, its application, transport and architecture is world renown for the wrong reasons, sadly.

[@legerarts]

It might be your polite british background, because I feel that you are short selling yourself, you write some things down in your videos that are almost ephemeral. Well done. I find it brave how you seemingly willingly to contradict yourself, to write down the truth.

[@alastairshankland7707]

if Jonathan Meades only did Bristol

[@moonkeele]

With one-way streets and flyovers, we know which way we'm facin' Hast seen our brand new bridge, up there in Cumberland Basin? The cars go by like thunder, and up and round and under, Where they goes, nobody knows, tain't no bleedin' wonder!

[@PedestrianDiversions]

you know I totally meant to put that in the spike island vid and forgot; guess what, forgot again

[@rogerroger5255]

Who ever thought people would want to hang around between elevated roadways ?? Get real.

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

2:54 Flaneur? Monsieur, in my book a flaneur would be horrified by your (admittedly admirable, if en train d'etre over-used) moribund monologues. Don't do yourself down fella. Your laconic wit and self-effacing style of presentation are somewhat diminished by such prologue personal put downs, if I may say. Stuff those rude buggers who are brave enough to leave a comment about exactly this, yet would probably run a mile were they to come face to face with you. Keep on truckin's what I say.

[@cleo_ra]

#boomtingz

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

Talking of coincidence, cf. your comment about releasing this to the world on the day BCC published sthg rendering it part obsolete, I wonder if you watch anything by Ruairidh MacVeigh who on this same weekend put up a hauntingly similar subject matter video. Places lost in time - The Embarcadero Freeway is relevant to the concrete overpasses by the docks of the Cumberland Basin as it's about the concrete overpasses by the Ferry Terminal in San Francisco.

[@PedestrianDiversions]

I've seen some of his vids but not watched that one (yet)

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

@@PedestrianDiversions They're eclectically fascinating aren't they? You might almost say that the style of the delivery is thankfully balanced by yours. Unfortunately he suffers from quite a few nasty comments about it and I wonder if your videos are similarly afflicted but that you judiciously edit them out of existence. It _is_ funny that you both covered the same subject ~ concrete car carriageways ~ simultaneously and from the root of the trend in California coupled with the British interpretation of the brave new world of Brutalism's diktats at the very same time. One last point and it's arguably as brutally Brutalist in its slavish adherence to those diktats as they come. I think it's fair to say that the uncompromising double-height flyover barging past the Ferry Terminal truly shows the what I say goes solidity of purpose the United States is excellent at doing. Likewise the Bristolian/British take on tapered columns, continuous curves and seamless standardisation flights of fancy that only concrete can facilitate, showcases the elan of the European artistic eye. I'll stop now because pseudery slides ever closer I fear.

[@alistanford]

magic. i am a graffiti writer, you know us well. thx

[@PedestrianDiversions]

when I lived in london I took a lot of trains so, as much to pass the time as anything, I started challenging myself to get sharp panning shots of trackside pieces. grew into a bit of a graf photography obsession and soon I was taking trains to nowhere and back just to do that. have considered a vid on graffiti but I dont get to see the bristol scene in the same way due to relative paucity of suburban rail

[@Deepthought-42]

I wonder how much the aerosol graffiti has contributed to the hole in the ozone layer over the years

[@nicks4934]

Hostile to cyclists and pedestrians. Wont be missed.

[@jackx4311]

1960s brutalist? It looks more like 1930s Stalinist. If you want to know what urban regeneration could and *SHOULD* look like, try this for size: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpfSn5uigpt8bdk