CARDIFF - 'The City of Dreadful Knights'?

The Philosophy Café, Cardiff Tuesday 21 October 2014

The proposition will be put that the development of Cardiff has, historically, been shaped by those described as patrons and by actions and behaviours termed patronage. The terms ‘patron’ and ‘patronage’ appear frequently in writing on architecture and the built environment but are seldom clarified in such use. The characteristics of patronage will be defined as used in that context and the presentation will also explain how behaviour so described may merge with other common definitions of that term. These, and the relevant powers commanded and deployed by those termed patrons, will be illustrated by reference to the development of Cardiff which may be described as being ‘founded on patronage’.

Such powers can be initially defined as: “the possibility of imposing one’s will upon the behaviour of other persons” (Weber 1954). However, references to patronage frequently mention the ‘rich and powerful’ or ‘powerful and wealthy’ patron and the command of economic resources will be discussed as but one source of power together with the relevant instruments of power which may be deployed by those described as patrons of architecture and the built environment.

A further quotation which will be discussed is that;

“There is no absolute correlation between the powers that shape a space and the relationships of power that space shapes. There is no fixed form of power, no formula…….mean people can make generous places, and vice versa.”(Moore 2012)

Some consideration will then be given to the motivation and intent of those described as patrons and, in so doing, the positive connotations of patronage in urban development historically contrasted with other meanings of the term. Reference will be made to other derivatives of the Latin root pater which will include paternalism, patrimonialism and patronisation which can have more negative association in writing on the built environment. Such characteristics will, hopefully, be more than amply demonstrated by those who have shaped the historical development of the city of Cardiff.

Among the themes that will hopefully be explored by open discussion following the presentation will be whether the forms of patronage which have enabled architectural and urban development historically are possible in a democratic polity like contemporary Britain and;

·        How the aspirations of urban regeneration policy and design control are affected by commercial development practice and realpolitik with consequent impact on the quality of such development.

·        The influence of culture as an aspect of conditioned power and the persistence of personality and coercive power in the development process

·        Whether probity, expressed as public accountability, has inhibited innovation and contributed to the mediocrity of architecture and public spaces. 

A short presentation will be given at the Philosophy Café, The Gate, Keppoch Street, Roath Cardiff at 8pm on Tuesday 21 October 2014 followed by discussion of the themes until 10pm.

Refs.

Moore, R. (2012). Why We Build. London, Picador.

              

Weber, M. (1954). Max Weber on Law in Economy and Society. Cambridge,Mass., Harvard University Press.