| |
Colour in Towns & Cities
by Ben Adamson
As noted by Michael Lancaster, ‘the image of a city is strongly influenced by colour’. It would be easy to mistake the application of the term ‘colours in towns and cities’ as referring only to its architecture. There are many other elements at work however – the colour of the city’s transport, for example. London’s buses are not only famed for being red, but are actually required to be so. All companies operating buses on London routes must ensure that their vehicles are at least 80% red. |
 |
The yellow cab – surely as synonymous with New York as the Statue of Liberty. Lancaster also notes the variations between areas of London in terms of colour: ‘…between the cream and white buildings of Regents Park and Belgravia, the red of Knightsbridge, and the greys and yellows of West Kensington. Moving from one to the other is like experiencing a change of climate’.
In terms of urban environments, building materials are only one component of the colour-mix.
|
The use of colour can indeed ‘make or break’ a city. A location that favours the use of plain, grey concrete buildings with little in the way of additional factors such as landscaping and lighting will likely be less popular for residents and businesses than a location which strikes a perfect balance between form and function. The use of reflective glass in buildings will better allow them to take on the colour of their surroundings. An isolated glass skyscraper will take on the colour of the sky and of the streets below. |
|
 |
Night brings a new life to cities in more ways than one; not least colour. All populated areas take on the sodium-lighted orange glow. However many big cities have areas that offer much more. London ’s Piccadilly Circus, for example, is arguably far more beautiful at night than during the daytime. |
|
Much the same could surely be said for Times Square in New York. A location that arguably emphasizes the different worlds that may be created by day and night in terms of colour and atmosphere is Las Vegas. |
 |
During the day, the persistent Nevada sunshine highlights a wealth of colourful structures – including the forest green glass of the ‘MGM Grand’ Hotel, the deep yellow of the ‘Mirage Hotel’, and the varied, almost exaggerated colours of ‘ New York New York’. |
|
At night, the colour of the buildings fades into obscurity – bright lights, neon signs and vast video screens take over the town. |
References
LANCASTER, M. (1984) Britain in View. Colour and Landscape. London: Quiller Press, p. 68.
Copyright © 2004 Micro Academy. |
|
|
|
