TITANIC MURAL by Andy Welsh. used under Creative Commons
Despite describing it as the world’s most recognisable brand, one would think that naming something after the Titantic wouldn’t inspire much confidence.
Culture is often used as a regeneration catalyst. This is nothing new. More often than not, they are bolted on the side of large housing estates like a hospital or school. The difference with the Titanic Quarter is that the flats, hotels and banking centres are being placed around what will become the Titanic Museum, the cultural centre for all this branding. This feels less like a housing estate with an artificial addition and more like people will be living on a heritage site. The blurring between hotel and museum continues.
To put this in context: what would the feelings be if hotels and luxury apartments turned up in Northern France, renovated the local museum and heritage sites and called it “The Somme Battlefield Quarter”?
Would you live there?
