Cities ‘must pull ranks to boost creative industries’
Scotland’s £5bn-a-year creative industries could boost its international standing and turnover if the sectors in Edinburgh and Glasgow pulled ranks, according to one of the world’s leading architects.
Sir Terry Farrell, the design consultant on the massive Thames Gateway scheme who also produced the blueprint for Edinburgh’s financial district, also said that with the effects of climate change both cities should look at creating an eco-region’ encompassing the Forth and Clyde estuaries and the landscape in between.
Sir Terry said closer links between the universities in both cities would enable them to attract world-leading academics, while a National Centre for Urbanism in Edinburgh would complement the design centre at the Lighthouse.
Sir Terry, whose other projects include the MI6 headquarters in London and Kowloon Station in Hong Kong, was speaking at an event in Glasgow organised by the Creative Entrepreneurs Club and the Glasgow: Edinburgh Collaboration Initiative.
He said: “It’s not a question of what both cities are not doing but of doing things differently. We keep citing Malmo in Sweden and Copenhagen as examples of working closer together and the universities could look at new ways of co-operating and attracting the best academics, giving them a reason to come to both, not either or.
“There is simply no comparing of notes when it comes to the urban planning of both cities or looking at new developments or projects. You would think they would share more but I know they don’t.”
Head of the Glasgow-Edinburgh Collaboration Laura Gordon said both cities were already looking at a joint bid to host the biannual European Design capital.
She added: “Sir Terry has said in the past that if Glasgow and Edinburgh could collaborate more then it would become the most important UK region outside London.”
