Bringing weak-structured or old-age buildings to life requires huge spendings from the authorities. Instead, there is a notion that constructions of new residential or traffic infrastructures could be advantageous. From my perspective, while I am a “restoration of old buildings” advocate, I am more inclined into the statement about newly contructed homes and roads, and the following paragraphs will further elucidate my opinion.
On one hand, it is clear that restoring old structures are culturally and traditionally benefial, as there are more things to consider other than monetary value. Take culture for example: Older buildings always contain meaningful values from the past, and sometimes they could convey some traditional ideas that are crucial to the city’s culture. If there are not enough investments on bringing back old buildings to life, these buildings are sure to be demolished, and it’s harder for the authorities to preserve the traditionally-inspired values that could be still beneficial to people nowadays, especially when serving as a lesson for older generations.
On the other hand, the advantages of building new infrastructures are enormous. While restoration of older buildings involves huge expenditures and efforts from the governments, constructions of new homes and roads, however, is far more suitable for citizen’s needs. For instance, there is a growing trend in increasing global population, and it is certain to put pressure on the housing demands, and therefore transportation needs. In addition, to attract visitors, or to make full use of citizens’ labor time, which will generate substantial income, a city should achieve a substantial reduction in transportation time. As a result, constructing new roads and homes, especially in suburban areas, would certainly be a solution for this issue, by preventing urban dwellers from traffic congestion. The “rebirth” of old structures, however, could only have a minimal impact.
Overall, while bringing back old structures will be beneficial to a city’s rich cultures and traditions, constructions of new infrastructures are the more preferred way to address the city’s problems, especially when it takes financial issues into account.