Written By Bacall Michaels

Shoreditch is a borough of London which consists of buildings reminiscing Jack the Ripper, electronic music on every corner, and the creative youth. Here, you see gentrification controlled, only allowing Shoreditch to blossom further than any other. Upon Old Street you have Twitter, and near bustling Redchurch Street you have the prestigious Shoreditch House, facing colorful Brick Lane- a place where neon adorns Victorian industrialization like lights in Shinjuku. As Shoreditch is a battle ground of renovation, the heart of the next Silicon Valley, and art capital of London, everyone is attempting to get their hands on a piece of the area. The latest contradiction is Amanda Levete’s Huntingdon Estate. At first glance, I strongly was opposed to the concept. It’s a surrealistic design of architecture, and something that’s not true to Shoreditch. It’s a skyscraper, dominating, and blocking out the sun, over of all that encircles it. Whilst new buildings have been built, most architects have blended in with the environment. When reading further into Levete’s plans, as I tend to look at all issues in a rational manner, I came to be for the new Huntingdon Estate. The Estate is in strong disapproval by the locale, but we cannot deny that Shoreditch (and London) is ever-evolving. Upon another project, just cross the road is the Avant-Garde Tower. It will stand at 25 stories, promoting only luxury flats amongst claiming Shoreditch as the financial district- which is actually located around a mile out. The tower is already under construction, and as it’s on its way to completion- what is there to keep Shoreditch the center of ingenious that it is? If the tower of overpriced real estate was non-existent, of course the Huntingdon Estate would seem excessive. The Estate project has now been cut down in size after negative feedback, and is stressed as a building full of creative workshops alongside a gallery and market to showcase the next generation. How to counteract the appetite of heartless tycoons- is not only to support the idea that Levete may protect Shoreditch’s aura, but realize that this area is illustrious, and for being the incubator of entrepreneurs with or without a financial backing, will become even more prominent. This building compliments only because of this. As the hub is rich with innovators, constantly looking to the future- we can only embrace these projects to have avant garde architects, with the same ideals, make it so our surroundings absorb our energy- not disperse it to only history. Read more about the Huntingdon Estate and Amanda Levete.