In contrast to the landscape of civic veneration produced for the
Cenotaph in St. Peter’s Square, the present generation of
Manchester’s city fathers favour a landscape of civic disportment.
Not the least surprising arrival in “New Piccadilly” during the 2005
Christmas season was this convenient addition to the public realm.
Two questions could be asked. Firstly, why do the authorities promote
the commissioning of buildings (in this instance from the Japanese
architect Tadao Ando) which might be mistaken by the inebriated for
public toilets? And secondly, do the commerical imperatives of the 24
hour city completely override any sophisticated idea of civic decorum.