Super Size Me?

A futuristic exhibition goes on show today that displays how Manchester may one day become part of a huge northern Super City.
Architect Will Alsop’s utopia will see Manchester sprawl across the pennies and engulf the cities on the M62 corridor, including the likes of Leeds and Liverpool, even stretching as far as Hull with small towns like Barnsley and Huddersfield branching off into what will become some sort of huge scale surburbia.
The idea would be to have new settlements of between 2,000 and 5,000 people all of which will be spread along the motorway, which Alsop hopes would solve the problem of destroying the landscape with urban sprawl.
Far from being a made up overuse of imagination, Alsop insists the idea of the SuperCity is destined to happen, it’s just a matter of what form it will take, and he believes his idea, which includes ‘super’ motorway services stations where you could even go to get your haircut, is the best solution.
Will’s way aims to negate the potential problem of a town or city losing its current identity by creating new centres rather than distancing people from their own neighbourhoods.
So, does the new idea of a super city grab you? Or are you concerned that Manchester may lose its identity? Does it seem like a dumbed down version of Britain moving into Europe? Or are you not bothered in the slightest? – Either way, we’d like to know your views. Click here to send them!
You can visit Will Alsop’s exhibition and make your own mind up by heading down to the Urbis from today until the 5th May. Tickets are priced at £5.

Urbis
Cathedral Gardens
Central Manchester
Tel: 0161 235 8888