Demolition

Demolition is the destruction of the built environment that occurs when buildings are torn down. In any given year approximately 750. 000 people lose their housing through demolition. In many instances, those living in locations targeted by demolition have little say in the disposition of their neighbourhood and often face difficulty in finding appropriate replacement housing. Demolition is an integral part of urban accumulation processes. During times of crisis, the urban built environment becomes, as David Harvey points out, a barrier to the resumption of economic growth. Thus, demolition is used to clear the urban landscape of outmoded elements of the built environment. Demolition is also used as a method of social control. Here, neighbourhoods that are sites of resistance may be targeted for demolition. Urban ghettos, where minorities are confined via discrimination, are viewed as potential threats to social order and are also frequently demolished to make way for highways, gentrified housing, or sites for mega-events such as the Olympics. © 2012