Time travelling in London with Streetview
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Published 2024-07-09
In this video we use Google Streetview to time travel - all the way back to 2008! Not quite as adventurous as Doctor Who, but that's long enough ago to be able to spot several key differences in London's cityscape.
Like the brilliantly-named Bleeding Heart Yard, where a pretty dull 1960s office block has been totally renovated and now resembles something much older - it now complements its surroundings. In East London we explore Goodluck Hope - a brand new development on the site of an old industrial estate on a peninsula in the Thames. I think this is a really brilliantly-designed scheme and one of my favourite London neighbourhoods to explore.
Using Streetview, we also focus on how London is improving the spaces between buildings - with Strand Aldwych and Venn Street in Clapham featuring as great examples of how to create more space for people.
00:00 - Intro
01:26 - Bleeding Heart Yard
03:16 - Goodluck Hope
07:58 - Strand Aldwych
10:32 - Venn Street Clapham
More information about Bleeding Heart Yard: knowyourlondon.wordpress.com/2020/09/18/bleeding-h…
David Green's article about the Strand at Aldwych before it was pedestrianised: www.strandlines.london/2010/12/03/soundscapes-on-t…
Old photos of Goodluck Hope were taken from information boards presented around the neighbourhood. If anybody has sources for these I will display them, thanks!
All Google Streetview imagery courtesy of Google.
All Comments (21)
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Yet another brilliant delivery. Take your time, don’t rush them out, don’t be pressured, don’t burn out.
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Love playing with Street View to see how the world used to look when I grew up, but you're right to suggest it'll be a great tool in decades to come to see how things once were. I've always wished Google would one day try to create a historic Streetview using historical imagery stitched together - imagine exploring 1900s London with the freedom of Streetview today!
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Absolutely fantastic video. Great job. It was wonderful seeing all the redeveloped areas of East London, as I've lived and worked in those neighbourhoods for the past 25 years. It's easy to forget what they once looked like, despite a lot of the redevelopment only occurring in recent years.
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Another great video Ed. Love the way you're highlighting the good and positive changes in London and Britain's cities, proving that not all things have to be doom and gloom in this country!
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Fantastic video, great delivery and very infromation. Love Street View, thanks!
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What an interesting way to use street view!
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I've just found my new favourite YouTube channel! Thanks for the beautifully crafted and narrated content. Great to hear your take on Goodluck Hope and Venn St. Two favourite spots of mine. I too hadn't realised how recently Venn St had been pedestrianised. Keep up the good work.
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I absolutely loved watching this. Spirits considerably lifted.
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I need more, more and more of those videos!!!😍🥰😘
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Great video. I'm looking forward to what you have planned next...
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I used this feature in Christchurch, New Zealand and it is insane how many old buildings have been destroyed by the 2011 earthquake.
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Not sure how or why I came across your channel but I'm glad I did. You have a very refreshing outlook on modern architecture and urban planning which I like. Excellent videos. More videos please!
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Well done - again👍
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Great video! Very interesting
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I didn't know about StreetView time travel and I've lived in East London for 10 years, from Canada Water to the Isle of dogs to Hackney Wick and cycle through the canals and River Lea all the time and you've shown loads that I never knew about. I need to get out and explore more nooks and crannies, in person and in StreetView. PS: 4:18 I totally forgive you for that slip. I've lost count of the number of times I've had the year 2000 in my head but 2020 comes out of my mouth.
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Great video ed , really enjoyed this one too
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It was only yesterday having failed miserably to find images of a street redeveloped out of all recognition, that I belatedly remembered google streetview's 'time travel' feature, and back it all came as I remembered.
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you get so used to abandoned land you almost become blind to it, once they start building on it it's suddenly pulled to the forefront and becomes a real sticking point for many people. It really takes as long as almost complete for people to become familiar with the buildings and become much more accepting of the developments. Hopefully with the new government we can get past the pains of development proposals and just get on with building
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Excellent. Perfectly narrated. I worked in Canning Town 2000-2003....wow!
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Yes keep up the good work more of beautifull London city moph and evolve
