Habitat 1967

Looking at Habitat today provoked for me an image that is as far away as one could imagine.

Built for Expo ‘67, Habitat celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. At the time it was considered a marvel; the future of apartment or high-density living. I remember touring the building shortly after it opened. 20 years later, a friend of mine recalled spending the summer of 1967 billeted at Habitat. It was uncanny to ponder that our paths may have crossed some 20 years earlier.

Looking at Habitat across the harbour, just last week, it wasn’t these memories that came back, but rather those images of destroyed cities in Syria. Habitat looked like ruins of some bombed city. It was eery.