Since 2006, a significant transformation has swept through Glasgow’s skyline, with 35% of its high rise flats meeting the wrecking ball, among them the iconic Whitevale and Bluevale flats, affectionately dubbed Glasgow’s Twin Towers. Erected in 1969 amidst hopeful aspirations to solve the city’s housing crisis, these towering structures once symbolized a utopian vision. However, as the years unfolded, they devolved into a stark portrayal of urban decay, plagued by crime and abandonment.
A poignant glimpse into this narrative unfolds in “Lights Out,” a compelling short film emerging from the Disappearing Glasgow project. This cinematic endeavor encapsulates four years of meticulous documentation, incorporating time-lapse visuals and poignant audio interviews with both the inaugural and final demolition of the Twin Towers. Through this lens, the film paints a vivid portrait of the towers’ rise and fall, capturing the essence of a community’s journey from hope to disillusionment.
Within “Lights Out,” viewers are invited to traverse the corridors of memory, encountering the echoes of lives lived within these concrete behemoths. From the optimism of early inhabitants to the resignation of those witnessing their homes’ demise, each voice contributes to a rich tapestry of human experience against the backdrop of architectural evolution.
As the wrecking ball swings and the Twin Towers succumb to rubble, “Lights Out” stands as a testament to the resilience of memory, preserving a chapter of Glasgow’s history amidst the relentless march of progress.
