ABSTRACT
So far things have not turned out quite as he predicted with heavy industry no longer centered in our major cities. However, there is an increasing demand to develop our urban centres rather more green and leafy and make urban living more user friendly. He was partially right in predicting “less ornamental purposes of civilization” would be located underground. There has been and continues to be huge investments throughout major cities all over the world in installing and extending underground transport systems. These are designed not only to transport people efficiently around the city but also provide shopping centres and public amenities. In recent years we have also witnessed an increasing use of underground space, where conditions are favourable, for installing a variety of facilities essential to the wellbeing of the city but not “ornamental” such as reservoirs , refuse disposal facilities, military installation, parking and underground storage. In recent years there has also been a move to locate cultural facilities such as auditoriums, libraries, galleries and museums underground.
