IELTS essay - Some people think that too much money has been spent looking after and repairing old buildings, so we should knock down old buildings and build modern ones instead. To what extent do you agree or disagree?\

It has been a matter of intense debate for quite some time now as to what should be done with old buildings. Some opine that it is futile to spend money on their restoration and upkeep and that it would be better to build modern ones instead. I partially agree with their view. I believe that those old buildings which are neither beautiful nor useful, should be demolished where as those buildings which add character to a place, give it a unique identity or have a historic significance should be repaired and restored at all costs.

There are many arguments in favour of demolishing old buildings. It is not very uncommon to hear news on TV that a building in a particular city crumbled killing a few people. Such buildings should be demolished even if they have an emotional value for the owners. The maintenance costs of such buildings which are in a very bad shape are much more than the cost of demolishing and building new ones instead.

What is more, the newer buildings could be made in such a way that they can accommodate more people in that much space. These buildings could also be made to be energy efficient by using newer technologies which could save a lot of energy later on. For example, double glass panels could be used for insulation and the terraces could be made as to accommodate solar panels. All these measures are the need of the hour considering the rapidly occurring climate changes and the burgeoning population.

On the other hand, there are some old buildings which give a unique identity to a place and with a little maintenance can be used effectively even today. For example, the Sainik School of Kapurthala was the home the maharaja of Kapurthala, Jagatjit Singh. It is a magnificent piece of architecture and is now serving a very good purpose. There are many other such buildings which house important government offices or have been converted to hotels for tourists. The Umedh Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan has been converted into a hotel and is a good source of revenue for the government. We would be losing a lot of our historical and cultural background if we demolish such buildings.

To put it in a nutshell, I pen down saying that, the decision to preserve or demolish old buildings should be made after considering many factors. If the old building can be used effectively or be made into a tourist attraction or is giving a unique identity to a place, it should definitely be preserved. If a building is occupying a lot of space and is unfit to live in, then it should be demolished.