Reply To: Royal College of Surgeons & York Street

What do people make of the newly finished RCSI building on York St?
Don’t have a picture of it yet but the black corner glazing I think looks fantastic, very elegant, as is the stone detail above it.
The rest though is disappointing, faceless in design, and it also suffers from the dated and standardised nature of the stone used – polished granite. Acres of the stuff.

Also on York St, notices have just gone up confirming the demolition of the fine terrace of housing. I can’t believe this is happening, all to be replaced with 5 storeys of apartments, with 7 storeys to the rear. A total of 66 apartments are to be built, with part of the site being sold off. A retail unit is planned for the corner with Mercer St.

When do these buildings date from – the terrace is mine of architectural contraditions that make it difficult to date.
Whereas it isn’t exactly uplifting in design, or form a sweeping terrace of elegantly proportioned townhouses, the block has a unique grim quality to it that is worth maintaining. Likewise the railings, plinths and doorcases are worthy of retention. The street is much more damaged by the the dour RCSI concrete lump across the road than it is by this terrace.