Parnell Square redevelopment

[exene1]

"Oriental enclave". For the love of all that's holy what kind of report uses a word, "Oriential", that is regarded as the symbol of a patronizing and exoticizing attitude to Asians to suggest making an "enclave" to "showcase Asian architecture and design and serve as a restaurant and shopping emporium"!

Haha, it's a UK / American differentiation isn't it? In the UK the Pakistani 711 attack suspects were of "Asian" origin. But in America "Asian" mafia dons were controversially moved up the liver transplant list in the hope of info on fellow Japanese mafiosi.

[StephenC]

http://www.dublincivictrust.ie/news-ent ... 1318848980

[Cathal Dunne]

There are some very good ideas in that report about what should be done around Parnell Sq. I was initially disconcerted by the lack of lanterns, neon signs and pagoda-style awnnings which are normally associated with Chinatowns but the emphasis on brickwork makes sense given that it is one of the strengths of Dublin architecture. Whether or not DCC, the Government or the traders themselves pick up on the Civic Trust's ideas it is nonetheless crucial that we do successfully develop this Chinatown. The whole area north of Talbot Street and south of Parnell St. should be developed into a series of ethnic quarters to give a platform to the cosmopolitanism of our city.

[gunter]

With the ethnic quarter you get a revitalization of previously dead streets, but on the other hand, shopfront design and the control of signage often goes down another notch lower than you thought was possible.

Sticking with the positive, I took a late night stroll around the Capel Street area the other night and I was struck by how lively the place was due, almost exclusively, to ethnic shops and restaurants - open when the shutters were down on everything else. There was even a new Polish shop open on Little Britain Street, which used to be a chasm of darkness, even during the day.

A new [to me anyway] Chinese restaurant on Mary Street, opposite the church/pub, was absolutely heaving, all very encouraging.

I think the Civic Trust report on Parnell Street is right to highlight the ethnic business energies in the area and the potential that that brings for urban regeneration, and I think they're right too to point out that without a strong, vision-led, framework all those energies will dissipate and result in little or no urban regeneration. That's were the City Council need to lead with pilot schemes, active engagment, and pro-active planning.

[StephenC]

17th November, sees the next "Thursday Lunchtime Conversations in darcspace"

Dublin Civic Trust will lead a discussion on their recent report 'Parnell Street East: A Vision for an Historic City Centre Street' with Dr Sandra O’Connell is the ‘host/facilitator’. The lunch event coincides with the current exhibition at darc space, which marks the publication of the Trust’s thought-provoking report, setting out a vision for Parnell Street East. The exhibition runs until the 18th November and was opened on 3 November by Dublin City Architect Ali Grehan.

The lunch-time discussion (1-2pm) will explore how one of the city’s most central yet most forgotten thoroughfares could become once more a vibrant commercial and residential centre. However it will also raise wider, important questions on how, in light of major government cutbacks, individuals and organisations can bring about positive change on all levels – from small interventions to the large city scale.

The event is freebut as places are limited please contact us to book in: info@darcspace.ie

Lunch is kindly sponsored by Carrolls Gift Stores, who have also sponsored the exhibition and, with the DCBA, also sponsored the report.

[exene1]

http://www.dublincivictrust.ie/news-ent ... 1318848980

Looks good.

Also photos from the DCC Libraries site of the '74 bomb aftermath show that Parnell Street's buildings were once much classier looking:

Stenchy Fibbers.

[StephenC]

Ya wait years for an applications for Parnell Street that might suggest a change of attitude to a street in almost terminal decline and this is what you get http://www.dublincity.ie/AnitePublicDocs/00363858.pdf

Thankfully refused http://www.dublincity.ie/swiftlg/apas/r ... ts%3C/a%3E

[Morlan]

The new design for the child rape memorial in the Garden of Remembrance has been released.



http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0720/design ... eased.html

[Clinch]

So the City Council ran out of money for the repaving of Parnell Square. However OPW are applying for Planning Permission for the Memorial for Victims of Abuse in Institutions. So while you wait for your bus on the narrow, cracked pavement you can look across the four lanes of tarmac to the visual feast above.

Aside from the question of whether it's a fitting memorial, I'd have thought there were inherent problems in building a publicly accessible 20 metre long tunnel in a city centre location. None of the images seem to show what the inside of this tunnel will look like.

Link to Planning Application-

http://www.dublincity.ie/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=WEB1196/12&backURL=%3Ca

[StephenC]

Poor Parnell Square

[thebig C]

I actually think that given the confines of the site its not a bad design.

However, we all know what the area is like....there is a distinct danger of any type of enclosed tunnel becoming a doss house and public urinal.

C

[Clinch]

If anyone was thinking of making observations to DCC on this, monday (26-11-12) is the last day.

[Paul Clerkin]

I think the design is absolutely horrible and ill-thought out. Essentially a monument to victims of child sexual abuse, why did the designers think a tunnel that you enter was a good analogy?

[shadow]

could only find this on line for other entries
http://www.12publishers.com/njba_culture.htm

[shadow]

http://www.12publishers.com/NJBA_files/ ... 040512.jpg

[Paul Clerkin]

Phoenix Park Pope's Mass site - Much better location for it - the site of the last "triumph" of the irish catholic church as the location to remember it's greatest sin

[StephenC]

Ill put bets on this monument will be locked within a year after it gets regular use as a public toilet/drugs spot. Its very badly thought-out. As usual, the city's squares are used as a dumping ground for random addition (the Solider Memorial on Merrion) with no thought to context. In the case of Parnell, the square rots around it.

Is it worth spending the €20?

[Paul Clerkin]

Yes it is - I'll give you 10.

[StephenC]

I'll send you an invoice :-)

[StephenC]

A request for further information was made on 14th Dec for this development. http://www.dublincity.ie/swiftlg/apas/r ... ts%3C/a%3E

[hutton]

It really is heartening to see this be properly questioned.

The whole scheme smacks of such politically correct tokenism, I wasn't sure if it would get the right attention.

In particular I welcome that people are objecting on the basis of the confused relationship that the proposed memorial would have with the existing monument to the struggle for national independence.

Councillor Mannix Flynn, who himself previously suffered institutional abuse, puts the matter most succinctly, describing it as "wholly inappropriate" and that the memorial to "the integrity of those who gave their lives for an equal society as declared in the proclamation of 1916... should not be tarnished with this State memorial which is a shameful part of Irish history created by the Irish state".

It is most welcome to see Dublin City Council planning department do a thorough job by requesting a half dozen points of additional information, which further adds to my cynicism as to the entire project being at best a rushed bit of politically correct tokenism.

If the State considers this matter to be of such significance, why don't they hold an open competition, seeking suggestions regarding both form and location?

Of course, in my opinion, the best memorial the State could do regarding this matter would be to reopen the deal by Michael Woods under Bertie Ahern that indemnified the RC church from prosecution from victims - with instead compensation paid over at the cost to the Irish taxpayer.

[hutton]

The new design for the child rape memorial in the Garden of Remembrance has been released.



http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0720/design ... eased.html

I love the way the only car park spaces shown are for the disabled... And who said that that this is just a meaningless politically correct exercise in tokenism?

I see now a large prominent tricolour is to fly as well. In keeping with the "symbolism", if only the designers had written on it "I O U", that would round off the scheme perfectly.

[Telchak]

I see now a large prominent tricolour is to fly as well.

That's already there.

[GrahamH]

The wheelchair spaces raised the biggest guffaw for me. Ironically, they are one of the biggest insults to the mobility-impaired. Do they think they have no aesthetic sensibilities? If they're going this far, why not chuck in a giant yellow box road marking, an electrical cabinet or three, and a few hundred bollards? A decent scattering of crumpled Dutch Gold cans would also be in this hyper-realisim vein.

In almost every way imaginable - from theory, to context, to execution - this is a seriously problematic project, ultimately crystalised by the fact that the very concept, never mind the detail, is classic material for a sketch on Irish Pictorial Weekly. Indeed, were it to feature, it would be the funniest, wryly self-deprecating insert of the series. The fact this has actually got this far thanks to the effort of a State agency that is supposed to be supporting Dublin's UNESCO aspirations, and is actually unfolding before our eyes, is devastating.

There is absolutely nobody in control in this city. Poor Parnell Square is now going the way of Merrion Square and the Dublin Linn Garden as the random gallery to atonement and commemoration.

[Paul Clerkin]

Cultural quarter plan for Parnell Square
City council plans new cultural quarter on north side
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics ... -1.1349351