Dublin: it isn't that ugly

[sw101]

i'd adapt the chav-away spray used in parts of britain to eliminate skangers. skang-away, maybe.

[Boyler]

Anybody else have ideas?

[d_d_dallas]

nope - chav-away spray sounds like the way to go.

[sw101]

excellent... http://www.patentsoffice.ie/

[john bedford]

does anyone know what's going on in blanchardstown shopping centre?? there is a lot of construction what are they building?

thanks

[Boyler]

I don't know. I live in Galway so there isn't much being built here to see.

[john bedford]

well ive been to blanch recently and looks like they're making some really wide, though not tall, buildings. i dont know wat they are mayb offices? i guess only time will tell.

[Boyler]

Are the Government Buildings in the baroque style or the neo-classical style of architecture. I'm getting different answers from the books that I'm reading.

[GrahamH]

It's largely neoclassical, but with Baroque elements, including the broken arched pediments not often seen by the public as they're located inside the complex, as well as on the exterior walls of the sides of the building down the long passages.
It is under the right-hand one of these that the Taoiseach's car pulls up as far as I know.

The screened facade part is quite Baroque in nature in that it is perhaps excessively/exaggeratedly decorated, and powerful in design; Power's figures atop generating a particularly Baroque skyline.



It's interesting how this building doesn't seem to have won the affections of most people - perhaps an indication of the Baroque influences in its architecture, not to mention the early emergence of modern elements such as the clean chunky lines of the parapet that almost look like cast concrete.

I've never been a fan of the elevated pediment on the central block of the building:



...but otherwise I like the scheme overall. The view through the screen wall with railings in front is very striking - no doubt a lot of pain and effort went into designing that so the screen element and the central block inside hung well together from that important street perspective.

You probably know that much of the street elevation is derived from the Custom House, notably the twin column formations with windows in the centre, and the heavy dentiled cornice - not to mention the Tuscan order employed obviously

[Rory W]

does anyone know what's going on in blanchardstown shopping centre?? there is a lot of construction what are they building?

thanks

Heard talk of a 17 storey Hotel to be built there - don't know if its the same thing though

[Boyler]

I think that the Government Buildings look great! They're very imposing in my opinion and look like they are from Paris, Vienna or Rome.

[GrahamH]

Ah well then, sure they must be great so

Have you seen the current ads plastered across Dublin buses - don't know what it's for but there's a giant pictured looming over Govt Buildings holding up the lead dome in his hand like he's just taken the lid off

Often wondered what the building would look like with a green copper dome - decidedly more effeminate anyway...
The lead dome is a sure sign of the hand of an English-based architect - did Webb ever even visit Dublin?
I've often felt the lead is a bit of an ignorant slap in the face to the city...

[kefu]

The ad is of Eamon Dunphy suited up as a gladiator for his Newstalk show.
There's another one - the Incredible Hook - with George Hook smashing up the Westlink toll bridge.

[GrahamH]

Good - what a ghastly struture the Eastlink is.

Alas the Govt Buildings buses were going too fast

[Dooid]

I think Dublin has some really good Architecture but the one thing I'd love to change is the attitude of the general public to architecture and monuments. I don't think the Irish believe the investment is worthwhile, not like Paris where the people have an almost inate love of it. If I could change one thing it would be that. You need only listen to all the anti-spire talk, whether you like it or not I still think investments like that are important and worthwhile but since all the public did was complain I don't think it will be easy to secure more in the future.

[manstein]

i agree. i bought an art painting out in ardgillan castle (recommend it to anybody who has not been there) but i would hesitate to tell anybody in work about my purchase. there is just a lack of appreciation of arts and culture which extends to architecture.

I think Dublin has some really good Architecture but the one thing I'd love to change is the attitude of the general public to architecture and monuments. I don't think the Irish believe the investment is worthwhile, not like Paris where the people have an almost inate love of it. If I could change one thing it would be that. You need only listen to all the anti-spire talk, whether you like it or not I still think investments like that are important and worthwhile but since all the public did was complain I don't think it will be easy to secure more in the future.

[dodger]

Hi there, I'm new to this site but i'd suggest perhaps the following to improve Dublin (of which i am very fond!)-

buildings that must go -

Hawkins street house, Screen College Green, apollo house and liberty hall - The ugliest few acres in the country
O'Connell Bridge House
Loop line bridge

buildings that should go -
BHS O'Connell Street
the horrific glass section of arnotts Henry Street
monstrosity on top of grafton street (no not the Shopping centre but the newsagent)
Canada House stephen's green - it would be wonderful to see a walkway through here to the underutilised iveagh gardens

Advertising to be removed -
Loop line bridge hoardings
Baileys and Irish permanent on O'Connell bridge

Pedestrianise -
College Green / Dame street / North quays (this'll never happen but one can dream)

Move -
The procathedral onto O'Connell street - the derelict Carlton site

Best things to happen to Dublin last 10 years -

millennium bridge and new docklands bridge
boardwalk
screen o'connell bridge is forever gone.
connolly station
collins barracks

[GrahamH]

Hi dodger,

Many of the old favourites cropping up there

Though some I'd question - notably the inclusion of Connolly Station as one of the worthy contributions. Certainly it's an improvement on the dingy shed that used to masquerade as an international railway station, but the idea that what has replaced it has been one of the best contributions to the capital in the past decade is ever so slightly way off the scale.... If that's the best we can come up with...

Do you proposed lifting the Pro-Cathedral, portico and all with Herself clinging on for dear life on top to O'Connell St, or a new building? Certainly an interesting concept...

And as for applying the demolition ball to Grafton St, s sur surely you don't mean our much loved ship-on-the-corner??! No not the Mississippi steamer across the way, but the corner newsagents??

[dodger]

afraid so graham, always have hated that corner!

Think you're a bit unfair to connolly - the new luas entrance is striking.

I don't see why you can't move the procathedral brick by brick. It struck me as absurd when the corteege for the kevin barry funeral paraded up o'connell street and then had to snake around behind to the cathedral entrance. I ebleive it was alwys meant for o'connell street but i defer to our historical experts on that.

Forgot to mention the old department of justice.

All in all a few well placed wrecking balls would make a massive difference.

[manstein]

as a side topic can someone tell me how to get into the iveagh gardens.

[Frank Taylor]

Take the first turn left on Harcourt Street as you walk from the Green.
It's well worth a visit.

[dodger]

definitely worth a visit but access should be improved and linked with nearby stephen's green.

[manstein]

Take the first turn left on Harcourt Street as you walk from the Green.
It's well worth a visit.

Cheers. Walk up Harcourt every day but could never figure out where the entrance was. I heard it was a hidden gem.

[GrahamH]

Remember I had a most embarrassing time tring to find the entrance too - round in circles for about half an hour...
I love the crumbly bits of statuary that crop up occasionally from underneath foliage - an arm here, a leg there, an urn of fruit in the corner

Can't agree with you dodger about Connolly, including the new canopy - though the works inside recently are a huge improvement all right - esp the acres of new seating. And it only took six years to install it

As for the Pro-Cathedral, what about the GPO? The Clash of the Porticos would be one war too many for poor old O'Connell St

[Boyler]

To an outsider I'd say Dublin does have an air of a provincial British city in terms of its built environment; I can see it in the faces of tourists every day, but anyone who knows anything about these two nations will notice just how different Dublin is - on a host of levels, not least its architecture which has a uniquely Irish tinge to it, even if it has its roots in UK design.

What would be uniquely Irish in foreign architecture?