Alto Vetro, grand canal docks, dublin

[Rory W]

Saw them starting test bores on the Montevetro site this morning - looks like things might finally get moving on this site.

[manifesta]

It would appear that Alto Vetro is moving along with swift efficiency and painstaking attention to detail.

[Morlan]

Does that say "Up Carlow"? haha


Is the Montevetro building still this heap o' shite?

[Andrew Duffy]

It has changed a bit. There was a different render around, but I can't find it:
http://www.treasuryholdings.com/projectDetail.aspx?id=73

[Criag]

Alto Vetro is really taking shape. It will be a great new landmark in the city. The inner dock is a really special place in Dublin.

[Keen]

I don't think Alto Vetro is tall enough to be a landmark altough it looks sweet in that location! I also think it will look very well when finished.
The reason i say this as i was in college green looking down Pearse street and i could just make it out: bolands mill & charlotte quay are still way more prominent from most angles and the more i see boland's mill the more i want it to stay!! Albeit renovated to modern standard but not the whole structure lost as it is an important part of our nation's history. Dublin needs a landmark building, I think the U2 tower will achieve this.

[SeamusOG]

Alto Vetro is really taking shape. It will be a great new landmark in the city. The inner dock is a really special place in Dublin.

It certainly is taking shape. But if you're passing by soon, have a look at the picture of the finished product on the hoarding around the building.

It shows all the apartments lit up beautifully, and a number of people standing or sitting out on their balconies enjoying Dublin's fine weather. The interesting thing is that. despite all the glass which will be in the structure, the only furniture to be seen is out on the balconies! A few of them have a couple of chairs and a table out on the balcony, but that's it for the entire building.

As so often happens, it may not look quite so impressive in real life as it does in the promo picture. Especially when the net curtains start going in.

[manifesta]

Ah ah ah, not so fast Seamus O'G . . .

Net curtains not allowed in goldfish bowl tower

Archiseek / Ireland / News / 2005 / January 23
The Sunday Times

Calling all exhibitionists. A 16-storey tower earmarked for Dublin's docklands will be completely transparent, providing a perfect home for individuals with a penchant for being on 24-hour show. Alto Vetro — meaning tall glass — will be Ireland's first block of homes made entirely from glass. Each of the 26 apartments in the 16-storey tower will have floor-to-ceiling windows with only sliding wooden screens to preserve the modesty of residents. Net curtains will be a no-no, and messy rooms ill advised for buyers of the see-through luxury apartments. And, it seems there is no shortage of people willing to go on permanent display. Treasury Holdings, developer of the ambitious project, says it has already got a waiting list for the apartments, which will boast unbroken views of the cityscape.

Those poor, poor people living in glass houses. First you tell them they can't throw stones. Now this.

While these no-net-curtain rules appear unreasonably stringent on first glance, I imagine that this announcement ushers in a new era for Treasury Holdings and for the future of pretty buildings in general. I have heard from a very reliable source that applicants for the tower apartments will be matched to certain balconies based on their resemblance to their promo-picture prototypes. Thus ensuring that only beautiful exhibitionists will be permitted to inhabit the premises.

I can only take heart in the knowledge that before long, the voyeurs of the city from all walks of life can stand and look up at Alto Vetro for their own unbroken view-boasting. Everyone wins.

[Starch]

renders

[d_d_dallas]

new view of montevetro on Treasury Site

[Keen]

Alto Vetro is well on now...the first 3 floors are almost fully clad, i have to say it looks pretty damn nice and will look much better when completed. 12 floors have floorplates and they have started on the 15th floor. It's amazing how narrow it looks from Grand Canal Square or approaching from Mount Street/Grand Canal Street. And it doesn't look out of place at all IMO. If they put another floor or two on top it would be more prominent in the area as it stands opposite Boland's Mill and Millenium tower. Anyway it's a step in the right direction for highrise in the area

[paul h]

Any pictures??

[phil]

I think this building is shaping up to be one of the nicer designs built in Dublin over the last few years. The bottom few floors are starting to look relatively finished and I think overall the building will look a lot better than any of the photomontages prior to its construction

[archipig]

well the facade is installed up to the third floor on this now and I dont know what to think of it. The black (granite?) stone reminds me of the stuff used on headstones. Joints / Gaps all over the place.

[CM00]

Here it is: looking good, I quite enjoy it's slenderness ratio. Cladding looks fairly decent too. I'll be interested to see exactly how it meets the ground. According to the notice for PP at the site, They've extended the plot somewhat to add car parking and landscaping. They've also removed the gym from the upper floors in place of more apartments. Oh well, would have been quite an inspirational place to run on a treadmill!

[CM00]

etc..

[Pepsi]

those pictures look really good. i quite like the tower too. it's coming along very quicky i must say. when did they start it again?

[ctesiphon]

According to the notice for PP at the site, They've extended the plot somewhat to add car parking and landscaping. They've also removed the gym from the upper floors in place of more apartments. Oh well, would have been quite an inspirational place to run on a treadmill!

Has this revised PP been granted do you know, CM00? Or is it an application that's currently before DCC?
Disappointing to see a non-residential use being replaced by yet more apts, though not necessarily all that surprising.

[darkman]

Just goes to show how much renders can differ from the finished building. I too did not take to kindly to the renders but the cladding looks ok. Have to say that I think its a little too slender.


By any chance did you get any pics from distance of the wide side of the building? Great pics though!

[CM00]

ctesiphon: It appeared to me like it was a newly lodged application, but I'm just basing that on the pristine appearance of the notice, I didn't check the submission date I'm afraid. I agree with your point about the non residential loss: Just another example of developer self-interest I'm afraid. It is, to be fair, hard to begrudge when you consider it's (potentially) a couple of million euro we're talking about. If the developer in question intends to reinvest these monies in similarly interesting architecture then I feel it's a rather minor infraction on said developers' part. My inner urbanist should be able to stomach it!

Darkman: This is all I've got in terms of a side view I'm afraid:

[alonso]

ctesiphon if you've ever been flung backwards off a treadmill into the nearest wall, you wouldn't be too concerned with a gym being removed from the upper floors of a 12 storey glass fronted building

haven't been down here in a while. great pics.

[ctesiphon]

ctesiphon: It appeared to me like it was a newly lodged application, but I'm just basing that on the pristine appearance of the notice, I didn't check the submission date I'm afraid. I agree with your point about the non residential loss: Just another example of developer self-interest I'm afraid. It is, to be fair, hard to begrudge when you consider it's (potentially) a couple of million euro we're talking about. If the developer in question intends to reinvest these monies in similarly interesting architecture then I feel it's a rather minor infraction on said developers' part. My inner urbanist should be able to stomach it!

Thanks CM00. I wonder how big the 'if' at the start of your penultimate sentence might prove to be...
My own reservations stem from the possibility that the mix of uses was part of the reason it got PP in the first place. I should investigate.

ctesiphon if you've ever been flung backwards off a treadmill into the nearest wall, you wouldn't be too concerned with a gym being removed from the upper floors of a 12 storey glass fronted building

Simple answer: reinforced glass. It'll be like Big Brother meets a Wrestlemania cage match, with ringside seats by the dock. Bring cans.

[adhoc]

That case (1783/07) was decided on 17 April 2007:-

Regarding the gym element of the application, it was decided that:

"<b>The currently authorised gymnasium at 15th floor level shall be retained </b>on that level and its proposed replacement with parts of two triplex apartments togetter with a reduction the floor area at that level shall be omitted entirely from the development. Reason: It is considered that <b>the authorised gymnasium forms an integrated and essential part of the development</b> and as such should not be omitted. The proposed reduction in floor area at the 15th floor level would significantly reduce the area available for the gymnasium and is consequently unacceptable.

[ctesiphon]

Thanks for that, adhoc. I was planning to go hunting as soon as I had some time to spare.

Looks like my initial position was pretty close- good to see DCC being firm on this one.

[AndrewP]

This is looking good, makes the Millennium Tower across the way look old-fashioned already. They both put paid to the idea that medium-to-high rise is always visually intrusive. Passing in the DART, the two towers come into view very briefly before disappearing back into their surroundings. How much better the docklands would have turned out with clusters of smart, slender towers like this...
I'm surprised at the transparency of the glazing, though. Will it not be like living in a goldfish bowl? Or will it just end up 15 floors of curtains and blinds?