Alto Vetro, grand canal docks, dublin

[d_d_dallas]

Nearly fully glazed now - looking very nice. The slenderness proportions are just right.

[d_d_dallas]

... however, welcome to Dublin's worst apartment! Triple aspect glazing sounds great on paper - but the first floor apartment is not one I'd wish on anyone.
Exhibitionists only please

[darkman]

I dont like it. Its too small for that posistion in the city. Its not on the right scale.

[Peter Fitz]

Looking at this shot by d_d_dallas it could probably have gone higher, but overall i think its a nice addition to the area.

[d_d_dallas]

Yeah it looks a like it could go up a bit more from that angle, but when viewed from Westland Row or thereabouts - it does look quite dominant

[phil]

Yeah it looks a like it could go up a bit more from that angle, but when viewed from Westland Row or thereabouts - it does look quite dominant

It is interesting you should mention this. When viewed from anywhere in Grand Canal Dock I think this building looks quite elegant, but when looked at from the junction of Pearse Street and Westland Row, I am not too sure. Maybe it is because from this angle all you can see is the west elevation? I will wait until it is finished before making a full judgment on it though. As I have said before, It think overall, it is going to be one of the better buildings built in this area in recent years. I personally think it is probably at the right scale too. Proof maybe that medium-rise can work quite well in Dublin at present!

[vkid]

was in Dublin at the weekend and to be honest I thought this looked like someone squashed an 80's office block to make it look higher..Nothing really individual about it except its kind of tall. Can't see it lasting the test of time well but thats just my opinion. Definitely nothing to write home about imo.

[Richards]

Have to admit that I was more impressed with this building close up. It is very slender in appearance and looks well proportioned. Compared to some of the late 90's apartments in the area, I would imagine that this building will certainly stand out.

[darkman]

This building is NOT in proportion. It is a crime on Dublin tbh,

[Morlan]

Here’s some more pics. I like this building. It has to be the most slender building in Dublin, if not Ireland. The lower two apartments are very exposed indeed. I just hope the glass is shoppingtrolleyproof.

[GrahamH]

Cool pics Morlan and d_d.

I'm surprised nobody has yet mentioned how similar it is to a chic Liberty Hall. The width, height and elevation treatment are strikingly similar - especially the racing stripe bands or aprons(?) between the floors. Even the layout and construction method are the same, just with an extra 'column' of floorplate added to the other side of the lift shaft.

Very much an indication of what could be done with Liberty Hall if the will was there. Only Liberty Hall would need a slightly less self-conscious look - the designer stubble would need to stay at home.

I like how Altro is so readable. It's a domestically-scaled tower if it could be described as such - clearly just two apartments per floor each side of the lift shaft. The narrow width is also pleasantly modest.
Though how are you supposed to use those lower blaconies in any sort of comfort?! No clothes horses of underwear here anyway

[Hiivaladan]

Definitely nothing to write home about imo.

considering the kind of stuff going up on the quays,that's the equivalent of high praise.

[phil]

I'm surprised nobody has yet mentioned how similar it is to a chic Liberty Hall. The width, height and elevation treatment are strikingly similar - especially the racing stripe bands or aprons(?) between the floors. Even the layout and construction method are the same, just with an extra 'column' of floorplate added to the other side of the lift shaft.

I don't think I really agree with you there Graham. Fairly different shape in my opinion.

[jimg]

I don't think I really agree with you there Graham. Fairly different shape in my opinion.

It is more similar to Liberty Hall than any other building in Dublin. It's tall and slender and has clean lines with plain flat surfaces (no protruding balconies and such). It's surface is dominated by glass giving a light airy feel. If Liberty Hall were cleaned up or restored it would look just as fresh, I believe.

I think this building looks good from most angles around the Grand Canal dock but not so good (as pointed out) from the city end of Pearse Street but I'm hoping that improving its context will fix this.

Trinity has plans for the horrible neighbouring enterprise centre which could do wonders for Pearse Street. Unfortunately the Macken St./Pearse St apartments overlooking Pearse Square is a disaster in this regard my opinion. The way it fronts onto the dock but backs onto Pearse Street is a terrible wasted opportunity. It's sad that this recent development simply reinforced the sorry state of Pearse Street in a way that will probably never be possible to correct.

[phil]

It is more similar to Liberty Hall than any other building in Dublin. It's tall and slender and has clean lines with plain flat surfaces (no protruding balconies and such). It's surface is dominated by glass giving a light airy feel. If Liberty Hall were cleaned up or restored it would look just as fresh, I believe.

Hmmm, I really am not sure. Clean lines etc, I agree on, but whilst the square plan of Liberty hall allows gives the building a uniform appearance from various angles (apart from difference in window colours), the new tower, as already agreed, appears differently when viewed from different angles. The balconies being added on to the new building at present will also change its finished appearance.

[ake]

Those balconies look bizarre! Nice building all the same. See what happens when you use glass and polished stone instead of cheap plaster and unvarnished planks.

[GrahamH]

Hmmm, I really am not sure. Clean lines etc, I agree on, but whilst the square plan of Liberty hall allows gives the building a uniform appearance from various angles (apart from difference in window colours), the new tower, as already agreed, appears differently when viewed from different angles. The balconies being added on to the new building at present will also change its finished appearance.

Sorry - that's what I meant Phil. I didn't think it needed mentioning that it's a rectangular version of Liberty Hall

It's the exposed floor plates infilled with glazing that makes it so similar to it, including the enlarged ground floor 'plinth'. In fact, the more you think of it, there's very few buildings in Dublin that adopt that format. Most have curtain walling sheathing over the plates. They're very thin in this case - very much an indication of a residential tower.

[Peter Fitz]

yep Graham, thought just the same as i scrolled down through Morlan's pics ... though as you beat me to it, you'll just have to take my word for it ! balconies are surprisingly discreet, sewn in to the floor plate. Overall, a good job.

[lunasa]

Ahem, ahem.......my biggest bugbear, and a real Dublin one at that, who's going to wash the windows?

[jdivision]

Was walking down by the Barrow Street end and it performs a nice counterbalance to the (unoccupied I think) office block also developed by Treasury next to the Barrow Street Dart Station. You can just make out part of it in the background of PeterFitzPatrick's pic. Obviously I was looking at it from the opposite direction.

[Frodo]

I work right beside this building, infact i can see it right now from my work desk.

I like it. But jaysus you're expoesed on the first few floors. and what if veryone gets differnt blinds/curtains. freaky.


Over allI think the docklands in this area are toostumpy and boring. That Belfast Titantic developemt is a million 7years ahead of Dublin Docklands in term of scope and imagination. Is this becasue Belfast is comfortable with highrise? Dublin is 3 times the size of Belfast but our buildings are 3 times smaller.

[jdivision]

No it's because it's a private venture using an architect with vision. I was at the launch where Eric Kuhne gave his speech and it was really impressive I have to say. The DDDA is just a mess when it comes to property

[Rusty Cogs]

No curtains allowed in that building AFAIK. Uniformity, you will have blinds, and as I saw in an ad on DAFT, 'No Dirt Birds'.

[alonso]

went past today. Pretty much fully glazed, and they've helpfully numbered each floor, 14 in all so that you don't have to count yourself as you're going past. Bit of advice, if you drive and you've an interest in the development process, stay the hell away from this area. Between craning to get a view of the point, the works on macken St. Bridge, pondering over the impact of the Gormley piece, the crater for the theatre, alto vetro itself, and finally copping on to the building on Ringsend rd. featured elsewhere on this forum, I nearly crashed about 12 times between fecking Eden Quay and Ringsend village!!!

[Sarsfield]

I nearly crashed about 12 times between fecking Eden Quay and Ringsend village!!!

That's why I travel everywhere by bus. You get to see a lot more from the top deck of a Number 3 (and they're brand spanking new buses too!)