Buildings on stilts in the Liffey

[notjim]

In today's Times - a strange proposal from the DDDA to build 15m out into the liffey from the north wall, creating a cluster of high-rise buildings surrounded on the north, and partly on the east and west by a u-shaped canal. I can't decide straight-off if this is brilliant or terrible idea or whether that would just depend on the quality of the buildings.

[Peter Fitz]

there's a fairly obscure model of the stilts project featured in todays IT, can't make it out to be honest. It seems like the proposal encompases the north quays from east link to the new beckett bridge ...

strange idea ...

From today's IT
What is shown in the model is a series of notional towers, some with extraordinary shapes and colours, that would be built on stilts in the Liffey - if the amended planning scheme is approved by Minister for the Environment John Gormley.

According to John McLaughlin, the authority's director of architecture, the proposed cluster would provide a dramatic counterpoint to the generally low-rise nature of the new buildings that have sprung up along the riverfront in the past decade.

Is this not what should have happened on the north quays anyway ? are DDDA now acknowledging the blandness of their 5 storey stretch? (supplied mainly by STW it has to be said).

[stira]

its a scandal that expensive land is being wasted on 5/6 story building, the blocks going up in Sandyford and Tallaght are much more impressive especially given their location, the scale of building down in the docks is a joke...

[Paul Clerkin]

Under the amended scheme, this Manhattan-style cluster would straddle North Wall Quay between the East Link Bridge and the proposed suspension bridge near Spencer Dock designed by Spanish architect-engineer Santiago Calatrava.

A block model of the radical plan formed part of the docklands presentation in Ireland's much-praised exhibition at the Lisbon Architectural Triennale, which closes later this month. It has yet to be officially unveiled by the docklands authority.

What is shown in the model is a series of notional towers, some with extraordinary shapes and colours, that would be built on stilts in the Liffey - if the amended planning scheme is approved by Minister for the Environment John Gormley.

So don't worry - it will never happen - for me standing on a bridge in Dublin, and looking out to sea, with liffey getting wider and wider is one of the glories of Dublin.

[JoePublic]

So don't worry - it will never happen - for me standing on a bridge in Dublin, and looking out to sea, with liffey getting wider and wider is one of the glories of Dublin.

Looks like most of that area is not outside the liffey, in the undeveloped area between Spencer Dock and the Point (possibly including the remainder of Spencer Dock?)

Even if the buildings on the Liffey do not go ahead it would be nice to see some higher buildings going in on the other parts.

[Starch]

i really like this...... you can find more info here PDF http://www.linetosurface.org/downloads/10.pdf

and the website for Ireland at Lisbon Architecture Triennale http://www.linetosurface.org/ ...has some other pretty interesting projects by 11 Irish architects

[ctesiphon]

Does Frank Gehry know that people have been pinching his off-cuts?

My main reservation about the short-lived images of the Heneghan Peng plan for Custom House Quay (temporarily posted on this site; might surface again in the next while...?) was the way it compromised the integrity of the quay wall with a series of projecting jetties/slips/wharves. This scheme proposes much the same, with the added problem of height. As I've said before, I've no problem with appropriate height in appropriate locations in the docklands, but this is categorically not an appropriate location. Haven't they ever heard the phrase 'Two wrongs don't make a right?' Atoning for the excessive conservatism of the original docklands developments with some eleventh-hour spectacular eye-catcher won't fool anyone. Will it?

[Peter Fitz]

As I've said before, I've no problem with appropriate height in appropriate locations in the docklands, but this is categorically not an appropriate location.

I would have no problem with some well designed taller buildings here, but not in this manner. I assume this high rise change of heart must be to do with a change of personnel within the DDDA & the realisation that their new river front along north wall quay is really pretty poor.

If Spencer Dock as currently under construction could be erased & replaced by something similar to what is proposed here, without breaking the line of the river or quay wall, i'd be quite happy. Thats what should have happened on this site, this attempt to try & fix it is odd & belated.

Having said that, I'm not dismissing it entirely, very little detail at this stage.

[notjim]

If Spencer Dock as currently under construction could be erased & replaced by something similar to what is proposed here, without breaking the line of the river or quay wall, i'd be quite happy. Thats what should have happened on this site, this attempt to try & fix it is odd & belated.

Isn't this east of Spencer Dock, couldn't the high buildings and fun u-shaped canal be built without breaking the sweep of the river?

[publicrealm]

I can't decide straight-off if this is brilliant or terrible idea or whether that would just depend on the quality of the buildings.

It's a terrible idea.

[d_d_dallas]

they're in effect diverting the river to Mayor St and then back out again - it doesn't jut out from the quay quite as much I'd intially thought.

This will be a fairly major ammendment to the North Lotts area plan. Last update was for Point Village tower.

How will this affect Spencer Dock?

[tommyt]

Ridiculous waste of time-please tell me this is some 2:2 undergrad project? Do the DDDA even have statutory control over the riverbed on which this idiocy is proposed? I would have thought that is vested in the Dept. of marine or some such central govt. body

[kefu]

The best project on that is the one that suggests that the M50 can be turned into a quasi-park during off-peak times: http://www.linetosurface.org/03.html

[aj]

whether this goes ahead or not is not the issue... is this the DDDA finally acknowledging the wasted opportunity they had with the IFSC, Spencer and Grand Canal Dock... it never ceases to amaze me how bland the IFSC is Grand Canal Dock is only marginally better as for Spencer Dock well we will have to wait and see

[alonso]

i think it's quite cool, apart from breaching the river line. Surely this space could be compensated by going up a little higher. In general though if this can be done I can't see the problem here...

[who_me]

The best project on that is the one that suggests that the M50 can be turned into a quasi-park during off-peak times: http://www.linetosurface.org/03.html

Heh, reminds me of the elevated motorway in Sao Paulo which is gridlocked during the week, then closed to traffic at the weekends and open to the public for walks, football (obviously) or whatever they choose.

[ctesiphon]

I was trying to work out where the inspiration for the building shapes might have come from- Gehry, perhaps, but where have I seen those contortions before?
Aah yes... ring any bells?

[Starch]

ha ha ...very good ....though they seem more shakey like this one http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=7-XWmw7KzPE&mode=related&search=

[Rusty Cogs]

All very interesting. But the whole thing is situated on a site currently owned (mostly) by Liam Carroll (Old Brooks Thomas) and under construction to build Anglo Irish Banks new headquarters (amongst other offices). Changing the whole landscape of the area would require an enormous amount of CPO's or deals and rethinks.

[Paul Clerkin]

like much biennale stuff, it's more of a thesis project, a "what if we did this"

[rebel_city]

Hey - was walking to work this morning and I noticed in the river at O'Connell Bridge - there's some construction going on in the river. Not sure what it's going on, anyone have any ideas?

[adhoc]

Geotechnical investigations for Metro North, i.e. they're drilling small boreholes to extract a sample core. There are at least 3 in the area: in the Liffey immediately west of O'Connell Bridge, outside the Laughter Lounge and on O'Connell St. outside the NIB. There are, and have been, many more on the route out to Lissenhall, north of Swords.

[JoePublic]

Is it already too late for the Northwall quay? Walking down there today there is the equivalent land area of the entire IFSC still undeveloped between Spencer Dock and the Point Village. Is the stilts proposal a desperate realisation by DDDA that it is already too late to amend their plan for the North Wall quay to create a decent high rise district as all this undeveloped land has already had planning permission granted? There is a scary number of cranes down about the North wall already - scary because I can only imagine it's more bland shite being built.

Can the DDDA amend their plan to allow a number of high rises of outstanding architectual quality in this area? Thinking U2 tower not watchtower or Heuston Gate in my definition of outstanding. Surely with a bit of political will and the carrot to developers of selling 30+ stories worth of apartments, this could be done.

The IFSC is a dud, but maybe it would work ok as a buffer zone between the low rise city centre and a high rise district down river.

[Rusty Cogs]

Guys

I know this has been posted previously but I can't find the thread. It looks like the DDDA are set to proceed with this. I'm told it's going out to tender on March 17th.

[Peter Fitz]

So this rears its head again. It seems the DDDA are totally hung up on breaking the line of the liffey one way or another whether it be gormely's sculpture, custom house proposal or this yoke. I've no issue with the canal idea but why the need to breach the quay wall & indeed their own campshires project ??