architecture of cork city

[ctesiphon]

Cork is great for bow-fronts & curving buildings.
They are practically non-existent in Dublin - unless you count that one that curves from Lincoln Place into Merrion St., beside the Ullyses chemist.

There's also that one at the top of Dawson Street- used to be the sewing shop, now the tourist whiskey shop (and if that ain't a metaphor for our culture...), with those elegant shallow bows above ground floor level.

And the one opposite Enfo on Andrew's Street- just a curving terrace, but worth mentioning as they are so unusual in the Dublin context, as you say.

Again, sorry everyone for Dublining up a Cork thread- but it arises from our jealousy of your felicitous sweeps.

[Radioactiveman]

Musterd and a series of dastardly other colors did adorn this structure over the years. I have been looking at it every day for the last 23 years since i moved home from the states.

God help you
I stand corrected though.

Again, sorry everyone for Dublining up a Cork thread- but it arises from our jealousy of your felicitous sweeps.

Work away, we're very good like that in cork

[ctesiphon]

Work away, we're very good like that in cork

Aah- that famous Leeside modesty.

[Andrew Duffy]

the tourist whiskey shop

... is actually the best-stocked spirits seller in the country, and fairly reasonably priced too. The staff put those in the stuffy Mitchell's one street over to shame.

[GrahamH]

stuffy Mitchell's

Hmmm, another building with a curved window. How very strange...

[Devin]

There's also that one at the top of Dawson Street- used to be the sewing shop, now the tourist whiskey shop (and if that ain't a metaphor for our culture...), with those elegant shallow bows above ground floor level.

That's a lovely facade.....very provincial English. A girl was asking about it a while ago, if anyone can help - http://www.archiseek.com/content/showthread.php?t=2551&highlight=Dawson - (when she says windows, I presume she means the bows)

[PVC King]

Here's a picture of this building prior to recent renovation. I believe from late 2003.
<img src="http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/20500550_2.jpg">
I think lex may have exagerated the condition it was in previously:
"For years this building has been smothered in a series of unflattering and dogish paint coats. From Mustard Yellow to Tangerine."

Also, here's some more images of the GPO on Oliver Plunkett Street.
<img src="http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/20514124_1.jpg">
<img src="http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/20514124_3.jpg">
<img src="http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/20514124_2.jpg">

And while i'm at it, an image of more bow-fronted buildings. This time on the Grand Parade end of Oliver Plunkett Street (No's 76 and 77)..
<img src="http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/20514165_1.jpg">

Finally, a fabulous building further down the street. A remnant of an industrial past.
<img src="http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/images/survey_specific/fullsize/20513015_1.jpg">

There are more than a few buildings I can think of that could do with a similar treatment

[lexington]

Post keeps failing to load each time I attempt. Will leave it for now and try to get back to it later.

The post regards the buildings of Parnell Place, with images - including 93 South Mall, the Trust Savings Bank, those unfortunate and shamefully neglected Beasely facades and that beautiful 'Doll's House' between the TSB and Crown Centre - just like the house on Emmett Place, its a beautiful and rare example of another era of architecture (which one I'm not sure) - but the design and detail are just beautiful!



Will try and get back to this.

[Devin]

This is an entry from a 'Buildings at Risk' publication for Cork* for the Parnell Place/South Mall buldings (also pic here posted by d_d_dallas on Page 1: http://www.archiseek.com/content/attachment.php?attachmentid=812 ) :



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The Camden Quay houses mentioned on Page1 were for the chop at one point too :



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Also, a rear view - from 'Citi Car Park' - of the slate-hung bow-fronted houses on Grand Parade....remains of funny rear site building with vaulting :




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* Cork's Built Heritage by C.P. Hunter & S. Hunter, 2001

[lexington]

I agree Devin that the facades at 17 & 18 Parnell Place have been shamefully neglected. A hotel is currently proposed for the vacant site to the rear. In all fairness, the proposal is most sympathetic to the facades, revamping and incorporating them into the new structure - with a plesant slated roof spanning both structures. The application is currently in Further Information - but I should hope that it is successful as I look forward to the day when these beautiful structures are returned to their former glory. The central arched window of No.17 can be visualized in my head illuminated butter yellow from a internal light source, revitalising and reinstating a level of window detail that is long lost on so many modern projects. The facades would make a fine frontage. My worry is, and anyone who recently has seen these facades may also agree, is that the current state of the structures is such that one wonders whether or not they will survive the period the hotel application seems to be taking through planning!!! Their loss would be unforgiveable.

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As for Camden Quay, those buildings were purchased by OSB Group, and have been retained and will be refurbished as part of the works on the Camden Court project to their rear. One of the buildings currently homes offices of James Leahy & Associates, the architects responsible for Camden Court's interesting design. Noteworthy also is the characteristic olde-worlde Maud Whelan's Pub (north along John Redmond Street, beside these buildings) which is also being refurbished and given a new lease of life as we speak. If anyone has images of that building, it would be nice to see it posted.

[Lillie]

Hi All
new to this site as of today. Quick query for all you experts out there - anyone know how academy street got its name? Have done some research in the city library local history reference section to no avail.
BTW - I'm involved in branding and visual design and particularly interested in how brands for developments/buildings etc can be more meaningful, coherent and sympathetic to the architectural vision and function as well as performing a marketing function. But if we acknowledge that branding is about possessing specific real estate in a consumer's mind (to slightly misquote one of the brand gurus) does this forum see any successes or failures in this regard in Cork?

[d_d_dallas]

Mahon Point... noone wants to go to Mahon

I jest.

[GrahamH]

That latter image is so typical of Irish towns - decaying Georgian buildings fronting the main streets, with surface car-parking to the rears, sited on cleared gardens or back yards with mews buildings demolished - the only traces left being rubble stone walls flanking the sites featuring filled-in brick arches and remnants of internal walls protruding to the sides.

Interesting that the slates prevail even to the rear in Cork - they seem to have been ripped off the other/s

Yes they are quite bizzare arches, what would they have been used for: carriage storage with accommodation above?

[Devin]

.....the Camden Quay buildings.................. Noteworthy also is the characteristic olde-worlde Maud Whelan's Pub (north along John Redmond Street, beside these buildings) which is also being refurbished and given a new lease of life as we speak. If anyone has images of that building, it would be nice to see it posted.

The building you refer to as being under refurbishment (above) has just been fitted with PVC sash windows and PVC shop windows.......(??)

[lexington]

Buckley Bros.
It is disgraceful that Buckley Bros is going to be removed. I know the owner has to get on with their business, but could he/she not leave the current one in situ underneath a new front at least?

Butlers Irish Chocolates are steaming ahead with the recladding of the former Buckley Bros. shopfront. It remains vitrolite, but in a more fashionable 'black' tone now. This is fine but the original 'green' colouration and metallic signage was far more unusual and had a retro-charm about it. With a little refurbishment, the shopfront could well have lasted into the future and as Graham Hickey once noted, it could - for the sake of Butlers' sales pitch - remind one of 'mint chocolate'!

[lexington]

Must say the GPO on Oliver Plunkett Street looks very well lately since its refurbishment - next time I'm out and about I must try and get a snapshot of it.

Meanwhile, the refurbishment and redevelopment of the Old Mill on Father Matthew Quay is steaming ahead t great effect. It's encouraging to see such an effective reuse of such long neglected structures and a tasty blend between old and new. The same may be said for the incoporation of No.17/18 Parnell Place into the new Pitwood hotel (in appeal).

[lexington]

Some great images provided on a link highlighted by Graham Hickey, I think well worth sharing.

I apologise that I do not have the name of the copyright holder but please note this link -> http://nemesis.co.jyu.fi/~mikyrjol/photos/digital/ireland_2005/index.html as the source.


Cork Courthouse - speaks for itself.


The eastern elevation @ St. Fin Barre's Cathedral - the famous 'Golden Archangel' notably visible. An undisputed William Burges masterpiece.


Inside St. Fin Barre's.

[A-ha]

Wow.... talk about great pics. That one of the courthouse is fabulous. It looks as magnificant now as it did when it was built first day.

[anto]

Some great images provided on a link highlighted by Graham Hickey, I think well worth sharing.

I apologise that I do not have the name of the copyright holder but please note this link -> http://nemesis.co.jyu.fi/~mikyrjol/photos/digital/ireland_2005/index.html as the source.


Cork Courthouse - speaks for itself.


The eastern elevation @ St. Fin Barre's Cathedral - the famous 'Golden Archangel' notably visible. An undisputed William Burges masterpiece.


Inside St. Fin Barre's.

No reordering there I'd say!

[Paul Clerkin]

What I love about St Fin Barres is that it's so small - its a scaled down cathedral. The interior is so much better than the exterior though, where I think the shortness of the plan really manifests itself

[lexington]

Source:Cork Camera Club


Bachelor's Quay


The photograph shows workmen repairing paving stones on Bachelor’s Quay. Bachelor’s Quay was once a fashionable promenade and the site of the houses of wealthy businessmen. When the wealthier citizens of Cork left the city centre for the more fashionable suburbs their former houses on Bachelor’s Quay became tenements. Some fine Georgian structures remain today toward the western end of the quay, although they are in dire need of renovation. In this image, the original copper-edged North Gate Bridge (an infinitely more attractive specimen than its existing counterpart) can be seen in the background.

Rope Walk

Crawling up the steep northern slopes to Sunday's Well from the site formerly servant to Irish Distillers just off North MallRope Walk was the site of a rope-walk where ropes were formed by the process of laying and stranding lengths of spun yarn. The imposing figure of St. Vincent's Cathedral can be seen in the background.

Dunscombe Fountain - lower Shandon Street

The fountain which stood near the foot of Shandon Street was known as the Dunscombe Testimonial Fountain. The Dunscombe family had been associated with Cork since the seventeenth century. The area around the fountain was used by street vendors selling clothes. Holly and ivy was sold there during Christmas.

Saint Patrick's Quay

Given the prospect of the quaysides redevelopment - see here; it is perhaps worthy of reflection on the quays former incarnation. Like most of the quays in Cork, Saint Patrick’s Quay was constructed during the nineteenth century. The quays along the North Channel are generally founded on massed concrete. The quay walls are built from rubble masonry and faced with limestone behind timber pilings. At the time the photograph was taken in 1939, the premises on the quay included garages, public houses, offices of shipping agents, coal merchants’ stores and the coal stores of the Metropole Hotel. Note the active uses along Merchant's Quay to the south (left).
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What I love about St Fin Barres is that it's so small - its a scaled down cathedral. The interior is so much better than the exterior though, where I think the shortness of the plan really manifests itself

I find a comparison of the the former incranation of St. Fin Barre's Cathedral quite striking when weighed against the Burges' creation - the former pales in comparison, and amazingly maintains the same sacred site with almost no variation in parameters build-on-build. See below.

[kite]

[quote="lexington"]Source:Cork Camera Club


Bachelor's Quay


The photograph shows workmen repairing paving stones on Bachelor’s Quay. Bachelor’s Quay was once a fashionable promenade and the site of the houses of wealthy businessmen. When the wealthier citizens of Cork left the city centre for the more fashionable suburbs their former houses on Bachelor’s Quay became tenements. Some fine Georgian structures remain today toward the western end of the quay, although they are in dire need of renovation. In this image, the original copper-edged North Gate Bridge (an infinitely more attractive specimen than its existing counterpart) can be seen in the background.

Great photos, is that Quay now called the North Mall?, can't figure it out.

[lexington]

Great photos, is that Quay now called the North Mall?, can't figure it out.

No - North Mall is the opposite side of the river, visible in that image to the left. Bachelor's Quay borders Grenville Place and is accessible from North Mall using the beautiful iron Distillery Bridge. Among the Georgians along this quayside is the former residence of George Boole.

[kite]

No - North Mall is the opposite side of the river, visible in that image to the left. Bachelor's Quay borders Grenville Place and is accessible from North Mall using the beautiful iron Vincent's Bridge. Among the Georgians along this quayside is the former residence of George Boole.

Thanks for that, should have been able to figure that out for myself with Shandon in view...Sunday,,too many beers ect. ect.

[Radioactiveman]

No - North Mall is the opposite side of the river, visible in that image to the left. Bachelor's Quay borders Grenville Place and is accessible from North Mall using the beautiful iron Distillery Bridge. Among the Georgians along this quayside is the former residence of George Boole.

It's St. Vincents Bridge.

Found that image of Rope Walk very interesting. is that row of houses still there?