Most Beautiful Building in Cork?

[ctesiphon]

[quote="Graham Hickey"] And perhaps not what you'd exactly describe as beautiful, and one of the oldest ones in the book I know, but Roches is a fine block of a building to quote ctesiphon ]

I was misquoted / you took my comments out of context / what I meant to say was...

I find it hard to pick a favourite building, but the whole harbour area- bonded warehouses, R&H Hall- has a very special character.
Maybe the Courthouse on Washington Street? One of only two octastyle buildings in the whole of the RoI, a rare example of a building occupying an entire city block, and a glorious interior too.
Or Lapp's Quay?
Or the group of terraces on the road in from the Fermoy (Dublin) roundabout, each of which has its own bridge over the railway line?

Sometimes it's a bit like playing favourites with one's children (I imagine).

EDIT: I forgot Skiddy's Alms House in Shandon.

[GrahamH]

Any house with alm as a prefix just screams chocolate box appeal

Yes the Washington St Courthouse is spectacular - are there only two octastyles in Ireland?! I knew there was less than 5 or so, but 2? What's the other ctesiphon?
I was very impressed with the stone used in the portico which has a wonderful grain to it:



Ah modrin technology


Interesting info about Grant's Lexington, here's a wider view including that terrible Burger King shopfront.



The upper facade could look great if properly restored. At least the windows are all intact.

Burton's condition is also disappointing - especially that clunky Oasis sign. Can't get over how that was permitted by Cork CC, especially given how recent it is.

[ctesiphon]

Yes the Washington St Courthouse is spectacular - are there only two octastyles in Ireland?! I knew there was less than 5 or so, but 2? What's the other ctesiphon?

Is that Graham doing his contemporary 'little match girl' routine on the steps? "Spare the price of a blank cd, guv?"

I think there are only two, but I could be wrong. (If so, I'd be grateful to be corrected.)
Re the second one- I'm tempted to make this into a quiz, but I can't think what prize to offer.
It's Carlow Courthouse by W.V. Morrison.

[A-ha]

The Savoy is a really great building in Cork aswell. It's a really good example of art deco in Ireland, and it has to be the finest art deco building in the city.

[GrahamH]

A fine understated piece - nice set of windows there too.

Thanks for Carlow ctesiphon - wow!



Is this Washington or Carlow town?!
The site the picture is linked from says Cork's courthouse was originally planned for Carlow but they go mixed up. Sounds credible considering their similarities in the portico department.

Is that Graham doing his contemporary 'little match girl' routine on the steps?

The photographer stays behind the camera ctesiphon, behind - to press the button like.
And I do not appreciate being compared to Stephen Gately in appearance thanks very much

The famous Three of course have to feature:



- utterly depressing to see the derelict Georgian being used as an access point to a car park, and especially standing in such a prominent position. It ought to be compulsorily acquired if not secured immediately by the owner and plans put forward for a full restoration.
The state-hung houses next door though look just fantastic in real life

[ctesiphon]

The site the picture is linked from says Cork's courthouse was originally planned for Carlow but they go mixed up. Sounds credible considering their similarities in the portico department.

Though the Cork building occupies a city block, whereas Carlow has a much more 'in the round' feel befitting its prominent corner site in the town.

The famous Three of course have to feature:

[swoon]

[altuistic]

I've been very happy to see a number of houses, buildings around Cork are being carefully restored and reformed to their old glory. the corner house at North Main st and Paradise Place is a greate example and some of the buildings along washington street west. They have had those awful awful paint coatings stripped, the original brick work reexposed and refurbished. Such work gives an important look back at the past and how this buildings were intended to be seen and they are so much more beautiful for their efforts. Careful attention has been applied to shopfronts and such with many classical wooden frames being delicately restored.

[GrahamH]

These Georgians here altuistic near the Courthouse?



Some lovely stuff, and a bizarrely large roof to boot!

You can just make out the swirls of crown glass in some of the panes - really fantastic that these most unusual pane-arranged sashes were preserved. Saying that, they could do with another lick of paint at this stage...



(Suffice to say they also feature in that Roche/IGS book)

[Devin]

That's a lovely group on Sheare's Street. They recently won a conservation award, didn't they?

I love this unified terrace on Washington Street - they're as good as anything by the Wide Streets Commissioners in Dublin (& same mezzanine shopfront concept). But they're in a bad way - lots of unsympathetic alterations. I would love to see them receive some attention:

(sorry about blurry-ness; shrinking images down a lot loses sharpness)

[ctesiphon]

These Georgians here altuistic near the Courthouse?
Some lovely stuff, and a bizarrely large roof to boot!

You can just make out the swirls of crown glass in some of the panes - really fantastic that these most unusual pane-arranged sashes were preserved. Saying that, they could do with another lick of paint at this stage...

That's Fenn's Quay (which is what I meant when I said Lapp's Quay in an earlier post above - I'm sure the natives were scratching their heads). Lovely job, it's true. And yes, Devin, it won an RIAI medal for conservation.

[Devin]

They're on Sheare's Street. Fenn's Quay was an old name from when the street was a water course. It was resurrected as the restored terrace were originally quay-houses.

What I'm wondering is why they only received the conservation medal this year when the restoration was completed at least 7 years ago...

[A-ha]

What was the original name given to the building that is occupied by Vero Moda. It's stunning, but could do with a clean.

[Paul Clerkin]

Originally was Egans, a jewellers afaik

[lexington]

They're on Sheare's Street. Fenn's Quay was an old name from when the street was a water course. It was resurrected as the restored terrace were originally quay-houses.

What I'm wondering is why they only received the conservation medal this year when the restoration was completed at least 7 years ago...

Not sure it was 7 years ago - but indeed you are right, Jack Coughlan & Associates were responsible for overseeing their restoration. The interior (especially the upper floors) are just as, if not, more eye-catching than the exterior elevations. If it was 7 years ago - I'm feeling very old.

Fenn's Quay is a beautiful row indeed. Another most interesting row of houses - only recently granted Protected Structure status - are the Wilton Villas along the Glasheen Road (just before the Wilton Roundabout). These most unusual style houses comprise of Munster Limestone blocks, blood-red brick edging and originally (although I do believe the years have seen changes to this) locally sourced slate tiling on the roof-tops. Lovely little row.

[ctesiphon]

They're on Sheare's Street. Fenn's Quay was an old name from when the street was a water course. It was resurrected as the restored terrace were originally quay-houses.

Aah come now, Devin. I never disputed that they were on Sheare's Street. But the group is known as Fenn's Quay, particularly since the completion of the conservation job. Maybe if I'd written: 'That's "Fenn's Quay"...'
The reason I mentioned the name in my previous post was to correct my previous error- not to correct your post.

Am I forgiven? ]was[/I] seven years ago that they were finished, despite what the RIAI site says. I have memories of seeing the work ongoing in 2000(ish?).

[A-ha]

Is anyone able to post a picture or painting or anything of the old City Hall, I have no idea what it looks like.

[Paul Clerkin]

http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/cork/cork/cityhall_lge.html

[A-ha]

Thanks Paul, but I'm on about the old City Hall, lol.

[PTB]

The Savoy is a really great building in Cork aswell. It's a really good example of art deco in Ireland, and it has to be the finest art deco building in the city.

What about the Christ the King church. Or is that art nouveau?

[A-ha]

I don't think it's art deco.... it's too "modern", but it seems to be in the same sort of style. I've never been in the church so don't know what the interior is like, but I've never seen a church like it anywhere in Ireland.

[Paul Clerkin]

http://www.irish-architecture.com/tesserae/000016.html

[A-ha]

Thanks Paul, first time I've ever seen the inside of the church.

[Radioactiveman]

As we're on the subject of churches, I'm doing a little research on Blackpool Church which was designed by noted Cork Sculptor Seamus Murphy. Any information, drawings, plans etc. about the same would be very welcome.

<img src="http://www.corkandross.org/images/parishes/blackpool/blackpool_ch.jpg">

[A-ha]

Can't help you there, but I'm still looking for a picture of the old City Hall, anyone got one?

[A-ha]

Is there some sort of council dedicated to clean up old buildings? I noticed a few days back that the Queens Old Caste looked absolutley rotten. For such a beautiful building, they make it look awful. Surely some organisation can force Argos or Virgin to paint it or do something to it anyway. It spoils the area!