shannon new town, co. clare

[Paul Clerkin]

Shannon is a new town located in County Clare and is one of only two planned towns in Ireland, the other being the northern town of Craigavon. It was given town status on January 1st, 1982.

These images are from an old architecture magazine from 1979.




The architects were Burke O'Dea
More images here: http://archiseek.com/2010/1979-unbuilt- ... wn-centre/

Was the town centre built to this plan?

[hutton]

Shannon is a new town located in County Clare and is one of only two planned towns ...

Shirley thersh shum mishtake?... Might you mean one of only two planned in the 20th C?

[Paul Clerkin]

Yes pedant

[hutton]

Yes pedant

Meeoow!

[GrahamH]

I didn't think the nuclear threat was still so pressing in 1979.

[sw101]

where did you get those images paul? fascinating stuff. the central bank springs to mind, as well as some of the awful stuff thrown up in glasgow around the same time.

[hutton]

A little bit more info on Shannon New Town Centre;

By 1972 the initial phase was up amd running; and by that time it had a population of 4300. The layout was based around a town square idea, featuring an L shaped mall with a 42,000sq. ft. office block as the dominent feature. It already had by then a supermarket, shops, a restaurant and a pub; it was hoped that a bank, post office, garage and hotel would be started later that year. The early plans were quite different from the sheme that was later to emerge, as illustrated by Paul.

A competition was held to decide the design, it attracted 4 Irish entries and a number from across the water. The selected architects were B. P. Jeffers and Assoc with the Consultant Architect being Arthur Gibney, while Downes, Meehan, and Robison did the office block. The development was a joint venture between Messrs John Sisk and Shannon Free Airport Development Co.

At the time Plan Magazine said that "it has at least every chance of being an environmental success".

[CologneMike]

http://www.irish-architecture.com/unbuilt_ireland/clare/shannon/towncentre/images/shannon_newtowncentre4_lge.jpg

The architects were Burke O'Dea

Was the town centre built to this plan?

In layout yes, but without the “Aztec Temple” and the “half finished lower half of a Pyramid“ appearance of buildings. In the middle is the Shannon Development Headquarters. Today the Sky Court Shopping Centre takes up the heart of the town centre.

Sky Court Shopping Centre http://www.skycourtshannon.com/

• Major enclosed Retail Centre 20,000 sq.m comprising of 60 retail units.
• Foodcourt comprising of 6 units from 70 sq.m to 150 sq.m
• Home to the biggest concentration of Industrial employment outside the Dublin Metropolitan Area
• Catchment population of 40,000 within a 20 minute drive
• Anchors:Tesco, Dunnes Stores and Lidl
Also located adjacent to the centre are:
Shannon Development
Shannon Credit Union
Shannon Library
Shannon & District Chamber of Commerce

Shannon Map: Airport, Town and Industrial Zones.



Shannon Development: http://www.shannondev.ie/

Official website for Shannon Town: http://www.shannon.ie/

Shannon Airport: http://www.shannonairport.com/index.html

Any present day images around?

[Urban_Form]

Does anyone have any pictures of Shannon Town as it is today? I've never been, cannot find anything online and am curious to see what it's like compared to every other town in the country...

[vkid]

Does anyone have any pictures of Shannon Town as it is today? I've never been, cannot find anything online and am curious to see what it's like compared to every other town in the country...

I live just outside it and if Shannon is a good example of town planning then we're all screwed!:D
Seriously though for a town of its size it really has been poorly devleoped..until now. The Sky Court is making some difference to the town but up until recently it has suffered from having approx 30% of the retail space of a similar town of same population. Its proximity to Limerick and Ennis hasn't helped this. The Sky Court development has changed things a bit but it is still very much a work in progress. The Dunnes Stores section of the Shopping mall is bland and adds little or nothing to the area.
What Shannon really needed was a street scape of some sort but what has been so far delivered is a bigger version of the shopping centre that was there already with blocks of new aprtments(http://www.brunasionna.com/) and a new open space which imo is very poor. I'm reserving my judgement until the next phases are complete but it still has the feel of a suburb of Limerick city without ever feeling like a town in its own right.(very like Raheen/Dooradoyle including large housing estates and a massive industrial park)
By the Way those buildings in the plans above for the most part have never happened. Some of the early multistory developments in the town are to be torn down (one after a recent fire rendered it unsafe apparently). I'll upload some pics later in the week if possible but it would be unfair to judge on what it looks like until the developments are finished. Not much so far of real architectural merit imo.

[KerryBog2]

A friend of mine was manager of the Penneys shop in Shannon TC in the early '70's... it was looked upon as a hardship posting, a necessary stopping point on the way up the management tree. For years after it was regarded akin to a transfer to Siberia ( a suitable comparison as it was a bleak place!)
KB2

[Praxiteles]

Yes indeed, with all those pine trees along the way, the drive into Shannon on a wet morning reminds me greatly of the awful dreariness of the Mecklenburg heath; while the buildings inevitably impress an idea, and remind the sensitive mind of Eric Hoenecker and the tatty glory of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik - now thankfully embalmed in the pages of German history.

[CologneMike]

Yes indeed, with all those pine trees along the way, the drive into Shannon on a wet morning reminds me greatly of the awful dreariness of the Mecklenburg heath]

Ist das Glas halb voll oder halb leer?;)

Yes indeed, 28.000 trees were planted for landscaping in 1968 because they were very important for shelter, due to the exposed nature of the estuary. Driving into Shannon on a sunny morning reminds me greatly of the positive energy unleashed by Shannon Development in the 1960’s to counteract that awful dreariness of mass emigration from Munster and Connacht; while the factory buildings inevitably impress an idea, and remind the sensitive mind of Sean Lemass who started to address the failed protectionist policies of the Irish Free State - now thankfully embalmed in the pages of Irish history.

A friend of mine was manager of the Penneys shop in Shannon TC in the early '70's... it was looked upon as a hardship posting, a necessary stopping point on the way up the management tree. For years after it was regarded akin to a transfer to Siberia ( a suitable comparison as it was a bleak place!)
KB2

Eric Hoenecker was manager of a Penneys shop in Mecklenburg …]“That’s tough sh*t Eric!”[/B]

[tommyt]

TCD Arts Block amidst semi-reconstructed Aztec ruins alright!

[Urban_Form]

vkid: I'll upload some pics later in the week if possible

Excellent, cheers.

vkid: The Sky Court development has changed things a bit but it is still very much a work in progress.

There seems to be a real worrying trend in all of Ireland to substitute proper town centres with large shopping centres as though it's somehow adequate. Dundrum 'Town Centre' is the most blatant example of this.

[CologneMike]

I'll upload some pics later in the week if possible

Frederick Rogerson, Shannon New Town Proposal, c. 1965


Presenting architecture: 20th century drawings and models from the collections of the Irish Architectural Archive.

http://www.iarc.ie/exhibitions/0001.html

[CologneMike]

Blocks of new aprtments(http://www.brunasionna.com/) and a new open space which imo is very poor. I'm reserving my judgement until the next phases are complete.

Hi VKID, how is this development coming along? Is the new open space your refer to part of this development? How mature is the Town park?

Brú na Sionna http://www.brunasionna.com

Achitects JohnThompson & Partners and constructed by Paddy Burke Builders Ltd

Phase 1 See Map (A) – (F)

http://www.brunasionna.com/layout_map.jpg

http://www.brunasionna.com/thumb_small.jpg

Phase 2 See Map (G) – (M)

http://www.brunasionna.com/layout_map2.jpg

Phase 2 will consist of six apartment and town house blocks, a 5,000 square foot crèche and a neighbourhood shop. Ideally located beside the new town park and preserved woodland amenity, Each block differs in style and shape, some with gardens, balconies and terraces etc. All properties come with parking included.

Block J

http://www.brunasionna.com/block_j_800.jpg

Block L

http://www.brunasionna.com/block_l_800.jpg

[fergalr]

The gas thing with so many of these 1960s designs is that they could look good with the right materials and suitable landscaping. UCD Belfield (one close to my heart, as I'm still going there) would look different with some red brich here and there, more sensitive treatment of public spaces on campus, closer together buildings, a central paved area of some form and a material other than concrete in the principal buildings.
The Arts block in portland stone certainly would be interesting!!

[vkid]

have had various issues with both my pc and camera recently so havent had a chance to upload photos yet. Give me a few days as just getting them sorted out now.

[dc3]

Touch of the Brunswick Centre in London to that Shannon design perhaps?

[vkid]

Sorry for the delay folks. Today is the first chance I got to go walkabout so here's Shannon in all its...erm...glory. Shots aren;t great as they are the first bunch Ive taken with a new camera. Some other non Shannon bits further down too including an interesting toll bridge!

Skycourt/Bru na Sionna


The below was apprently to be demolished due to a recent fire but apparently now it is to be refurbed!

[vkid]

Older Parts of Town Centre - next to be redone apparently...you can see why..(although it is the back of the centre)

[vkid]

UL Health Science Building ...hadn't seen it before. Lot of stuff happening on the Plassey Campus.



An old Toll Bridge just outside Shannon near Bunratty...Shame to see it in such disrepair..!

[archipimp]

apart from that toll bridge are there any old buildings(as in early 20th century or earlier) or attempts at fabricating 'old' looking buildings in the area?

[vkid]

Nope. Loads of stuff outside the town but all thats in the town is one thatch cottage which is currently a resturaunt/take away. Loads of older stuff in the Bunratty/SixmileBridge/Drumline area but you must remember what is now the town was pretty much the banks of the Shannon Estuary until the Airport and FreeZone came along. Towards the back of the Airport there are some older buildings(cottages etc) and some early settlements on the islands in the Estaury but the town itself is all relatively new.