"Iconic" building proposal by VHI, Abbey Street

[Devin]

In the firm belief that the time to discuss planned development here on Archiseek is when it's LIVE rather than when it got final approval 2 months ago, here is a current proposal for an "iconic" new office building for VHI on Abbey Street Lower.

The proposal is all flashy graphics and foster references ..... but it's going to be controversial because they want to not only glaze BESIDE a stone protected structure as we saw recently at the Sean McDermott St church, but actually COVER OVER part of one; the Parish Hall of the little group of buildings forming the Scots Presbyterian Church, Abbey Street. It'll be a hell of a precedent if it gets through ...

Ref. 1546/08

[archipig]

I like.



Looks like a mini version of OMAs Seattle library.

Its certainly way better than the Clarence proposal.

[notjim]

So part of the church is inside it: they own the parish hall but not the church? Seems a pity not to go the whole way and put the church inside too. Best of all would be to have a double layer of glass with water and fish in between so it looked the church was inside an aquarium or better yet, put pretend snow inside and make it into a huge snow globe.

[cubix]

Not sure if I would categorise it as "iconic" but for Dublin its not bad.Actually think its looks quite wel beside the church,seem to compliment one another,nice contrast of past & present.

[JoePublic]

Kind of reminds me of the glass-encased remains of the hotel esplanade in Potzdammer platz in Berlin, part of the Sony centre.

I like it.

[archipig]

I wonder how it looks fron the other end of the street.

[johnglas]

notjim: 10/10 - got it in 1!

[reddy]

i saw the model for this in DCC. Its not quite as convincing as the 3d renders are but overall its a good project.

[LOB]

images here
http://www.mdo.ie/project.php?number=80&owner=5

[Paul Clerkin]

Fly-through available now: http://www.mdo.ie/project.php?number=80&owner=5

[jspruit]

That's a nice fly-through video-good quality. Does anyone know who actually created it? MDO or a rendering company? Interesting project-I'll be watching to see how it does in the planning process as it looks like its been in the works since 2004.

[paul h]

Thats nuts!! A building almost growing around a parish hall, doesnt look like they'll create much office space

[jdivision]

More than 2,000 square metres

[ctesiphon]

And only one church hall sacrificed.

[igy]

Isn't that currently under their ownership already? Or is it actually used as a church hall?

[ctesiphon]

I believe it is in the ownership of the VHI- I was referring to the type, not the use.

[StephenC]

Its a smack clinic at the moment I think. Or was.

[paul h]

I believe the smack clinic is/was across the street.
It does look really cool trendy chic and all that, in the video, but it still doesnt look like what they will gain would really offset what they lose, now if it was taller, with some nice setbacks........cough:D
I would of thought hammering out a deal for a couple of floors with the new bigger? liberty hall would of made more sense financially.

[ctesiphon]

Its a smack clinic at the moment I think. Or was.

Which would presumably explain the desire to airbrush it from the street.

I work in the area and, though I can't confirm the use, I'm almost sure there's activity there most days.

Is there anyone in DCC with an underatanding of basic conservation principles? Or rather, anyone whose voice is not ignored? The Clarence business tells me that though the knowledge might be there, it can be ignored at will with little come back.

As Devin said in the OP, "It'll be a hell of a precedent if it gets through ..."

[tommyt]

Which would presumably explain the desire to airbrush it from the street.

I work in the area and, though I can't confirm the use, I'm almost sure there's activity there most days.

Is there anyone in DCC with an underatanding of basic conservation principles? Or rather, anyone whose voice is not ignored? The Clarence business tells me that though the knowledge might be there, it can be ignored at will with little come back.

As Devin said in the OP, "It'll be a hell of a precedent if it gets through ..."

for the record the methadone clinic is in Marlborough Place around the corner -that is open in the morning/late evening, the junkies go over to the sally army building by the entrance to the Irish life mall car park for some kind of facility/drop in type thingy at 2PM-can get busy around there at that time

[johnglas]

Guys: 'smack clinic', 'junkies'? maybe we're all too PC these days, but there are some conventions for describing fellow human beings. It's a pity not everyone can be a nice middle-class professional (but then they're all coke-heads, aren't they?).

[Rory W]

mm - like the idea for this an interesting reuse and protection of a building. The fly through looks good although I did let it run on and it stated playing upside down which made me feel quite ill

[ctesiphon]

an interesting [...] protection of a building.

Makes one wonder how the church itself will survive without a glass box to protect it!

Having watched the video, I'm now even more sure that this is a cruddy proposal- taking slices out of the roof, hanging stair treads from historic stonework, etc. I presume MDO have read the DEHLG Guidelines on Protected Structures. Haven't they?

Here's an idea, VHI- knock down that monstrosity you call a head office and build something else on that site instead. And leave the damn church alone (but give it a use, obviously).

[GrahamH]

Fully agreed - I was bordering on cynicism too until I saw the fly-through and all was revealed. It's a thoroughly half-baked gimmicky proposal. The glitzy glazing and funky forms are a mere distraction device in the concealment of the reality of this proposal: namely to squeeze three floors of offices out of the airspace over an existng building. It doesn't wash.

Whereas I don't blanket apply the "it's a protected structure - it's guidelines or nothing" ideology across the board - every case is different (and the Millenium Wing mews an example of how adaptive proposals can work) - but this proposal effectively seeks to demolish a building, removing it from the streetscape and setting it was designed to complement. This is the worst case senario for any well designed building, let alone an historic protected one - and that's even disregarding the internal mauling of the roof form.

But if anything it's the new building itself that is of most concern in terms of impact on the streetscape - I don't think it works in the slightest. The vertical form, the flush slotting into the streetline, the pushy arrogance of its sheer glazing sweeping down to the ground (in a distinctly uninspired tribute to the Gherkin) - it all clashes head-on with neighbouring forms. Of course we could do with some arrogance once in a while, and the contrast with the main body of the church is particularly striking - but this is arrogance at its most cumbersome.

[tommyt]

Guys: 'smack clinic', 'junkies'? maybe we're all too PC these days, but there are some conventions for describing fellow human beings. It's a pity not everyone can be a nice middle-class professional (but then they're all coke-heads, aren't they?).

Noted Mr Johnglas. I don't think they are offensive terms personally and have lived all my life in the prescence of neighbours and acquaintances with addiction problems- but I should temper my manners and have pulled people up on the same previously. I am not speaking from the distance of some middle class enclave on the subject though and resent you're accusation of being some kind of smoked salmon and pink champagne guzzling commentator (well, not yet;))