O’Connell Street Monument
- This topic has 71 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 25 years, 9 months ago by
.
- Posts
Can we now feel safe that our main Georgian Street will not be further defaced by the building of an oversized roll of aluminium foil, in it’s own black marble holder?
“our main Georgian Street”? There are two Georgian houses on it!! O’Connell Street is now largely a 2oth Century creation after the destruction of 1916.
The main street of Georgian Dublin was Capel St./Parliament St. (both laid out by the Wide Streets Commissioners).
Am i the only person who thinks the spike/spire whatever you want to call it is nice???
I see in today’s “The Guardian” that the designer of the Spike Ian Richie Architects, has produced designs for new electricity pylons for France.
Pretty fine looking objects they are too, a distinct improvement.
“Improvement.”
What, you mean on the spike Paul?Har har
Only joking
John[Pity about the ol’ ‘Splike’ though, I thought it would have been wonderous]
are they still going ahead with it?? and if so is there any kind of timetable on it??
I think the Spire is a much more interesting piece of architecture than the usual dross that is put forward for these competitions. Remember the mini Arc de Triomph that was proposed on the Late Late show a couple of years ago, as well as the usual “rebuild the pillar except with St Patrick on top” brigade or the viewing platform/revolving restraunt faction that want to take us into the 1950s. Almost every city in the world has their “Space Needle”/Telecom tower/Radio tower why must we automatically follow suit. I think that the spire in its simplicity is quite beautiful, of couse most people wont appreciate this until it is actually built (lest we forget how Napper Tandy led the angry mob bent on the destruction of works on the Customs House). It is time that we made a statement of our own to the world, it is the 21st century after all!!
I for one cannot wait to see the completion of this project.
Rory W
Couldn’t agree more Rory
“The synergy between the tip, the cone and the base?”
There’s really not much else to say about the nature of this “monument” is there?
Does the lack of continuity in this city’s building history not bother anyone? The street was originally designed to trap and dominate its space. It doesn’t matter if most of the buildins are post 1916, the street continues to perform its asthetic function behind the garish shopfronts. Putting up a huge spike will completely overwhelm not only the street, but the whole town.
Its called a focal point boog!, I think the street and indeed the city is crying out for one.
There is a difference between the beauty of SIMPLICITY, and an underdeveloped SIMPLISTIC idea. Clearly the fact that this monument is referred to as a “spike” reflects the latter idea. A project that expresses simplicity is not easily achieved and upon closer examination a simple idea is usually composed of many complex and interwoven concepts. And, I think you can achieve a focal point without being hit over the head with one.
The o’connell St Spire looks like a syrnge. I believe the area is renowned for drug abuse.
Re-build ‘Nelson’s Pillar’, but with out Nelson.Nelson’s Column was a stumpy badly proportioned structure. Reconstructing it would be an act of folly, looking backwards rather than forwards.
The city already has a focal point, and a very fine one too, in the form of the O’Connell monument which is a tribute to the great man himself. There is nothing interesting about a spike, that is true, unless you are an artist who delights in discussing such issues. What about the ordinary man on the street who knows nothing about art. To them it’s just a spike. What about a little bit more imagination!! If asked to paint a picture to capture the mood of a city, would you propose a white canvas with a black line through it? It would be art, but it would not necessarily be good art. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there is not many a Dublin eye that can extract beauty from a metal spike.
By the way, as for rebuilding Nelson’s column without Nelson on it, why? That was old news, this is a new millenium. It took us long enough to get rid of it, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
There is not many a Dublin eye that can extract beauty at all. One could ask any regular true blue Dub where the National Gallery is and ‘daw…..I dunno’ would be the answer. Such affirms the notion that us Irish are visually illiterate regarding all the arts; painting, sculpture, printmaking etc……as well as architecture.’Not an architects’ views establishes this.(I recommend reading an art book or two.The public libraries are for all).These bloody auld viewpoints have kept us in the bogs for centuries.It’s time now to join civilization. Nothing wil be done if are to continually listen to the gombeen intellectuals deriding what they do not know.
Can I add, I wish to see the ‘Monument of Light’ built,(to give it it’s correct title) When the upgrading of O’Connell is complete (and with the former Carlton Cinema re-developed)it will be a wonderful improvement overall with the spire the central focus of Dublin.It will be a distinguishable landmark for the 21st century for the city and nation.
Yeah I think the Spike should be built. The city badly needs a focal point. People cannot say that height is a drawback about this, because, to be the focal point of this low rise city, it is essential.
I think Nelson’s Pillar was nice in itself, but it seemed bulky where it was placed, and destroyed the continuity of the street, and the rail on top took from its Doric quality. If there was some good open space near the Pro-Cathedral, that would be a good place for it.
O’Connell Street is desperate for rejuvenation. There is apparently only 1 resident on the street. But I do think height should be restricted. If it was so high for the top to be invisible when you were looking up the street, well that is too high. It should also learned from the design errors of Nelson’s Pillar as far as bulkiness in relation to the street is concerned.I still think it’s a wasted opportunity not to build something which one can use to gain a vantage point over the city. We have an attempt at this in Smithfield but at £5 – forget it!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
