Patrick Abercrombie & His Plan for Dublin
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Have you tried the Irish Architecture Archive?
In 1916 the Civics Institute of Ireland held a competition for suggestions and designs for the city planning of Dublin of which the judges were Patrick Geddes (1854-1932), the Dublin City Architect C.J. McCarthy (1858-1947), and John Nolen. The winner was Patrick Abercrombie of Liverpool University. This competitive design formed the basis of the Abercrombie Report published in 1922 which, apart from recommending a site at Aston Quay for a Central Bus Station, also suggested the removal of Butt Bridge (which was then in a dangerous state) and the completion of the crescent around the Custom House by filling in the redundant dock. Since the dock’s construction, the docks had expanded and moved further down river. In addition a new bridge positioned centrally in front of the Custom House was to be constructed and Amiens Street Railway Station extended down to the quayside. All the buildings surrounding the Custom House were to be rebuilt in a Beaux Arts style with the station closing off the Abbey Street vista with a huge colonnade. Abercrombie was influenced personally as an architect by the École des Beaux Arts in Paris and particularly by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann (1809-1891) whose city planning of Paris he admired. It was reported in The Irish Times that Abercrombie felt that it was necessary:
… to complete a crescent surrounding the Custom House with buildings for offices of similar purposes which would form a regular setting for the central building, The design of these buildings as shown in his Dublin report of 1922, was of a Renaissance character but they might quite equally well have been carried out in a more modern idiom. In any case he thought it would have been necessary for the surrounding buildings to be considerably higher than the Custom House.
For anyone interested, the 1941 report:
http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/city_development/abercrombie_1941/index.htmlThe archive is still closed isn’t it? It appears to be moving to another site on Stephens Green.
It seems that there is a copy of the 1922 (which is the one you are referring to) plan in the Architecture library in UCD.
Took a walk past it today, it is still closed, put I saw carpets being laid so it shouldn’t be too long now
As for abercrombie, if he was still around Dublin would stretch from Leterkenny to Rosslare
Quote “
Density ZoningSuburban.
We propose normal densities of 4, 6, 8, 12 to the acre. Experience indicates that six to the acre is the most satisfactory density for good class development in an inner suburban area. Four to the acre should be the maximum in a high-class suburban area of an outlying or special character such as the neighbourhood of Killiney and Ballybrack. Twelve to the acre is the highest density which we would recommend, with the reservation which we have already made, under Section 4, as to working class houses which, in special cases, might be allowed up to 16 to the acre net, i.e., deducting the roads and local playgrounds from the gross area of the site. In our zoning plan we have not attempted sub-division of these varying densities which must be worked out in detail at a later stage. “
end QuoteInvestigate three of his major projects – 1. for a major Municipal Cathedral inbetween Broadstone Station and Kings Inns; The creation of a circus junction at O’Connell/Henry/Earl Street Junction and his proposed Cresent of Housing that would have surrounded the Customs House – These would really have impacted upon the city.
New Government Buildings.
Government Departments are at the present time housed in three separate places, viz.: Upper Merrion Street, The Customs House and the Castle. The inadequacy of the present accommodation demands a definite policy for future extensions. The Customs House and the Castle appear, within their limits, to serve their purpose sufficiently well and any future allocation of space could be arranged with a view to continuing their use in any way which may administratively be found convenient. The most suitable neighbourhood for additional building would, in our opinion, be that contained in the rectangle bounded by St. Stephen’s Green North, Upper Merrion Street, Kildare Street, and Leinster Street-Clare Street. This rectangle, and its immediate neighbourhood, for example the East side of Upper Merrion Street, would lend itself admirably to the requirements of a Government centre which would be associated with the existing Oireachtas Buildings, the National Library, National Gallery and Museums.
We propose the incorporation of the end blocks of Merrion Square (North and South) adjacent to Merrion Street, into the group of Government Buildings. If this were done, and the blocks were kept in harmony with the brick character of the Square, we should not object to an increased height for these blocks, were this required.
In forming this rectangle of Government buildings, we are not proposing the removal of the fine Kildare Street Club building, nor the Shelbourne Hotel.
Am I correct in thinking he proposed the demolition of two sides of Merrion Square? In terms of district selection he was proved right in time but thankfully such expansion was done piece meal and ensured the character of the area remained largely intact; in terms of modern buildings on that block the only ones for me that are poor are the two 1970’s buildings on Leinster Street. I wonder what he would have made of the Docklands?
Thanks for that Paul.
@Paul Clerkin wrote:
1941 Plan
http://ireland.archiseek.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/city_development/abercrombie_1941/index.html
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