Reply To: skyline

I agree that the uncontrolled sprawl of Dublin into the surrounding counties is a problem, but not one that is a direct result of low density in the city. There is an undeniable demand for suburban housing and the developers are right to capitalise on that. Where they are wrong however, is in the appalling design of ALL of these suburban estates. The 3/4 bed semi looks roughly the same as it did 30 years ago & that’s just not good enough for the prices being charged.

As regards Dublin’s ‘precious’ skyline – it hasn’t got one. Parts of Dublin are really beautiful, but there are more areas that are mediocre and even more that are just disgusting. Fitzwilliam & Merrion Squares – lovely. Go north a couple of blocks and you find yourself in one of the nastiest (architecturally & otherwise) areas of the inner city (around Pearse st, Macken st & surrounding quays) where urban renewal has meant the building of god awful 2 storey corpo houses in inane clusters, surrounded by derelict warehousing.

I am in favour of the Georges quay development, & the NCC plan. I would like to see tasteful high rise being built to best utilise the remaining areas of the docks. This would have the added benefit of adding interest into the monotonous skyline that seems to merge into one with the sea in that area.

I don’t ever want to see the offensive architecture of Sam S. in Dublin, the bunkers of Wood Quay are a disgrace. However the building proposed by Cosgrave & designed by SOM looks marvellous as do the outline sketches of the NCC – these are proper modern alternatives to the pseudomodern rubbish erected in Dublin thus far.

I know many disagree.