Reply To: Ugly buildings

maybe personal opinon overrode reasoning in that post. My opinion of sam stephenson is largely based on an arrogant televison appearence by him some years ago and a lecture i attended by him more recently. In the tv appearence he came accross as largely unappologetic for his major part in ravaging a priceless historic part of dublin and erecting his infamous ‘bunkers’ design, the insensitivity of which (in all aspects) i have yet to see rivalled. At the lecture i attended a couple of years ago he systematically went through movements in art and architecture over the past century and un-constructively criticised them. no positives or alternatives offered, just unbeleivably arrogant and, on the face of it ignorant statements. eg. (quote from memory)’picasso was a perfectly adequate painter until he saw cubism coming and jumped on the bandwagon’ and how ‘hadid’s paintings were a complete waste of time’. im all for criticsm, but when it is dne in a manner where there seems to be no reason other than venting anger i can but question the intelligence of that person.
on the central bank, i will admit to having a romanticised idea of this building. i love the way it looms over the roofs of all the other buildings when seen from christchurch end of dame street. i admire the success that was the decission to carve out a space between the other buildings on dame street and create a proper public space in dublin, successful because of its prominence and position. i enjoy walking under the massive over hangs (wind tunnels as they may be) and looking up as they reach over almost touching the older roofs accross the streets.
this is a personal taste one more than most as youll see fromthe other posts above. you either love it and pick out the positives or hate it and see the negatives. overbearing or encompassing? up to you