Reply To: The Spike

Now that the Spire has been up for a while, I am not 100% convinced by it, and would probably give it a 5 out of 10. This is bearing in mind that I was firm advocate of it based on the plans.

I like –

1. The height. It is very very high, and that is good.

2. The lights on top – they look really well, and shimmer when the spire sways.

3. it in the day when it is sunny – which is sadly rare enough

4. at night when it is lit up – as the stains and material is less evident.

I dislike –

1. The stainless steel: It looks like the taps in my kitchen, and I feel cheated because I had been persuaded it would look like something else. It looks tinny and cheap.

2. Cloudy Days: On cloudy days it looks especially dull and tinny and all the dirt on it looks highly visible. It looks like someone has been hurling icecream at it, as there lots of large blotches, never mind the large streaks as far as the eye can see.

3. The base: Were they insane. I can’t over the peeled wrapper look.

4. The location: I think on retrospect it does not in the architectural terms so beloved of the Dublin City Council ‘take it’s cues from it’s surroundings’. Talbot street is very rundown, and Henry St very narrow, and looking at the Spire from either of those angles always disappoints me, as it doesn’t elevate the character of the street. I probably would have opted for a stone structure of some sort, maybe half or two thirds as high. Stone has such inherent character as a material, it would have worked wonders.

However when the Street is complete, and the treescapes planted, it may fit in better. I would plant quite high trees close to the monument if possible, to at least attempt to integrate that peeled wrapper look into something more natural.

And why can’t they simply clean as far up as possible with a large firehose once a week? It would be done in every other city.