Re: Re: Alto Vetro, grand canal docks, dublin

barrage of idiotic arguments against high rise: from the (false) claim that they would be out of place in what is essentially a low rise city, to the (equally false) argument that high rise buildings will not increase density in Dublin, as if that were even the point.

Nice starting point for reasonable debate…calling holders of the opposite view idiotic.

I could equally express it as….

barrage of idiotic arguments for high rise: from the (false) claim that they would make Dublin a ‘modern city’, to the (equally false) argument that high rise buildings will increase density in Dublin, as if that were even the point.

“crucial way for a capital city to express its openness to thinking big and remaining dynamic into the future”

How exactly is a low/medium rise city less open-minded?

From a purely architectural perspective, skyscrapers create contrasts and shadows and sculptural effects undreamed of by those who are limited to a view of vast planes of five storey retail park fodder.

Are you saying that architects cannot express contrast and sculptural effects in less than 15 storeys? Really?
http://thomasmayerarchive.de/details.php?image_id=86095&l=english

I mean, was Georgian Dublin constructed at the same height, block after block? No. Variation was key to its success.

Equally, the uniformity of the rooflines of the grand Georgian terraces is part of their beauty, Without the need to ‘punctuate’ the skyline (god, I loathe that word)

The modern equivalent is a more substantial varying of heights – and nothing could be more contextual to Dublin than that.

Define substantial. That seems to be the crux of the debate….

Anybody who surveyed Ireland’s account books for the last twenty years and then went to look at the docklands would be drawn to the inevitable conclusion that some kind of pathology is in effect here – a simple primeval fear preventing Dublin from getting it up like normal cities.

Since you bring up the inevitable phallic allusion, is the frustration at the lack of high-rise expressed by the ‘we want it big and tall and now!’ brigade a primeaval fear of impotence? 😀