Dublin skyline

@ake wrote:

I

VOTE- Which is the most magnificent classical building in Ireland – Belfast city Hall, Old Parliament Building (Bank of Ireland), Custom’s House, Four Courts, Trinity College ensemble or Dublin City Hall.

I think either the Bank of Ireland or Belfast City Hall. It should be in Dublin! 😡

I think the Custom House is most spectacular. I don’t think many Dubliners notice it though because of the loop line.

that picture of the custom house is really nice. it looks good. i quite like the dome as it would look so different without it.

I have a picture taken in 1922 of the Custom House including the Dome with most of the structure (dome) and all of the copper gone I’ll post it some time next week when I have access to a scanner.

i would prefer the custom house dublin to city hall belfast any day. i myself don’t dislike city hall belfast though.

aj, i agree.

Bombastic just abouts sums up Belfast City Hall alright – which is why we like it so much, Edwardian power-architecture at its best 🙂
The interior is equally vulgar – impressively so 😉

With the Custom House, the most impressive aspect to it is that which is perhaps least noticable – its simplicity.
The proportions of the river facade are quite staggering in their finesse, notably the pavilions that are by far my favourite part of the building; they’re stand-alone pieces of architecture in themselves. You could easily slice one off and plonk it down in an entirely new location – though I think it just might be missed 🙂
With the doorway in the centre and the steps also reinstated it could operate quite happily as a beautifully proportioned individual piece of architecture.

A bit of training in classical architecture would help, but the one element I’ve never quite ‘got’ as it were is the attic storey of the central block – does anyone else think that it stands out as a bit crude and unfinished, and undesirably prominant in contrast with the rest of the building?

Certainly the extra height on the central block is needed, just the fact that it protrudes above the cornice line almost like an afterthought extension to the main body of the block below makes it jarr somewhat with the collective whole…
The starkness of its almost bare elevation also contrasts starkly with the balustrading alongside and the impeccably adorned facades below…

Saying that, from up close it works almost seamlessly – the beautifully restrained ridged detailing along the top being another fine feature of the building:

@naz78 wrote:

Yeah, what’s this I wonder? So much building work going on in this area. The sign that’s up showing the end result doesn’t say what the building will be used as???? Other comments people?

Is this the site you’re talking about, lads?

Sorry, thought you meant the shopping centre. I’m not familiar with Liffey valley at all. Interested to see a pic of the development though.

i am so curious. it is a very large development. it doesn’t look like an appartment building. it’s more like offices or a factory.

it could be a hospital yes as it has that kind of style about it. thanks.