former cinemas of ireland
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According to Rothery (Ireland & The New Architecture): “Robinson and Keefe were the most prolific Irish cinema architects. During the late 1920s and 1930s this form became the leading exponent of Art Deco. Its cinemas, all with some aspect of Art Deco, include the Carlton, Leinster and Astor in Dublin, the Savoy in Waterford, the Savoy in Galway and the Gaiety in Sligo.”
The Astor seems to have a fairly standard facade for the quay, would love to know how much of the auditorium exists in behind the remains of the old video store that was in the foyer area.
Thanks Paul – good work.
I actually have that book, which is excellent but I find it hard to navigate and must have missed that reference.An article by a mate on mine on another site has me thinking. Why are modern cinemas so soulless? I can understand that the day of the “atmospherics” is gone but most cinemas are now nothing much than a dark box, they may as well be college lecture theatres.
Temples of Film http://www.p45.net/tv_film/square_eyes/21.html
The Irish Architectural Archive has a wonderful photo album of Dublin’s Savoy Cinema under construction – incredible to see the steel frame going up, the original interior. . .
Just back from Stockholm, where one of the most beautiful cinemas in the world – Asplund’s Skandia – is no longer operational. The auditorium behind seems to be intact, although I could not gain access, but the lobby is now a coffee bar (decorations intact). I went to the movies there less than 3 years ago.
If it can happen there. . .
Shane
I do not know if you have seen this wonderful site devoted to Swedish Cinemas.
Good content and design. http://www.algonet.se/~furberg/e_sidor/intro.htmlThe Book by the webmaster is excellent too.
Nice article in the Sunday Times today by the way
I’ve just moved to Lund in Sweden for a year to study architecture. Been here and in Malmo for nearly a week and still havent seen even one roadsweeper person.
I assume its that nobody throws litter on the street, thatthe inhabitants of these beatifull and very people-friendly cities have a collective sense of social and environmental (and maybe even visual) responsibility that might be a little lacking in ireland at the moment.
We irish could learn from the swedish,and scandanavians in general, (maybe not much about how to party, but )certainly how to attain sustainable buildings and cities.Certainly could. I was at my brother’s wedding in Norway last year and the place was spotless. On the train every piece of rubbish was collected and placed into 5 recycling bins that they had on each carriage. Kids used to collect the plastic bottles as you could get a 1 Krone (about 10p) refund on each bottle. As you said we could learn a lot.
Mind you they had plenty of bins everywhere, but if you couldn’t find one the people would actually carry the rubbish until the found one, unlike the ignorant masses over here…
an answer to Paul’s initial question ???
I’d say americanism, globalism, mac-burger ism. I’ve only seen cinemas with SOUL as you call it in places with less reliance on or influence from north american culture.
maybe thats the wrong answer but it’s what i think anyway.Anyone with any more information on this…. yes that is glass blocks painted magnolia…
http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/offaly/tullamore/opticians.htmlUsed to be part of Tullamores old cinema. The rest of the building wasdemolished for no apparent reason in the 1980s by An Post, as there has been a gap in the Streetscape ever since.
There didnt seem to be room behind for a cinema, there were some old walls to be seen about 25 feet back….. but i’ll take your word for it….
Just some more info on this
Site did contain a cinema (Built 1914)
The proposal on the site was given a decision to grant by The Corpo in Nov2001 but was appealed by a resident of Benburb street & An Taisce.
An Bord Pleanala refused Permission in May 2002. The proposal was to comprehensively record & document the former Cinema before demolition. [not a protected structure]There is more information on the Cinema & site in the report that accompanied the application including some photographs (foyer etc)& maps of this area going back to the 17th Century as well as an Archeological assessment. (all on microfiche)
saw this
¡öTHE HISTORY OF CINEMAS (PART 1): DUBLIN
CINEMAS FROM PAST TO PRESENTA photographic display with explanatory notes
presenting cinemas from the early days to today
[new exhibition ]
Mon 6 -Fri 10 September 9.00am -5.00pm
Venue:Venue:Town Hall,Marine Road,D¨²n
Laoghaire
Freehere heritage week brouchure
http://www.environ.ie/DOEI/DOEIPol.nsf/0/61f0245873ca58c480256efa00327244/$FILE/HW_Dublin_6=9=04.pdf
page 43
theres a few other interesting tours etc
em shoud be interesting that, i recently saw a picture of this cinema they had built on the median of oconnell bridge for the great exhibition or something, mad!
ps what ya reckon to new york on o connel street?
Thanks for that Chewy.
On another slightly related point, does anyone else find it somewhat amusing that the fate of Carrickmines Castle was sealed during Heritage Week?
there’s nothing amusing about it…just inept politicians…that along with a few other things makes me want to leave the country
Yes Yee Haw, my apologies. The word amusing was probably the wrong word to use. I just find it telling that during heritage week, the most prominant archealogical find in recent years is to be destroyed. Incidently, I am no expert on archealogy, so I was just wondering would this castle foss have been declared to be as important if it was not in the way of a motorway, and therefore under no threat? I am not trying to be smart, it is a genuine question as to how important this site is in comparison to other sites around the country. Was it known about before excavation started for the roadway? As far as I know it was, but I have only heard that through general talk, so I am not sure.
Whats’ not even remotely amusing is that the lawyers for the objectors are considering YET ANOTHER appeal (see http://www.rte.ie). Is the High Court not good enough? Is it a case that people in this country are so arrogant that if the systems and processes we put in place do not give the outcomes we desire that we seek a series of injunctions until we get the outcome we want? At this point they could discover the remains of Brian Boru, a Roman city, King Arthur, and dinosaurs all at play there and I think the vast majority of the public wouldn’t care so long as the bloody M50 got finished.
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