Georgian infilling in Dublin.

here’s our entry for the Henrietta Street Competition
http://www.openofficearchitects.ie/projects/comp_henrietta/splash_page.htm

Our proposal seeks to mediate between the conflicting desires which seek to preserve that which is culturally significant while also promoting a sustainable urban centre.

We suggest that contemporary buildings must fight for the privilege of existing alongside culturally important buildings by offsetting the negative environmental contribution of these monuments to a carbon fueled civilisation.

@spoil_sport wrote:

That monstrocity was your doing? Oh no, no…

Yes, that “contemporary apartment block” is absolutely hideous.

@johnglas wrote:

God, guys, you’re hard, you’re hard…

Indeed.

While I’m not a fan of the resulting images, it should be remembered that it was an ideas competition, as stated upfront on the Open Office website. As such, I thought there was some interesting food for thought in there.

Since the brief was concerned with generating discussion rather than a finished product we chose to develop a polemic which addresses not only Henrietta Street but also the historic city centre as a whole.

Contrary to popular belief, there is such a thing as a bad idea, and the Open Office Entry was just that. Architectural ideas CANNOT be based entirely on concerns of sustainability, because, well, then you get rediculous things like that proposed by Open Office. An architectural proposal, or idea should be able to stand on its own merits, without all the quasai OMA b.s.

@spoil_sport wrote:

Contrary to popular belief, there is such a thing as a bad idea, and the Open Office Entry was just that. Architectural ideas CANNOT be based entirely on concerns of sustainability, because, well, then you get rediculous things like that proposed by Open Office. An architectural proposal, or idea should be able to stand on its own merits, without all the quasai OMA b.s.

Well maybe I should have bolded this phrase: ‘Since the brief was concerned with generating discussion’? Whatever the merits of the project, it’s really the only one that has stimulated any debate on here so far.

Also, not that I necessarily agree with your assessment of the idea, but it should be remembered that even bad ideas can be useful starting points for a debate. I know, in my case, that occasionally I’ve posted stuff on here to get people’s debating juices flowing.

On topic- one infill building in a Georgian area I’ve always quite liked is the medical centre on the west side of Fitzwilliam Street Lower (opposite the ESBHQ, if I recall correctly)- a two storey building, partly gable-fronted, built of a pinkish brick. It’s not infill in the sense of filling a gap in a terrace, but it does fill in a site in a Georgian area.

I also agree with the Concern building posted by DJM above- far better than the muck it replaced.

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Paul- I agree, but I think that’d be largely solved by a setback as suggested by Peter.

Henrietta street must not be altered, that’s just the beauty of this street, it’s complete.

The state of the houses is totally derelict and and most still look like they are tenements but that’s what Dublin Georgian is all about.

Just around the corner at the back of Henrietta street on a curving lane is this great example of Dublin flats.

Look, I get it. My objection is, it’s not an architectural proposal, architecture is about experience, not about what is written about it nor conjecture nor contrived graphs. This project is simply a statment, a cartoon of an idea, which is not backed up by sufficient architectural exploration. (Exploration of the “ungeorgian development” which is perhaps what they are getting at in a round about way.)

I know that I’m laying myself wide open here but as co-author of the proposal I must agree with spoil sport – it’s not an architectural proposal – but then again no good polemic ever is.

Our intention was to comply with the brief of the competition – which for an Open Ideas competition is more about asking questions than supplying definite answers.

Anyone who reads the proposal as a set of plans to construct a 134 storey tower in Henrietta Street is missing the point. We simply ask what the future holds in store for buildings/city districts which place an ever increasing demand on their host city in terms of energy and space. To preserve them as is may prove economically and environmentally disastrous – to upgrade them may compromise the original artefact.

I appreciate the discussion – both positive and negative – it’s why we entered the competition in the first place.

Speaking of infilling on a Georgian street has anyone any images of what is currently going up on Harcourt Street in place of ‘The plant Store’ – just caught a glimpse of an image on the hording as I was passing the other day, looks fairly modern but surely if there ever was aplace in Dublin for pastice this was the place?

“I know that I’m laying myself wide open here but as co-author of the proposal I must agree with spoil sport – it’s not an architectural proposal – but then again no good polemic ever is.”

I have to say I find that to be a cop out. The issue of sustainability of “protected structures” or more broadly speaking existing urban fabric, is not a new one, and it something any responsible architect will grapel with when dealing with such a project. Which is why I find your project, whether it is litterally a “134 storey tower in Henrietta Street” or not, unhelpful, perhaps even less so if it is not meant literally. To say it is just about asking questions is too easy a stance on the matter, your pose a senario but you must also take some responsibility for the consequences.