ILAC centre
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Its Crane Lane – the sign for the Boilerhouse, “Dublin’s best and biggest sauna” is clearly visible on the left
This store is so dead and lifeless both inside and out. Absolutely no atmosphere. And Cole’s Lane is such an utter waste of space!
I agree it seems that DCC seem happy to let this whole area go under redevelopment. The Northern Quarter, the upcoming “Dublin Central” around the old Carlton site are al proposing these monlithic type buildings. And the architecture is so bland.
The store revamps along Grafton Street recently are the opposite. Some lovely stuff especially the new Ted Baker.
I couldn’t agree with you more Stephen – indeed I was about to get some pictures of these very stores.
It’s great to see a good news story emerging here – Grafton Street has been upping the stakes enormously over the past 18 months or so. There’s some beautiful shopfront design evolving on the thoroughfare, especially at the south-western end near South Anne Street – there’s almost a Chic Row emerging here, with unit upon unit of sleek modern design.
By contrast the Northside, while benefiting in the short term from major new retail complexes, will in the long term suffer from out-dated ‘mega-structural’ developments cloaked in uninspiriing two dimensional glossy tiles, with bloated rendered backsides spewing out into various important views in the city. And clearly not even existing decent stock is safe either.
Incidentally, before the event disappears into the annals of time, the opening of the new Dunnes a few months ago was the most extraordinary spactacle the city centre must ever have witnessed since 1916 – only this time it was a consumer war. I just happened to be passing and went in to see the new store, not knowing there was 50% off all stock until getting inside. It is impossible to describe what utter mayhem there was; I have never ever ever seen a store so full of people in all my life; there was literally thousands of people in there: a swarming sea of shoppers slowing rippling across four levels. The shelves were almost empty, there was stock thrown everywhere, the security guards were standing around pretty much helpless, the queues for the checkouts were at least 100 deep across the store, lasting well over an hour, and the escalators and lifts were completely jammers. It was actually frightening at times, with an every-man-for-himself atmosphere pervading the store. Absolute madness – it was fantastic to see such a consumer orgy in all its glory.
Spectacular marketing Margaret – gotta hand it to her.
@GrahamH wrote:
I couldn’t agree with you more Stephen – indeed I was about to get some pictures of these very stores.
Incidentally, before the event disappears into the annals of time, the opening of the new Dunnes a few months ago was the most extraordinary spactacle the city centre must ever have witnessed since 1916 – only this time it was a consumer war. I just happened to be passing and went in to see the new store, not knowing there was 50% off all stock until getting inside. It is impossible to describe what utter mayhem there was]thousands[/b] of people in there: a swarming sea of shoppers slowing rippling across four levels. The shelves were almost empty, there was stock thrown everywhere, the security guards were standing around pretty much helpless, the queues for the checkouts were at least 100 deep across the store, lasting well over an hour, and the escalators and lifts were completely jammers. It was actually frightening at times, with an every-man-for-himself atmosphere pervading the store. Absolute madness – it was fantastic to see such a consumer orgy in all its glory.
Spectacular marketing Margaret – gotta hand it to her.
mostly women though right? scary thing women looking for a dunnes bargains
nah – even the LCD’s, xboxes, Laptops and Plasmas were half price – the lads got in on the madness too!
Hehe – very true d_d. They were all sold out within minutes, with posters up everywhere from disgruntled staff being asked about them every four seconds 😀
And bizarrely most people were queueing with only a few items of clothing, even though the queues were well over an hour. It’s not as if it was designer savings being made. Some old-fashioned Mr Burns efficiency crept into my head that evening – I’d be happier with the dollar.
Curiously, while Dunnes has made massive leaps in ‘Euroising’ and modernising Homewares and most fashion departments, large swathes of Menswear remain resolutely in the 1990s – other mid-market retailers beat them hands down. I think it’s next on the list for an upgrade.
I have to say. I don’t think the Henry St Facade is as horrible and unsensitive as people here seem to think.
Taking it, as a building by itself. I like the proportions and symmetry. Even taking it in context, it maintains the height of the streetscape. I also like how it continues some of the lines along the streetscape, while breaking others, creating an interesting conflict with the adjacent buildings.The one major critisism I have of it, is the choice of stone. It clashes pretty badly with the red brick around it. I think they should have chosen a stone, which would have complemented the surroundings much better. maybe a light coloured limestone or portland stone.
To say the least. I disagree regarding the lines, Blisterman: only one of the window courses matches, and frankly it’s entirely coincidental. To attribute the ignorant, lazy and insensitive bulldozing of horizontal courses to an intended tongue-in-cheek post-modernist approach is faintly ridiculous, though no doubt exactly what the architects would have spouted had the planning authority pressed them on it. Luckily for them however, it was DCC they were dealing with, who not only blithely waved it through, but also promptly rolled over to have their tummy tickled.
Agreed the facade itself is crisp and fresh, and not without merit at another location with different cladding. But this terrace should not have been interfered with. It’s as simple as that.
Having seen it myself last week, its worse than Graham’s photo’s suggest. The glossy facade borders on bling set against the muted tones of its neighbours, its ‘design’ is absolutely without context, destroying the continuity of a lovely terrace.
Why DCC allowed any kind of intervention here is beyond me, the finished product adds insult to injury & seriously undermines DCC and their truck load of IAP’S.
@Peter FitzPatrick wrote:
Having seen it myself last week, its worse than Graham’s photo’s suggest. The glossy facade borders on bling set against the muted tones of its neighbours, its ‘design’ is absolutely without context, destroying the continuity of a lovely terrace.
Why DCC allowed any kind of intervention here is beyond me, the finished product adds insult to injury & seriously undermines DCC and their truck load of IAP’S.
+ 1
I’m a little confused over this – is the part of the Ilac that is occupied by Debenhams (formerly Roches) designed by AJ Wechjerc or NMA? Or did NMA just design the interior of that plot?
When did Dunnes start doing decent shopfronts?
This could have been a lot worse and the development heading towards Sampson’s Lane is a piece of real progress; I’m not totally sure about the permission to demolish but at least the end result is decent considering it is mass market commercial space.
Sorry, but what a load of concessionary nonsense. We are to be thankful that ILAC Round II in the form of a four-storey concrete wall wasn’t loaded on us? Or this development is acceptable because a typical ‘mass market’ motorway shed wasn’t built here? We should be eternally grateful to Dunnes for not scarring the city even more for their mass marketing ends?
The entire point is that we have planners in this city to control development; to enforce standards for the sake of the greater good. And you’re suggesting we be thankful for them not allowing something even worse?!
This case runs a lot deeper than meets the eye, and judging An Bord Pleanála resoundingly enforced every last word that has been expressed on this site in opposition to the Henry Street facade intrusion, DCC have a lot to answer for. They are consistently flouting their Development Plan in areas pertaining to sensitive development – this behemoth smashing through the streetscape is the most telling monument to that end.
Dunnes on Henry Street is a very pleasant addition to the street and in this case I am happy to consider that the gain of an anchor department store behind a very sympathetic stone facade that at parapet level is in line is a very good result.
There may be issues around the loss of two early 20th century buildings but given the choice between two buildings and Samsons Lane or a way to create a department store linking almost directly to the Parnell Mall of the Ilac Centre this is real progress. In 10 years the typical visitor to Henry Street will think this is an auld building.
@PVC King wrote:
Dunnes on Henry Street is a very pleasant addition to the street
Very interesting yet simple reflective wall beside the elevator inside, reminds of the prague undreground pictures.
Looks like they are piling – probably to put a big sculpture or something there in the central mall. The place would need something to liven it up!! Soulless is not the word….
Yeah it’s boring alright, ditto, souless is not even the word! The central Mall looks so empty, considering the units are bland and are not much bigger than an average sized living room. I could go on.
I’d have to agree. Was in there a few hours ago thinking exactly the same (as with every time I pass through). A remarkably soulless centre that’s still the biggest waste of urban space it ever was. The ongoing mall project has been little more than a re-clad job of mammoth proportions – although there are some attractive plaster suspensions in parts. The dingy units are still the same size with low ceilings, and the Parnell Mall as pokey as ever. As mentioned before, the choice of non-slip granite flooring across the centre is particularly horriffic. It looks so cheap, and like it’s been painted on from a pattern in a Georgianise Your Home book from 1984. Such a disappointing choice.
Saying all that, the centre is most afflicted by poor tenants – once this is resolved, and the central area finished, it may yet garner a bit of character.
It really does look like they’re drilling for oil though – trying to fund the rest of the refurb perhaps…
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