IM Pei to build in Dublin
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A £250m blueprint for a landmark Dublin city centre site has been designed by the Chinese-born architect responsible for the world famous glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris. Ming Pei, of Pei, Cobb, Free & Partners, is understood to have drawn up one of the most imaginative designs ever conceived for Dublin for a key site at Pearse St/Westland Row in Dublin 2.
It is believed that the innovative new project will be undertaken on a joint venture basis involving Trinity College Dublin and CIE together with McNamara Builders. No comment was available from the CIE property department yesterday. However, property sources indicate that the five-acre site to the rear of Pearse St railway station has been earmarked for a major development.
The scheme is expected to link to TCD opposite via an underground walkway below Westland Row and to feature a dramatically designed glass prism.
The overall project for which a planning application is believed imminent will be a mixed use development.
This will comprise a new train hall with two entrances from Pearse St and the east side of the site, plus a multi-storey “park and ride” facility.
Around 300,000 sq ft of office accommodation is on the cards as well as some retail space servicing the station. The scheme is also planned to include a significant social/affordable housing element.
A new “hi-tech” research and development facility for TCD is also envisaged and a 40,000 sq ft sports centre, including a 25-metre swimming pool. The promoters of this project are understood to have interviewed three international firms of architects to design the scheme.
These were Foster & Partners, London-based architects of the “new” Reichstag in Berlin; Richard Meir & Partners, New York, who designed the Barcelona Museum and the Getty Centre, Lose Angeles; and Pei, Cobb, Free who were chosen after an intensive interview and assessment.
The latter successful international firm is headed by the celebrated Ming Pei. Born in China in 1917, Pei is justly celebrated by his sophisticated glass-class buildings and geometric designs.
O wait until the locals start complaining about this….. archeire should prempt them and start campaigning for the building
Any more word on this development? It sounds pretty exciting anyway, although Pei,Cobb Freed have a patchy track record. Let’s hope it goes ahead…
[This message has been edited by BTH (edited 07 October 1999).]
This project sounds very promising and could do wonders for the area.
But I dont understand the Park`n`ride?
Great!… people will now be able to drive into Pearse street park their cars and catch the dart/train to work in …???
I`m sure it will do wonders for the city!!I heard a bit more about this development last night and it sounds very interesting and different for the city although personally I reckon its got as much chance of being built as the SOM building on Georges Quay.
Anyone seen a picture yet?
I think this design isnt going to happen, it seems that they have a plan for an underground building on the site.
As far as I know, this is the backup plan that they’ll go for if the locals seem edgey or if Spencer Dock gets the thumnbs down.
No doubt the virtigo afflicted Lilliputlians will have major gripes about the scheme and Dublin will lose another major development. (I can’t wait to see the list of complaints, for a good laugh!) Hurrrah for the capital city of mediocrity!
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