interesting….. [ Calatrava ]
- This topic has 32 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 26 years ago by
.
- Posts
…….to add, looking at the image again is’nt the skyline dramatically boring.The absence of variety among the buildings, grossly minimal, all the same height, same style….. Zzzzzzzzzzz. A bit of height to the buildings would have made a better impact.(A few John Portman towers!) The DDDA have got it wrong here…..too bad, a missed opportunity.
Ah yeah….The Macken St. bridge looks like a big harp ,the ‘Spike’ resembles an ogham stone and the Spencer Dock NCC looks like New Grange.Come to think of it the Waterfront in Belfast would be a better comparison ie (cylindrical)……..reverberating nuances……maybe you are right.
Does everyone seem to think that such proposed projects by foreign architects are alien to ‘our’ city of Dublin therefore should not be built….(when in fact our capital city was established and built by every foreigner who graced our shores……us Irish merely tried to destroy it in every possible way….subliminally and physically with the most credit of course to the ‘Non Urban Minded Culchies’ over the years ,ie TD’s,Planners,Achitects,etc….hence at one stage the capital city of Ireland resembled one huge paddock with almost half the stock of buildings of the city levelled. Too true! Ease Up Critics!
I think both bridges should be build and are very well designed. Enough xenophobia about foreign architects/architecture.
Rory W
Thank god there are people with a bit of optimistic vision regarding the future development of Dublin. Here’s to Calatrava & Co and ‘signature’ architectural landmarks for the city. (The demolishion balls have swung for far too long constantly subtracting and ebbing away what any significant features the city may have had).
I would love to see a Calatrava bridge but I would certainly like to see him do something different, I mean what is the point in having yet another of those monumental bridges when the best are in Seville and Barcelona.
It is the same issue as many other interventions by foreign architects, it does not relate to the place…. It is a very small span and it should be designed as to appear as light as possible in every sense. Think about the volume of the whole thing in the middle of the liffey, its enormous!
On the other hand I don’t think having a bridge designed by Calatrava just because it’s the biggest name when it comes to big structures, is enough to justify it.I would have one question:
Should we also have a museum designed by Ghery ????
I think the bridge in Macken Street is a fine bridge in every sense and it will be great for the new docklands area. Even if its not an original bridge (ie, a typical Calatrava)
But the one at Blackhall Place is a monstruosity for the setting. Don’t get me wrong it is a lovely bridge there, it isn’t.
There are some points mentioned which have some weight regarding the Blackhall Place bridge but as Bonzo said already the surrounding environs are extremely wanting and add nothing to the bridge.Just look at the photo. It’s more or less improving and upgrading the surrounding areas to suit the bridge rather than the other way around. If Dr.Calatrava was to use the latter as a starting point we’d have yet another insignificant forgetful bridge.
The river is too narrow for the Backhall Place bridge deaign at that point, but the Macken Street bridge was be a welcome addition to Dublin.
All this xenophobic talk of foreign architects not understanding and being good for the city is worrying, because it shows a complete lack of understanding of the city and its history by those natives making the comments.
Gandon and Chambers were English, Cassells was German, I think…. Italian plasterers, etc. The list is endless. Please stop speaking nonsense.
….. (just to name a few) they being the ‘Norsemen’- who gave us Woodquay and it’s fantastic artifacts as a reminder, the ‘Normans’- who gave us the origins of Christchurch, Dublin Castle,the walls of Dublin and society and commerce within etc…., ‘the English’ – Trinity College, Georgian Dublin, ie Parliament Buildings(now Bank of Ireland),The Custom House,The Four Courts etc……All these symbols of the former hated foreigner/invader but now the ‘treasures’ of us Irish today.
The funny thing about it is that us Irish have’nt contributed a major single building of international architectural merit or significance since we have gained our independence.Too busy at one time destroying the city.(Plonking an office block with government associations in the middle of the ‘Georgian mile’, filling Europes largest archaeological urban site with concrete.. all this by people who now proports to be protectors of the city but who’s ‘urban mindedness’ is truly flawed and ill informed.It seems that neither of these bridges will be built, as well as the revelopment of O’Connell Street, as well as the Monument of Light, as well as the conference centre,as well as the LUAS etc….Too many objections, I’m afraid. Local people concerns seem far more important than the greater needs of the city. Traffic flow, overshadowing, obtrusive views, the cat,the dog,the canary……every possible excuse has been used to object to such proposals.I remember in the eighties they proposed to build a prison (Wheatfield Prison) close to where I lived. Naturally the local people objected ….but they still went ahead and built it. However the prison is there now serving the needs and you would’nt really pay it much attention.It has become part of the landscape. Now that the exchequer has substantial cash to spend we have not added one edifice or landmark of significance to the city.It seems Mr.Joe Soap has more say about what goes where than any architect/planner who genuinely wishes to improve the city for the greater benefit of all it’s people.(The successor to Frank Feely, city manager John Fitzgerald must be frustrated indeed) Insignificant red brick two storey houses is the norm. Safe and unchallenging to ill- educated Mr.Joe Soap.
If Temple Bar was proposed now it would never get off the ground and really it’s only a good example of reparation infill. Mr. Joe Soap and Tony Gregory would be objecting to the removal of the dereliction which ‘holds so much memories and sentiment’for the locals.Only that the chimney had already existed in Smithfield we would not have today the observation tower that is there now.If it had been propsed afresh it would almost have been objected outright. Listening to such fools will eventually cost the city dearly and Dublin will lose out once more…… What a mediocre city we are making! (Too add, when Europe needed its cities it built it’s cities and filled them with wonderous architectural jewels.When it needed it’s roads it built it’s roads,carving through the Alps creating it’s motorways and developing it’s infrastructure,no dithering …..job done! People should realise that we in Ireland are really coming out of the stoneage when held in comparison to our neighbours and such trappings are the mark of civilization.The Greeks,the Romans the Renaissance have all come and gone….Please Mr.Joe Soap and Mr.Bogger will you ever cop on.)Never has a truer word been spoken on this site. Why do we put up with “safe” architecture. The stuff thats built these days is RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH. To hell with Tony Gregory, the man is a tosspot when it comes to architecture, if he had his way Dublin would be one huge housing estate made up of similar 3 bed semi detached socal housing all pinko nonsense. Yes he has done good for social issues in this city but he should put up and shut up when it comes to architecture in this town. Every bastard comes out of the woodwork in this country to object to bloody everything that is proposed not only the NIMBYs of this world, but those who are looking for some financial return. Why cant we force these changes through – thisngs like LUAS really piss me off – something that will civilise the city and cut down on traffic congestion and EVERYONE starts objecting to it. ITS ENVIRONMENTALY SOUND. But no it wont be built properly because our CORRUPT government and ALL the useless bastards in the Dail get driven into work in Mercs and pander to the likes of the SIMI and AA road lobby (putting cars before people). Fianna Fail, Fianna Gael, Labour, PD, whatever they are all usless when it comes to dealingg with the problems in this town. Although I despise him, I think what Dublin needs is a Jackie Healy-Rae of our own, who could force government action in the city.
Thus ends my rant of the day
Rory W
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
