Liffey Boardwalk

not exactly a great view is it? the smell alone has got to be dodge
not to mention the fact that its an ideal mugging spot, with no where to run to……

The lights overlooking it are awful, terribly crude… obv McGarry NiEanaigh still havent got the oilrig aesthetic of Smithfield out of their system.

I walked along the Bachelors walk segement last night and very was impressed (must go back for a look @ the finer detail). The finish looked good, the width was of the board walk was impressive & has made that side of the road useable, the benches were comfortable, even to lie on (we tested them). The kiosk did seem like some giant Rubex cube, couldn’t figure out how it opened (must go back with less pints on me).

It definetly will require extra policing, to me a laypersons (I’m not in arhitecture) it seems to like a good idea which works well.

Wouldn’t get far in the ‘arhitecture’ profession would I!

I am impressed with the actual walkway, the width and the timber – less so with the lighting, (like MG I think it is terribly crude, what was wrong with affixing a clever modern light bracket to the existing flagpoles along the quay wall – reducing the visual clutter) and also the general finish of the handrail and the railings… there are what look like temp solid panels in places made of plywood and which are ugly and heavy painted in grey…. the handrail changes colour substantially in various areas on Ormonde Quay…. am slso not sure about the various sloped areas between the Millenium and Capel bridges….

Like the boardwalk mostly,
Wonder about a few things like
why there large space on either side
if the millenium bridge whereas the
boardwalk runs right up beside the
H’penny.
On the lights, attaching somthing
the lamp posts may have been better.
But I actually think they should remove
the lamp posts all together.
On that issue dublin foothpaths are
way over cluttered twith posts of all kinds.
Suspending more from building like is
common in Germany would be in my opiniion
better.

What I wanna know is why the architects of the Boardwalk and the Millenium bridge didnt collaborate to allow the bridge to connect cleanly to the boardwalk at the north bank?

Ah…..sure as it’s in place we’ll give it a chance, despite is’s slight awkwardness and cumbersome look. I’ve seen the public use it already which can’t be bad. Everything new for the city always gets it’s fair amount of criticism at the debut stage. Travelling home on the bus along the quays one could always here the comments of the general public saying ‘is’nt that bleedin stupit’… ‘what a waste of money’…..’and all the homeless’ but after a while sure it will be part ot the city’s furniture and no one will care to notice. Anyway what have we got already to compare it to……nothing, like most other new projects for the city. Temple Bar, Smithfield etc…and the new upgrading of O’Connell Street can only be seen really as a plus despite their somewhat quirky flaws. It will be all grand in the end when everything is finished……wait and see!

Does GregF work for Fianna Fail?

Why does it sound like a party political broadcast…I’ve no association with B…B…Bertie and the cultureless dolts of Fianna Fail!

I would have preferred if they had widened the existing footpath. Do away with parking altogether on the north lane and replace the current south lane with a wider pavement complete with integrated street furniture and a continous row of trees from Butt Bridge to Kings Bridge. Not only would it look much better, avoid the discontinuity of the boardwalk and would be in keeping with Ormond’s original concepty of the city quays. And when they did that they could do the same on the south quays. Another missed opportunity.
Having said all that, I think that the boardwalk may prove successful in time.

I love the seating at the downriver section, and the kiosk looks much better up close than it does from a distance. What will it look like opened out? A good coffee kisok would be wonderful there.

The kiosk and the seating are very well done ok. Must photograph the kiosk before it gets spoiled by bill posters and / or signage.

I noticed that there are quite well finished and designed lights at the ends of the board walk with integrated bin designs. Why havent the lights along the boardwalk gotten the same treatment?

Its a very pleasing walk, pity about some of the elements of the design. Though dreadful bottlnecks build up at the junction with the ha’penny bridge if there is any amount of people around. There should be some other breaks in the quay wall to it as well, as you would feel intimidated if there was any undesirables about. Needs Cleaning already, puke & cigarette butts all over it on Saturday.

Still, I like it

I have walked the length of the Boardwalk twice in each direction. Overall I think its a welcome addition. However, I in common with other contributors to this forum, have reservations about certain aspects.

Those lights! Surely they wont last?! And the plywood joinings will hardly last the test of time. In fact, the overall impression is that the general materials used suggest that there could be a question mark over the longevity if the walk in its present form.

Its no Embankment and the dead Liffey is no Seine! But the boardwalk is a good attempt at imrovement. Lets hope they just improve IT over time.

Finally, wouldn’t it have been farsighted had they livened up the South Quays by building the Boardwalk on the other bank as well?

I hope the Liffey renaissance has a long way to go……

Aston Quay – where the sun don’t shine?????

It may not shine over on the pavements on that side, in the shadlow of the buildings, but it shines on the river in late Spring/Summer.

~We’re not the best on visual symmetry here. Most of the vistas in the city are ruined by adjacent buildings, ususally of post 1950s construction. O’Connell Bridge House – that ruins the view of D’Olier/Westmoreland from O’Connell Street and is of a quality that wouldn’t be out of place in a south London industrial estate. The state sanctioned desecration of The Theatre Royal & Regal Rooms that gave us Hawkins House etc..

The mess that is the Civic Offices @ Wood Quay…..The absolute dross surrounding the Four Courts….most of the late ’80s/ early 90s ‘regeneration’ of the quays…not only the logoland apt blocks but things like the Statoil Station up near Guinnesses…..