Linear Park – Docklands

The long awaited Royal Canal Linear Park has gone out for design competition. Apologies if everybody already knew this. This would make nearly all of the canal from the city centre all the way to Phibsboro pretty nice. It then goes through a rough patch around Ireland’s worst train station at Broombridge and gets nice again towards Ashtown.

Linear Park – Design Competition
16th March 2005
DOCKLANDS DESIGN COMPETITION FOR ROYAL CANAL LINEAR PARK

RIAI CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) has announced details of a landscape design competition for a one kilometre linear public park on the banks of the Royal Canal in Dublin’s Docklands. The park should be suitable for active and passive recreation, incorporating cycle and pedestrian routes along the Royal Canal.

John McLaughlin, Director of Architecture at the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, the promoter of the competition, said today “this is a major landscape architecture project for the Docklands Authority and one which we believe will transform the stretch of the Royal Canal where it enters the River Liffey into an attractive and welcoming area”. Candidates entering the competition are asked to assume a construction budget in the region of €15 million

The competition objectives include the provision of public amenity green space and facilities for youth recreation, both of which are currently in short supply in the area. It is also envisaged that the linear park will provide an appropriate environment for boating activities and develop a strategic route through the north Docklands along the canal.

The competition is a two-stage design contest open to architects, landscape architects, and urban designers with appropriate professional qualifications. The closing date for submissions is 10 May 2005. Following an assessment of the entries, applications for Stage Two will be requested in June 2005.

The competition jury includes – Roisin Henegan, henegan.peng architects; John McKeown, Waterways Ireland; Gerry Barry, Dublin City Council Parks Department; Jim Barrett, Dublin City Architect; John Clancy, Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) Architect; Geraldine O’Driscoll, North Wall Women’s Centre; Willie O’Dwyer, East Wall Community Centre; Robert Tincknell, Spencer Dock Development Company; Joan O’Connor, Docklands Authority (Board) ;Peter Coyne, Docklands Authority (CEO); and John McLaughlin, Docklands Authority Architect.

For further information on registration please contact, Jill Jacob, RIAI Tel 01 669 1463, email jjacob@riai.ie or http://www.riai.ie