New Public Space for Docklands

Yeah that’s right – the earlier one (recently demolished) didn’t go all the way to the water like the new one does.

Are those red slabs for real or are they just testing them out at the moment? I’m not sure about the quality of those ones shown above.

God, those red lamps stick things are awful. Saw the one by the bridge on Ringsend Rd last night. Might aswell be a series of internally illuminated Spar signs. The metallic pole with the reflected electric blue (i.e. what is there already) is much better and far subtler. Are DDDA afraid there’ll be nothing to catch the eye down GCD so they have to resort to this retina searing spectacle?

Yes, the red pole is ‘on’ at night, as you can see in the photo below. But beware – the camera has not reproduced the effect at all; what looks like an orangey light there is actually a deep, brilliant red – every bit as red as appearing in the CGI at the start of the thread. I have to say I think it looks really good.

The mast with blue light also looks good (better than it does in the photo).

BTW, has anyone else seen the model photos on http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/projects/pro.html?ID=46 ?

The opinions raised so far seem to be pretty positive towards this scheme. Why?

The whole design looks kind of weird, a sort of grand red avenue that doesn’t go anywhere. The deliberate high angle of presentation to reduce the overbearing impact that Leibskind’s theatre will have on the square is deceitful to say the least. The experience at ground level will be somewhat different….. It would be interesting to see a plan of the proposed square – the geometry appears to echo Leibskind’s arbitrary use (and now tired abuse) of the “meaningful angle”.

Whilst it may have the current “fashionable” type of façade the Aries Mateus building looks for all intents and purposes like a 1970’s car park (or is it a subtle reference to some of the 1950’s public housing schemes that used a checkerboard pattern to give some form of interest?).

Whilst the quality of a Martha Schwartz branded design appears to be beyond questioning, the question that keeps recurring to me is why such a grand civic gesture here – what purpose does it serve? All the best riverside spaces I can think of are walkways along the water. There is a reason why St. Marks square doesn’t open directly onto the water and also why it’s surrounded by an arcade….

As a Munster man the more of Dublin that is red…….

Ms. Schwartz, according to Wikipedia, “also takes inspiration of the geometry of her designs from the cemetery located directly outside her residence, in which fake flowers constantly adorn the landscape.”

Anyone who has visited an Irish cemetery would probably not use this as a starting point for a civic piazza…

It’s very easy to be flippant about this whole thing but mankind has been creating urban landscapes for a long time and its pretty obvious what works and maybe what does not. After all, it’s not rocket science.

Whilst I wouldn’t want to deny Ms. Schwartz her 15 minutes of fame this constant search for the “shock of the new” invariably leads to an answer that only lasts 15 minutes. Fashion does not equate to Art.

Sometimes the pragmatic or the obvious is a good place to start (or finish!). As Ivor Cutler said, God rest his soul, “Imperfection is an end; perfection is only an aim.”

@patrick24 wrote:

As Ivor Cutler said, God rest his soul, “Imperfection is an end]

Cripes, patrick24! I’ve been feeling pretty sad all day since finding out Ivor left us on Friday, but didn’t think I’d see a mention of him here even though he’s one of my favourite ‘spatialists’ of all time (for want of a better term).

The Bend, by Ivor Cutler

He saw the bend in the road and
wondered why it was there as the
field on either side was flat. Not only
was it flat, it undulated. Then a gang
of navvies in fine spirits must have
given vent to their creative needs. It
was a harmless place, and was the
better for a bit of character, God bless
them.

RIP 15th Jan 1923 – 3rd March 2006. Sorely missed.

Model Images:

One problem I can forsee with Grand Canal Square is that it is east-facing.

Best if a public space can be south or west-facing to get those important afternoon and evening sunlight hours, but especially one fronting water. You should be able to linger by the water with the evening sun in the distance, but instead the sun will be disappearing behind the big Performing Arts Centre on summer evenings, leaving much of the square in shadow …… pity.