New Public Space for Docklands
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Well… I think Ringsend can be both, no? Rather than just, y’know, a local village for local people?;)
darkman-
Are you putting up the money to buy the residents out? Are you going to find them alternative accommodation? Are you going to go house to house and say ‘I think your building is ugly – and everyone’s entitled to their opinion – so if you don’t mind, please move along. You really are dragging down the tone of the place. I know your sort have been treated badly down through the years, but if you don’t mind just one more punch in the guts… See, you’re spoiling my view.’Jeez, but SimCity has a lot to answer for. Or was it those old black and white war movies where generals shunted tanks around on a big map while hidden safely in an underground bunker?
I was down there during the week and for those who don’t know, the flats are beyond the Dodder with a nice parcel of unused land betwen the Grand Canal Basin and the (west side of the) Dodder. So they could build a ‘nice’ looking block of apartments / office, whatever and no one would have to move anywhere and the Grand Canal Dock redevelopment would be visually agreeable from all vistas. 😀
ctesiphon, as we all know , Royston Vasey was inspired by Residents Associations in nearby Sandymount!!! This is a local low-density, upmarket, unchanging, obstinate, obstructionist nimby suburb for local low-density, upmarket, unchanging, obstinate, obstructionist nimby people… I think we should demolish housing on Strand Road as they obstruct the view from the multicoloured council housing off Sean Moore Road.
I heard Tesco want to redevelop in Sandymount Green to a (gasp) 3-5 storey apartment and retail development. 2 chances lads, 2 chances. I await the “High Rise Horror” headline in Lifetimes or the Southside News. They’re fcking apoplectic about the S2S cycleway as well. How offensive can a cycletrack be?? anyway I rant…
I must say that I find it deeply worrying as to how normalised the idea of destroying the Ringsend flats seems to be in the minds of those posters proposing it. It is as though the way Dublin City Council have treated many other Local Authority housing schemes in recent years has made it seem natural that whole communities should be completely uprooted and torn apart in the interest of the ‘image of the city’. What is remarkable is how the views originally expressed about the existence of these buildings seem in reality to be based solely on posters generalisations of life in Ringsend rather than any aesthetic judgement of the buildings in and of themselves.
I agree, Phil. Personally, I think that the Ringsend flats are flawed, perhaps. But I’d never advocate their destruction in the interest of “putting something imaginative” there. They have Integrity and character. They are of Dublin and it’s past. The Ringsend Flats really do feel like they belong as part of the Docklands, which is more than can be said for most of the (decidedly) average, bland gated flats* which are being inserted into the Urban fabric.
With regards to the “Improvement” of the area, by removing the established community, however much you might dislike their existence in a “world class city quarter”, they are a part of this city just as much as anyone else, and there are families living there, IN THE CITY. This is what all Urbanists want and strive for. It is a stated objective of Dublin City Council. If you advocate the removal of these people, to be replaced by transient 1-2 bedroom apartments, then I strongly disagree with you.*In fairness, they could be a lot worse. They do ignore their context quite spectacularly, although this is probably as a result of Developer pressure, and the ineptitude of DDDA to Masterplan with any conviction.
If you advocate the removal of these people, to be replaced by transient 1-2 bedroom apartments, then I strongly disagree with you.
As I have being trying to indicate in my last few posts on this matter, I would strongly disagree with wholesale removal of established communities anywhere.
If you don’t like the view of the flats then why did you buy your apartment there? Do you think the world revolves around you. Those communities were there long before you arrived and will probably be there long after you’ve moved on. If you buy anywhere in Dublin 1,2,3 and large parts of 4 chances are you will be living somewhere within a short walking distance of a local authority housing scheme. get over it or commute from somewhere more to your taste. And by the way I can’t think of a single thing in the docklands that’s world class. It’s blandness personified.
Looking at the buildings on their own, I think they are quite pleasant architecturally. However, I think peoples’ perceptions are altered by the rundown nature of the surroundings. It would be nice if the graffiti covered walls and barbed wire next to the dock were knocked and the area opened up and turned into a promenade with planting, mature trees etc with benches to sit on. As it is its just grim and uninviting.
Nice photo jackwade,epic Dublin view. I’ve always admired these flats, they’re Amsterdam school for goodness sakes, anyone calling for their removal is mad, leave them alone….
Anybody know if they’ve started on the U2 tower yet ??
Or the new bridge, Macken street ??
Thanks.
They’re lovely buildings – Simms was a great asset for the Housing Department….
Here is more of his work: https://archiseek.com/search/search.php?template_demo=&site=&path=&result_page=search.php&query_string=herbert+simms&search.x=0&search.y=0What looks wrong in that photo is the wall – that needs to be removed.
@shaun wrote:
Anybody know if they’ve started on the U2 tower yet ??
Or the new bridge, Macken street ??
Neither yet, shaun. Soon…:rolleyes:
Also, thanks jackwade for the pic. Certainly helps the discussion for those not familiar with the buildings.
yeh nice to see a good pic of proper oul Dublin. They’re bloody good, esp those to the right. A great example of Dutch-style flats, like North Strand and the neglected and destroyed Sheriff st.(probably for the best, in that case) Although could you imagine those ESB towers gettin PP these days. Visulaise the before and after photomontage using the above pic.
The section that goes into the water is well underway, currently extending about 20 metres into the water from what I can see, test poles are up on it too but under wraps. They seem to be working non-stop on it, that went up pretty quick.
I only just happened upon this Ringsend debate – seem to have missed it first time round. I fully echo the arguments supporting the retention of these flats (or aportments loike) and more importantly the community they house. On both counts, why would you want to replace this area? Even if the whole community was simply lifted elsewhere, whatever attendant problems it has will be transferred with it – so that’s hardly an argument. Similarly why would you want to replace architecturally interesting, if not entirely distinguished in places, Amsterdam housing with more of Dockland’s sameness?
It is odd how people can have such different opinions, but for me this housing is one of the best assets of the south docklands. It presents the most intriguing vista of reassuring, glowering hulks of houses, with that imposing skyline of grand chimney stacks piercing the cityscape. And even if this community isn’t to ‘one’s taste’:rolleyes:, it could in any event be argued that this enclave of housing looks its best when seen from a distance, especially from the north bank where it appears rather suddenly and incongruously in view, with ranks of red brick blocks huddled together, the colouring nicely contrasting with the water and greenery all about.
Quote of the Month 😀
@ctesiphon wrote:
Are you putting up the money to buy the residents out? Are you going to find them alternative accommodation? Are you going to go house to house and say ‘I think your building is ugly – and everyone’s entitled to their opinion – so if you don’t mind, please move along. You really are dragging down the tone of the place. I know your sort have been treated badly down through the years, but if you don’t mind just one more punch in the guts… See, you’re spoiling my view.’
Jeez, but SimCity has a lot to answer for. Or was it those old black and white war movies where generals shunted tanks around on a big map while hidden safely in an underground bunker?
@Radar wrote:
Just took this tonight – not too far from Martha’s original design. It seems they’re keeping those lights on more regularly now. Work is well under way on the extension out into the dock, and Fresh – a fantastic fresh food/supermarket has opened for business with deli, bakery, butcher, nice wine selection etc. Ely HQ has been kitted out in the last few days, and they plan to open in early January. Seems as though the area is finally coming to life…:D
Woah, that looks sooo good. Imagine what its going to look like in Christmas 2007 when its all finished with red and green seasonal colours. It’ll be a part of the city we won’t have to dress up for the Lord’s Birthday.
This piece of architecture is turning out as I suspected as being a piece de theatre of building work. it confirms by conviction that the Grand/Royal Canal Docks Area is going to be THE place to be in the next decade.
@fergalr wrote:
funny they’ve built the plaza before the theatre.
@ctesiphon wrote:
Isn’t completing the plaza before the performing arts building a bit like hoovering the shed before commencing the woodwork?
]https://archiseek.com/content/showthread.php?t=3124&page=3[/url])
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