O’ Connell Street, Dublin

Can just see it alright – presumably all options for extending the existing site were considered…
The allure of the Carlton site can be really appreciated when you consider the difficulties so many sites pose – it’s a ready-made package in comparison…

But just on that corner building – presumably it is WSC structure given its context in the picture below, located at the exact point where the quay becomes regularised.
What I don’t understand is why the WSC layed out Lower O’Connell St with apparent disregard to the narrowness of the resulting junction with Eden Quay.
Was it layed out in this fashion because the Bachelor’s Walk junction is already very wide, and moving O’Cll St back any further to accommodate Eden Quay would result in an excessively wide Bachelor’s Walk?

This FJP aerial picture highlights the nature of the quay very well – alas the building you mention Thomond Park is just out of shot, but you can just make out the plot width.
The impressive Abbey St junction corner building composition is also strikingly evident:

http://fantasyjackpalance.com/fjp/photos/kf/aerial/002/oconnell-street-aerial.jpg

To say the least – who the hell’s going to take that on in this office market climate, albeit improving quite fast. Any of its competition outshines it. Interesting that the state still has a semi-interest in it though….

Keep meaning to mention that Ulster Bank shopfront – if there’s one that should’ve been included in the IAP for alteration but wasn’t, it is this one.
It’s passable enough because it’s granite, but the way it crudely cuts across the individual buildings is unacceptable, not to mention its design which is as flat as a pancake compared with the upper floors; it doesn’t ‘support’ them properly either.

Also these bizarre concrete units installed in the larger building must be removed – they look awful next to the elegant neo-classical motifs alongside:

The fjp image is fanatsic, it shows so much, from the intrusion of the former Burgerland, now Schuh building to the rear, to the amount of Georgians still lurking behind the neighbouring street facades (although some of the chimneys have been removed since this pic was taken in the 80s), to the vast nature of the Royal Hibernian Bank across the road who had occupied the Bread Co Building just a few years before it was destroyed – this being their landmark new branch. It originally had a large projecting portico similar to the Olympia – though I think it looks better without it 🙂

It also shows up one puzzling thing – why was a cupola never built on the top of Manfield Chambers (Clarks)? Especially when you consider how grand it it, you’d think the effort would’ve been made – perhaps costs mounted. It has impressive chimneys which can be seen from the street too.
The slightly skewed roof of the Victorian gabled building is also interesting 🙂

Could still build one – wonder if it was intended and if plans are still kicking around…

The shopfront of the Ulster Bank was put in around 1980-5 I think – or glued on, whatever way you want to look at it 🙂

I love that balcony above, how utterly pompous – you’d expect the Queen to step out at any moment 🙂
Interesting to note that the panes of plate glass probably aren’t original anywhere on the facade given the multi-pane sashes in the window to the right of the balcony there…
This building could look spectacular floodlit properly – as it is it’s pretty much the only building on the street that makes a decent effort…

Problem is that you’d have to force the dignitaries and Esteemed Citizen to crawl out on their hands and knees through the lower central sash 😀

But then again it’d be an Irish solution to an Irish problem – ‘ah sure it takes them down a peg or two anyway – good enough for them, up on their high horses’…

Absolutely – the windows are the worst element. They are far too small and bear no connection at all to the upper floors. It’s like part of a facade has been cut off a different building and stuck onto these two unfortunates.

Having the interior hidden from view is also not pleasant – something of a two-fingers mentality directed at the passer-by the second they step onto the street.
It’s interesting – if you asked most people to list the outlets on any part of the street, this would probably be the stretch they’d identify as being the least memorable – maybe along with the Hammam Buildings terrace.
Certainly this lower part still is for me – even now I couldn’t list all the occupiers along there, a jewellers, amusments, candyfloss/donut PVC cabin…..
The Ulster Bank is a major contributer to the stagnant nature of this important part of the street. Look what a difference the new Bank of Ireland along here has made alone in recent months.

They’re impressive alright – here’s another fjp picture of the rear of that terrace.
Interesting to note that the copper mansard roof of the Savoy is just a charade to maintain continuity along the terrace – presumably the cinema has been extended since this was taken.
The nature of early modern construction from the 1920s is also evident to the rear of all the buildings.

Also excellent at showing the extent of the Carlton site, and how all of the Georgian gardens have been consumed:

http://www.fantasyjackpalance.com/fjp/photos/kf/aerial/002/oconnell-carlton.jpg

I think some of the buildings to the rear of the Carlton have already been demolished.

Yes it’s interesting how the backlands of buildings get completely consumed – looking at the long narrow plots of the buildings next to Dublin Bus there, it’s crazy! No natural ventilation & artificial lighting most of the way through…

It’s even more bizarre when you see entire blocks of streets enclosing around yards in a doughnut shape, that in themselves get consumed eventually. This used to happen with Georgian & Victorian houses too where it’d have a much greater impact. I know someone who used to live in a corner Victorian in Dublin where there was no rear at all – it just fitted into the other 2 buildings with no rear windows at all!

At least Upper O’Connell St has the advantage of stable lanes on both sides for access and to curb a halt to ever-extending buildings.