Portals of Darkness

Oh Jesus Christ.

It does look apocalyptic doesn’t it?
Like monstrous black devils rising up from the depths of an economist filled Hell.

It’s the f***ing end.

John

That’s a much more poetic response than the building deserves

Canary Wharf’s illegitimate spawn.

I actually find the chystalline look of them unnerving. As if they’re in the unstoppable process of spreading, replicating themselves accross the landscape.

John

Well at least ’tis in proportion with the Custom House, be jaysus.

Canary Dwarfs

Phirric Victory, anyone?

We are getting what we deserved. A crock of shite for a crock of shite town, why not build it from brick and put a clock tower on it then there would be no complaints from “conservationists”. Wonderful, a black plastic tower to go with the rest of rubbish that is George’s quay. We refused an interesting building in favor of someething that was designed in the late 1980’s. As John said it is the end.

By the way I live local to it so I will see the thing every day. Thanks a bunch.

Rory W

Please God. Don’t let them build these monsters. Please…
There’s my little prayer, but I’m very much afraid that it will not be answered. If what we see does get built that will be the end architecture in Dublin. They cannot get away with it. What was proposed before was infinitely preferable though by no means perfect. I remember asking a question concerning the Spencer Dock development a while ago as to how the indiginous architects of Ireland would handle such a major undertaking. I think that this gives some hint and it sure aint pretty. Whoever “designed” this monstrosity should leave the architectural profession now, before it’s too late. Sickening, horrifying… Words are not enough.

Forgive me if there are a few spelling mistakes but I’m afraid to reopen my eyes. It’s buildings like that which make people question if Modernism really was so bad.

The trick in such cases, if anyone can be bothered, is to get together and present a viable alternative, as happened all those years ago with Temple Bar. It is not enough just to complain about SOM’s downtown-Dallas scheme (as I did) or this extraordinary piece of 1980s commercial Post-modern revival, dredged up from the depths of the planning drawer.

There are excellent architects in Ireland – where are they all, sitting in a bar somewhere grousing about how they never get any work? If ever there was time for direct action, putting together an alternative scheme, getting the press on your side, forcing the City to browbeat the developers into changing horses, all that excellent campaigning stuff, then this is it.

Incidentally, the scheme is not so much like Canary Wharf (which looks bloody good in comparison) but an earlier, considerably more crap scheme nearby in London docklands called South Quay Plaza by John Seifert, arguably Britain’s worst architect. This was the place the IRA blew up, thus proving that every cloud has a silver lining. Sadly, it was not completely destroyed.