Schuh Building – O’Connell Street

A bit disappointed i’m afraid.
based on only a quick look this morning
-seems like a compositional exercise
-does not seem to relate much to its context (I don’t mean in a stylistic way)
will reserve judgement until I check it out fully

Havent seen it yet… will wander down tomorrow and photograph it and post it here for the non-dublin based.

It’s very current & Temple Barish

“It’s very current & Temple Barish”

they are not necessarily synonymous or good

That’s true too….but I did’nt say that it was good because it looks very current and Temple Barish. But this raises a dilemma about style does’nt it. Should it look contemporary or should it evoke historicism on O’Connell Street.

I would not propose that it should evoke historicism on O’Connell Street.
please refer to my earlier posting at 11:57.
The solution should be contempory/innovative but cognisant of it surroundings.

True …but is your opinion based on a quick glance as you have said. Take a long look and consider all.

“…but is your opinion based on a quick glance as you have said.” – yes!!!
Is there any other answer to that Question!

again I will refer you to my previous posting
“will reserve judgement until I check it out fully”

Oh goody!………

Traditionally, in O’ Connell Street as elsewhere in Dublin, the shopfront is restricted to the ground (and occasionally first) floor, the expression of the floors above being mute and repetitive, even if as in Clerys or Easons, they are retail space. In Schuh the shopfront takes over the upper floors, using the large glazed areas for the display of goods rather than letting in light. The result is interesting lively etc., but suggests that the entire facade could be stripped off and replaced in five years time, as ground floor shopfronts generally are, and as was the facade that this one replaces. The materials used, glazing and metal panels straight out of the catalogue with stickyback stonework, and the graphicky composition reinforce this impression of a 4 or 5 storey billboard rather than a building.
An interesting precedent for a dematerialised O’ Connell Street. Did the planners understand the drawings?

That’a a very good resume of the building…. It looks contemporary but yet very replaceable and when one considers the dilemma I said…….should O’Connell Street follow along the same or resort to a modern historicism. Maybe when the ‘Monument of Light’ is erected (if ever) it will put the street in a modern context. But does’nt modernist buildings on O’Connell Streeet look crap, consider the former BHS/Pennys nee Metropole cinema beside the GPO. Oh dear!…try as it might to look a part of the street flowery window boxes and all but does’nt it still look crappy.Who was the architect again who rebuilt O’Connell Street after the 1916 Rising….’O’Rourke’ was’nt it…well fair play to him!

The building itself is nothing too exciting but the interior fit-out is really cheap & nasty

Could someone please post a photo of the building for us ex-pats.

Looks out of place on O’Connell Street – it looks like a refugee from Temple Bar

It’s like a pair of trainers – kind of light and semi disposable – I like it