Shopfront race to the bottom
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@gunter wrote:
Restoration: ”Representation of original form, or appearance”
Peter, I think this term is perfectly applicable in this case. As far as I know, it was standard practice in the 19th century for facades constructed in yellow stock brick to be pointed up in red dyed mortar, presumably in a very reasonable attempt to match the appearance of the predominant brick finish in the adjoining streetscape.
If that could be verified in this particular case, well fair enough – it’s not at all clear however & whether or not the use of red-dyed mortar on yellow stock facades throughout the city could be described as ‘standard practice’ is also a little dubious.
Either way I would have preferred a more pragmatic approach, had no. 80 been first up for restoration & presuming red-dyed mortar was in fact originally used, by all means use the opportunity to set the tone for the terrace as a whole. However, given the previous restoration of no’s 82 – 84, almost half the terrace, to the original yellow stock brick, the approach taken at no. 80 is a little pedantic and compromises the coherence of the terrace as a whole*.
*not to say that no. 80 is anything other than a fine job, I wouldn’t be bothered arguing the point if it was a stand alone 😉
Well, from the layman’s perspective, I would say no. 80 “looks” best (if you look at each section individually), but it also of course disrupts the block and looks out of place when you look at the whole row. It all looks superb compared to the late 90s photo, all the bigger difference with the changed streetscape and cleaned up building opposite (albeit with horrible new signage).
Everybody can see that Westmoreland Street is deteriorating out of control. Things that had been ok have to deteriorate just to keep up:
Coleman’s newsagent had been maintaining a respectable Victorian-style frontage ……….. until recently.
The previous signage to the Thai restaurant at the corner with Fleet Street had been working with the historic building.
The new signage is working against it.
One of the last inoffensive uses on the street, a chemist, recently shut up.
And of course thee worst shopfront in Dublin is on Westmoreland Street.
cool. A subway on westmoreland street!
Finally some good news on archiseek.
anyway their posters are way over the top but to be honest I don’t think Thai Orchid were doing the street any favoiurs originally, as you implied. maybe it’s best to just abandon this street for the next decade while Metro North and maybe BX are under construction and we can return to it after. You could always “encourage” a few RPA contractors to “look after” any offensive signage with their JCBs…
@Devin wrote:
. . . . and of course thee worst shopfront in Dublin is on Westmoreland Street.
I don’t know about ‘the worst shopfront in Dublin’, look at what they did around the corner in College Green:
It looks like Daly’s Club House have sub-let part of their ground floor to an Indian take-away and they’ve plastered signage all over the stonework of the classical facade!
Where are the Wide Streets Commissioners?
I’m tempted to write a stiffly worded letter to Faulkner’s Gazette 🙂
@Devin wrote:
Everybody can see that Westmoreland Street is deteriorating out of control. Things that had been ok have to deteriorate just to keep up.
Ah but did you not know that Gormley’s Bus Gate is going to fix all that, just as in Marlborough Street and Parnell Square West… Because Gormley/ DoE and DCC have really made a priority of completing the O’C St IAP, clearing up the clutter that blights College Green and Westmorland Street, and enforcing proper planning… Except they have like shite and have no such commitments in their Bus Gate plan, which imo threatens to further damage WM St by turning it into a Bus Gutter…
@gunter wrote:
I don’t know about ‘the worst shopfront in Dublin’, look at what they did around the corner in College Green:
It looks like Daly’s Club House have sub-let part of their ground floor to an Indian take-away and they’ve plastered signage all over the stonework of the classical facade!Where are the Wide Streets Commissioners?
I’m tempted to write a stiffly worded letter to Faulkner’s Gazette 🙂
Gunter – Luke Gardiner is watching you :p
why in the name of jaysus would a bus gate plan, which is not much more than a collection of A0 drawings of a few junctions, contain any of that stuff? That’s what Development plans are for, and enforcement and local democracy and y’know all those fluffy nebulous things that we don’t have.
To be fair though, the Bus Gate issue is a seperate one and one i support. I have no idea how removing the cars would make it worse? Less vehicles = more room surely? Can you elaborate (possibly on the Westmoreland st thread) as I’m interested as to how removing cars can make it worse. cool
Yeah hutton, that just sounds like aimless mouthing off on the internet. What does John Gormley have to do with planning controls for Westmoreland Street? Nothing. Anyway you probably read that these controls controlling shop uses & design for the O’C Street area are to be reviewed because of the persistent problems.
http://www.tribune.ie/property/article/2009/feb/08/oconnell-street-planning-controls-face-review/
That Spar is shocking, but I’m intrigued by the Lion Rampant above and the cluster of thistles surrounding it. Any knowledge of the Scottish connection?
Quite possible in this area. You’d have to go back through the Shaw’s Directories.
@gunter wrote:
It looks like Daly’s Club House have sub-let part of their ground floor to an Indian take-away and they’ve plastered signage all over the stonework of the classical facade!
Where are the Wide Streets Commissioners?
I’m tempted to write a stiffly worded letter to Faulkner’s Gazette 🙂
Extraordinary! If only Linda Cheung had been able to cite this precedent, she might have got permission last year for a Chinese restaurant a few doors away No. 9 College Green – <a href="http://www.dublincity.ie/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=3152/08&theTabNo=1&backURL=Search%20Criteria%20>%203152/08 🙂
@Devin wrote:
And of course thee worst shopfront in Dublin is on Westmoreland Street.
I know I shouldn’t be surprised but.. holy fucking shit 😮
@johnglas wrote:
That Spar is shocking, but I’m intrigued by the Lion Rampant above and the cluster of thistles surrounding it. Any knowledge of the Scottish connection?
It is similar to the royal arms of Scotland – “Or, a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure” The thistles relate to the Order of the Thistle.
They relate to a previous occupant, a Scottish insurance company; an old street directory should confirm this. It would be interesting to know if the insurer had its own grant of arms or if the painters got the present colours incorrect.
Rs
K.More dodgy dealings over on Dawson Street. While Dubliners are welcoming with open arms yet another British multiple on the streets of the capital (though at least they produce decent coffee), the mega chain sees fit to flout planning regulations and essentially give the two fingers to the most prestigious network of streets in the city with this tawdry ensemble.
Appalling signage in the windows and an outrageously scaled sign on the wall, which should not be permitted on any level.
A dash of suburban decking and cluttering advertising banners. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
What the heck?!
A host of apparently unauthorised seating on Molesworth Street, the orderly appearance and maintenance of which is entirely at the discretion of staff.
Aside from the conversion to restaurant use, none of this development has planning permission. Indeed the application for change of use was even conditional on:
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Planning & Development Regulations 2001, no advertisement signs (including any signs installed to be visible through the windows); advertisement structures, banners, canopies, flags, or other projecting element shall be displayed or erected on the building or within the curtilage, or attached to the glazing without the prior grant of planning permission. Reason: In the interests of visual amenity.
Yah…
An application was lodged barely a week ago for some of these and other works. Given Starbucks were handed everything on a plate across the road, goodness only knows what will be permitted here.
As any planner should know, the majority of international retailers have a ‘standard’ model for shop branding and a ‘conservation’ model which they keep quiet on unless forced to employ it. If any planning authority was hardline enough to enforce this across the board, retailers wouldn’t even bother trying for anything else.
How about DCC starts saving the city from mediocre retail design?
Being perfectly honest here, that Costa signage actually improves the building. And Costa coffee is revolting.
Lose the giant badge, and I don’t think it’s too bad. The ‘Costa’ Sign over the front door is far more muted than it otherwise could have been.
In my opinion, I’d prefer this Costa place opens in that unit than the inevitable discount store / pound shop type of places that are starting to appear in some newly vacant retail units during this property crash. And I do agree with a previous poster that this particular example actually improves the building.
But of course it does1 A vacant unit versus a teaming coffee shop offers little in the way of dispute as to which is better. A discount shop also would not be allowed open on Dawson Street (one hopes). This matter simply relates to signage et al. Of course the lettering above the entrance is fine – that is all there should be. All the other tack, including the cheapo fascia inserts in the windows, the circular sign, and the rubbish around the entrance require removal.
Naturally it is good to see new life on the street in these times, but certainly not at the expense of good design or good planning standards.
@rumpelstiltskin wrote:
And Costa coffee is revolting.
Meh, mild and anodyne yes, but hardly revolting.
Much more encouraging is The Trinity Barber’s recent makeover over on Trinity Street. An excellent exercise in polished restraint, the works involved the replacement of an expansive facia and an all-singing coat of canary yellow paint on their Art Nouveau shopfront with an altogether more stylish affair.
The diminutive smart steel lettering without any form of lighting paraphernalia is effortlessly cool.
I’m not entirely sure what’s going on there between the fascia and the cornice – a former alteration of some kind.
Beautiful job.
The Trinity Barber is one of three unified shopfronts on a late 19th century building which could benefit from similar treatment.
(incidentally, the barber upstairs has stunning views down St. Andrew Street and South William Street towards Powerscourt Townhouse).
More of this please.
(if anyone’s in there soon, tell them to take the plastic wrapping off the new light shades!)
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