Temple Bar and Community

[David]

Does the Temple Bar experience offer a model for the (re) generation of community in inner city areas for Dublin or other cities given that the learning process continues?

[James McQuillan]

It certainly does!

The Temple bar redevelopment in perhaps unique in these islands as an urban experiment due to the unique instance of having one ownership in CIE, and due to the innovative legislation to get it off the ground. Some schools of architecture in England have visited because of these factors, and there is a lot of interest in its progress.

Could I launch a plea for information on TB? It would be wonderful to have a bibliography of relevant and supporting documentation for TB, as it would be an essential tool in focussing interest abroad on this most successful of Dublin’s urban ventures.

Let’s face it, there haven’t been many down the years, so we should celebrate it. I am aaware that things may not be perfect, but even so, I repeat that it has been a unique experiment and therefore people want to know about it.

Surely one of the practices involved in TB from the beginning, or the holding company, has a shelf-full of all the texts and cuttings – so let’s see what can be done!

[David]

There is no doubt that the Temple Bar renewal/regeneration is interesting and in many ways unique. The process of renewal and then of eventual acceptance is one of the most interesting aspects. For a few years the TB project had star status in the Dublin Press and amongst architectural journals such as AR. Perhaps the intense interest and support was because the project was seen as a much anticipated acknowledgement of the potential that Dublin holds as a place of culture and layered history and of excitement.
The interest in TB seems to now be waning, as though the project is finished and there is nothing more to be done. I would say that the completion of building only heralds the beginning of the life of a place.

[Anonymous]

Surely the fact that the Temple Bar are is now rather grotty and that the newer buildings do not seem to be wearing particularly well is a damning statement of the quality of the development?

[Anonymous]

Ní féidir rud mar seo a rá gan samplaí – ar an iomlán is rud dearfach don chathair an fobairt Temple Bar. Cén ait eile arbh’fhéidir leat an t-uafas foirgneamh siumiúl den scoth seo a fhésicint ná an ceantar sin mar shampla – the green building, gallery of photography agus cuid de na bialainne nua ae osclaóidh sna blianta anuas.

C’mon – you can’t make a statement like that without examples. No building, street or area can ever be maintained as pristine and unblemished as the day work finished.

Shane

[Anonymous]

It’s funny, when old buildings become grotty and smog stained they can still look beautiful [to me] as for a lot of new ones…

Plastic doesn’t distress too well does it?

Of course maybe I’m showing my conservative side. Centuries of grime appeal to some; especially in the older arts. People were disgusted that the Sistine Chapel ceiling was to be restored and were disapointed to see the vibrant colours that Michaelangelo used. Likewise with the Titian and Holbein in London. It goes against people’s familiar idea of quaint oldness.

Having said that – some of these retorations do seem to be destroying the tonal variation in masterpieces for the want of increased colour luminosity.

What the hell am I on about?

When new buildings get old and dirty they look crap. Added to that, a lot of new buildings look crap anyway.

I’m sure there was a point in there somewhere…

John

[Author]

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