The Spike
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Have to say I’m a little bit dissapointed with the finishing of the steel- you can clearly see what look like heat sinks where the stainless was glued to the ribbing. Thought is would be cleaner- especially after reading that Sunday Times article about how long it took to polish it. Don’t think that they should have shot-peened it.
Having said that- it should look awsome with a few lights on it at night.And what exactly are the eyelets for? To radiate light? To allow wind to blow through rather than wobbling it?
Probably so the crane can attach hooks to pick it up!
James
eyeletts the wrong word … i meant these perforations…
Of two recent points
The eyelets are to radiate light (via i think 70,000 LEDS) and the contractors (McNally’s) do not mind the delay in construction (they say they are getting wonderful publicity for it) and have waived any overrun costs for the crane.
Good on them, quite civic minded wouldn’t you say
With all due respect, there were some pretty strong gayles last week, especially in the first half of the week. I was very surprised that they were working on it yesterday, given the winds the night before.
When a project is three years late, who’s going to worry about a couple of weeks?
James
Originally posted by Rory W
Of two recent pointsThe eyelets are to radiate light (via i think 70,000 LEDS)
Nah, there are 4 large eyelets above the leds/lamp area. probably for hoisting up, but might also be handy for maypole/gallows conversion.
The eyelets are to radiate light (via i think 70,000 LEDS)
Apparently Hewlett Packard developed a new kind of LED especially for the spire
Havent been here in a while ……..have to say the spike is a great addition to dublin and much needed……
but I dont think they should ever let it be completed just keep building it ….
the futurists said that the construction process was the most exciting part of a buildings/projects life ………the spike with its delays etc is certainly creating this excitement…………….let it go on and on……….
Just to clarify, there are a series of “eyelets” at the very top, presumably for hoisting the section.
There is also a collection of “holes” or “perferations” around the entire length of the top two sections, which are to let light out. I hadn’t heard about LED lighting. My understanding was that a searchlight in the bottom section would shine up and filter through the holes and out the perspec block at the tip. But LED lighting would be cool. They could even have a “Christmas” setting which blinks the LEDs in groups (only kidding).
James
Re the Spike being self-cleaning etc. Usual architect’s optimism. Two eternal facts are:
1. No material is truly self-cleaning.
2. Stainless steel is usually not stainless.Buildings all over the UK sport blotchy stainless steel because the wrong (cheaper) grade was specified. Only genuinely stainless steel is kitchen-grade, which costs a lot.
Anyone know what grade s/s the Spire is made of?
Originally posted by Rory W
Of two recent pointsThe eyelets are to radiate light (via i think 70,000 LEDS) and the contractors (McNally’s) do not mind the delay in construction (they say they are getting wonderful publicity for it) and have waived any overrun costs for the crane.
SIAC are the contractors, McNallys (it takes monaghan men to sort out Dublin) are the crane hire specialists. They’re neighbours of mine at home, a mile or so up the road.
hey all
I had a good gawk at it close up today, on my lunch break. It was possible to see it swaying in the heavier breezes. No surpirse there.
But again, I have to say that the finish of the steel, in daylight at least, is a big disappointment. There are noticeable score marks on section two. i dont mind the ribbing as its not visible from a distance, they are horizontal and evenly spaced. But some of these other marks and dull patches are visible from 100 metres away or more. Some are vertical and crooked too. It looks ‘weathered’ and could pass for an object that has been there for years.
Of course, these marks (Im hoping) might just be from the packaging material and may be wiped off at the end.
I think its going to look quite magical with blue skies or at dusk/dawn when its still lighting. The design around the base (marble and flowing mercury) sounds exciting too.
Yeah, I really hope it gets proper attention and cleanup. We have an awful tendancy to get things so nearly right in this country, with our “it’ll do” approach. I hope we can get this one right.
James
the mercury (under glass) idea is long gone. Someone had a bit of cop on and pointed out it was dangerous stuff. How they expected it to last when the wee uplighters in the path at the millenium bridge lasted about a week escapes me.
Mmmm!Those marks are probably (hopefully) remnants of the glue from the tape that was used to attach the wrapping! (By the way is 22 pages a record here?)
Yes, the Bertie Bowl thread notched up a very respectable 103 replies whereas this one has a rather amazing 317 nuggets of collective wisdom and has been viewed 14025 times.
good picture on http://www.recirca.com from Peter Fitzpatrick
http://www.recirca.com/artnews/151.shtmlTo clarify about the LED situation, it was originally proposed to light the tip with something like 27 floresent tubes, however it was decided to employ the technology of new LEDs that are being used across the US at the moment to replace older floodlighting and display signs. These modern LEDs have the life of approx 30 years, and so will be installed in the Spire. However, their inevitable replacement has been accounted for with the installation of an internal pully system to lower the ‘clump’ of socketry and LEDs to it’s base (inside). This internal chamber is accessed from an underground tunnel which is accessed via a ‘secret’ trapdoor in the central median, further up the street. A ladder also runs up the Spire’s interior to the point where a human can no longer fit (although for what, I don’t know)
Exceptionally narrow beams of light will be projected from the 4 corner buildings surrounding the Spire, and will be aimed at different areas to evenly spead the light. The beams are to be narrow so as to light only the Spire and not the night sky, and more importantly not the street so as not to blind pedestrians. Coloured filters would be brilliant(as mentioned before) such as green for Patricks Day etc.
These LEDs are also to be used in the hundreds of light fittings which are to be recessed into the new paving on O’ Connell Street, beneath all of it’s 250 or so new trees. and in other areas, such as the plaza outside the GPO.
The crane is expected to take 2 weeks to dissassemble and move off-site, so how long will it be before the base is offically unveiled? Presumably, we’ll also have to wait for the cast bronze base to be installed, and the surrounding paving to be laid. Considering that the paving/plaza works aren’t being started just yet, will temporary paving be laid for the offical unveiling? esp that presumably Bertie will be ‘cutting the ribbon, & that the word’s media will be present (or at least Europe’s)?
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