The Spike
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over 20,000 views for a single thread. Wow, Paul, give yourself a pat on the back and a nice press release. And for everybody else who contributed via posting thanks for the great discussion and energy. The project wouldn’t of been the same if not for the collective passion and interest shown by the archeire community. 🙂
The debate surrounding this may have been daft at times, but when was the last time a project like this captured the public imagination on any level?
When was the last time thousands of people clapped and cheered and motorist beeped their horns at a building project in this country? Or any country in Europe?
Hope I’m not being overly optimistic, but this could be a coming of age for how Irish people see their built environment.
And fair play to DCC for seeing this through…absolutely, thanks to Paul for running this site, i’d say i check it 20 times a day!
same here :)… i confess I got addicted to it. 20000 deserves a celebration: we’ll do it with a nice portuguese beer here !
Hooked here too… and there’s still plenty of milegae to be had from the construction of the base.
James
oooooooohhh
i cant wait for the first thunder storm……Dublin 2004:
from pics by Peter Fitzpatrick & fjp
Ah Zozimus – you could have added the swastikas on to the Hindenberg
“Oh the humanity….”
I assume that woman (mother of 9 with 7 children appearently) saying give the money to the church to look after homeless children was a joke on someones part – if the church want money for that how about dipping into the millions that have been accrued from selling land in South Dublin (or has that gone already in paying compensation to some of the kids they “looked after”).
Oops – sorry for the Ben Elton liberal rant there. Hurray for Spires – that photo from the Times is cool. However I don’t think Starksy and Hutch will get their car roof light back from up there.
Having remained outside of the fray, as a competitor in the original competition and not having concluded my impressions of the spike as either incredibly banal or incredibly elegant finally I would like to add this to the onslaught of names and nomenclature for “The Spike”.
Talk of these threads got me thinking about the nature of this new “Axis Mundi” in the centre of the city. This new centrifugal condition which might even draw the elements of the city together should be renamed “The Needle”. Perhaps as a symbol of stitching, weaving, pulling the “threads” of the city and thought together it could be less violent in meaning than “Spike”.
I realise that as soon as a new name arises the punners will start with “easier to enter through the eye of the needle……” and “needle and the damage done” etc. etc.
Dublin City Council’s desire to use “Spire” is wholly unsuitable due to its origins.
When the public decides on a building’s nickname, that’s it. There’s a Norman Foster building in London dubbed “the Gherkin”. It looks nothing like a gherkin – more like a Zeppelin – but that’s its name and so it will always be called. Ditto the Spike.
It was great to see the round of applause from the public too as the final piece was hoisted into place….I had a drink or two to celebrate. It was and will prove to be well worth 4 million euro.
Here’s to the Spire of Dublin and curse the begrudgers and pessimists.Take a bow Ian Ritchie (Architect) and like another Englishman (Jack Charlton) you have made a lasting impression on Ireland / our Capital City Dublin and like Jack you have made us look up and notice…you must have had advice from Jack….get it high and up and over the opposition (the sad fools).
Jesus don’t let Ciaran O hear you say that …we’re in for a tirade now about West Brits, anti Irish, pro English Empire , etc…..etc……Ah sure, god bless the poor chap.
Congratulations to Dublin and Ireland on completing the Spire!
I have followed the discussion about a new monument on O’Connell Street since an idea was presented by Shane O’Tool and given a prize on the architectural Biennale in Cracow-Poland in 1989. And the final result, as we all can see now, is a strong and fine monument which Dublin and Ireland can be proud of! “Thank you” of course to Ian Ritchie Architects, London; but also a great “Thank you” to the Dublin City Architect, Jim Barrett for the job he and the Dublin City Council has done for the Spire.
May this day give inSpiration to further fine Urban Design in Dublin, Ireland and the rest of Europe!I have to laugh at the begrudgery…
From today’s Indo
Not everyone agreed. “I’ll give it a week before it blows over and flattens somebody,” sniffed a passing local.
At least we’re a funny nation.
It was looking amazing from Ballsbridge a little while ago, with the sunlight glinting off it… Oh, sun’t back out. Cool!
Looking forward to the completion of the base, and the addition of the lighting.
Will there be an official “turning on” ceremony, or will we just walk down O’Connell Street and find it all lit up? Surely some big name politician will want to cut the ribbon and press the on switch and make a speech about how he supported it all along.
And the next day the Times will dig out a comment he made in 1999 about what a bad idea it was… 🙂
James
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