Who should replace Jim Barrett?
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Who should replace Jim Barrett?
The Irish TimesSeán O Laoire would be outstanding in the job and so would any of the following people: Yvonne Farrell or Shelley McNamara, of Grafton Architects; Gerry Cahill; Derek Tynan; Niall McCullough; Michael McGarry or Niall McLaughlin. The most obvious requirements for Barrett’s successor include leadership, exceptional communication skills, strong vision, possibly expert in design/research, but mostly the very best available candidate, which may not happen if it is not properly set up as an opportunity. So before the post is even advertised, the job description should be reviewed and international models examined by a working group that could include Dublin City Council, the Department of the Environment, the RIAI and the Irish Architecture Foundation. If it was advertised internationally, there could be interest from the large Irish architectural community living abroad. Unfortunately, architects here are still trained to focus on buildings as isolated objects, without spatial, social, political or cultural context.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/property/2007/0531/1180483481654.html
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Dick Roche 😎
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@Paul Clerkin wrote:
Unfortunately, architects here are still trained to focus on buildings as isolated objects, without spatial, social, political or cultural context.
Not sure about the social/political, but I’d agree with the accusation re spatial. It’s the modernist myth.
Why does the list of possibles only include private sector architects? A point from the article not included in the quote above is that working for DCC is very different from working in private practice- stepping away from the drawing board to get involved in the other aspects of the job. In general, public and private practice seem to be very different beasts all told.
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The larger article on Jim Barrett is quite funny: FMcD pretends to praise him and list his achievements, but then criticizes almost every one: smithfield, didn’t work, gas burners are nice but never lit, spike, dirty, James Joyce bridge, glazing wrecked by vandals, city hall restoration good but the new building is terrible, capel street kiosk should be moved and no progress on the markets or the urban design iniative, he mentions the board walk several times but doesn’t actual say that they have worked and quotes aT’s “gimmicky and anti-urban”. The only things he leaves as definite positives are the two speculative office developments, beside the mansion house and the time’s own offices on tara street!
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I hope the first act of the new guy will be to move the Grattan Bridge fridges to the same place they keep the millenium clock, the tomb of the unknown gurrier, and Anna Livia reposing with Big Mac boxes.
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They should charge admission there, too.
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If the Cleary-designed Mansion House block is part of Barrett’s legacy, it’s a fine one. Just looking at it there yesterday, I can honestly say it’s probably my favourite building built in the city in the past ten years – it’s an equisite example of urban infill, and a model of balancing sensitivity with creating a confident modern statement. A really excellent building.
Yup, an entertaining article notjim – everything tinged with question marks :). Even so, would Barrett generally be considered the most inventive/progressive City Architect to date?
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I’d like to see an architect from outside Ireland take this job. I think it was a pity that the CC didn’t look abroad for a new City Manager last year. Fitgerald and Barrett have overseen a radical change in the city but some fresh thinking would be welcome in order to move the city forward. Im not disparaging the range if irish talent out there I just think a fresh perspective would be interesting and welcome.
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