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too big seems to be the thinking & also on ‘aesthetic’ grounds, haven’t met anyone who talks positively of the existing building. Different site also appears likely 😉
funny that you know it Graham … thanks for the other images, strong similarities alright, particularly the original RTE glazing.
A smooth plaster finish, painted white as you said could really elevate the whole thing.
The tarmac running right up to the base doesn’t help either, it would sit more comfortably set in lawn or planting.The glazing in itself, slightly tinted, is quite attractive & is probably where most of the money went at the time.
Internally, I like what I assume was the original concept – a minimal white canvas giving way to what once were uninterrupted views of surrounding sky with the stained glass to rear representing a descending holy spirit.
No plaster there either however, not even well pointed, so the white canvas is no more than poorly painted breeze block.
Not too sure about your thoughts on the lighting, fairly simple fittings (for the time) it actually can look quite good after dark … poor quality image below.
Definitely would like to see the thing retained (little chance at this stage) & finished as it should have been, although perhaps the intended level of minimalism is as you say a little austere for a community church.
yep the london planes have had their day, very raggy at this stage, the quays are a bit of a wind tunnel. I do think planes are suitable to line the quays though as there is sufficient space & plenty of poor building stock that could do with being obscured slightly.
An overall IAP for the quays is way overdue, cheap flag poles, cheap 80’s light fittings, hotch potch paving … so much potential.
They would struggle if the headline zone A rates were applied but a prime zone A rate would imply a new unit or a maximum encumbrance of a period facade.
It will I am sure be successfully argued that Bewleys by virtue of the protections laid down in the development plan is not an enencumbered property. If the arbitrator were to unfairly ignore the development plan and if the tenant did not seek a juducial review then the business model would struggle if imappropriate comparisons were drawn.
I agree it is definitely the most ethnically interesting street in Dublin; it has some very appealing qualities. But as we all know the most interesting business models will evolve commercially and their quirky charms will evaporate as they make profit their key driver and move away from their ethnic roots into the mass market.
As all these tenants will be on short term leases if the street is to be constrained we will probably see a South Anne St refurb done on what is much less attractive building stock.
Ultimately the shortage of large prime shop units will ensure that large operators eyeing up the Dublin market will do so from Liffey Valley phase 2 which no doubt will emerge.
I have to disagree on two fronts
Firstly the Academy Street Scheme will decimate the context of the facade retained dolls house which as it is only a facade retention does not require that much protection my main concern with that scheme is its impact on the Crawford Gallery which is thankfully set back from the streetline. It is also a detatched or detachable property and does not form part of a terrace.
In contrast Moore Street represents the worst frontage of the entire Carlton holding and in all reality would have offered 5 – 9 stories as the Ilac Centre of all the vistas would not require any consideration.
I would imagine that the plan at this point of a cleared site would have been an internal space and there is no way that a single building retained no matter how incorporated would not be a complete disaster in engineering and visual terms.
I normally agree with you but the designation of 16 Moore Street as a National Monument is the most ridiculous thing I have heard of in listing terms whats next the interior of Funland?
@alonso wrote:
the Jim Mansfield Citywest extension will, like most of his unauthorised developments, appear overnight…
😀
And I predict the debacle that is the Carlton site shall be resolved in the New Year ( though not sure which one…)
As long as 16 Moore Street is protected this site will not be resolved it presents too much of a blockage; what was a political sop to the shinners has really gunthered the development of the core retail district.
@ctesiphon wrote:
Shite apartments will be built in the most inappropriate places, such as the hinterlands of towns not served by any public transport.
Oh hang on… You said architectural predictions…
One off houses to continue at 40% of total housing output. Urban landbanks to evaporate and yes what is described above.
Phase 1 of the M500 from Glendalough via Portarlington and Granard to Monasterboyce to be built to tackle regional deprivation.
I am not so sure any source of power that will take minimum ten years to provide any power is any real solution. Whilst Wind Power on a large scale (see here) starts providing power in two to three years. Critically it is 100% domestically produced post completion unlike uranium which is again imported and like oil could become very expensive in future years.
IDA, ESB warn on potential electricity cuts
December 28, 2006 14:46
The IDA and the ESB are warning that more power cuts are on the way unless we get more sources of electricity.They say that Minister Noel Dempseey’s plans to upgrade the electicity network are too slow and that very soon we’ll struggle to cope.
They say that Minister Noel Dempseey’s plans to upgrade the electicity network are too slow and that very soon we’ll struggle to cope
IDA says the Government must accelerate the construction of electricity interconnectors to the UK to stave off major power shortages.
New electricity links to the UK are due to be completed by 2012.
However, the IDA says this plan needs to be fast-tracked as a top priority and put in place in advance of 2010.
The ESB has said Ireland is facing significant electricity shortages as early as next winter unless extra power stations are built immediately.
We should be exporting electricity
Alek Smart wrote:Well,to reinforce this pro-activity let the DCC Legal Dept convene their next meeting at the corner of Drumcondra Rd and Home Farm Road and begin an investigation into the lack of reinstatement hereupon……I have no further questions Justice ! ]Have a little faith Alek
Given its proximity to Fagans I’m sure Bertie will fix it by June.
The only way to control wayward contractors is to have bonds that proportional to the cost of remediation.
Kinsale c1980 was far inferior to Cobh either then or now. I hope that the local interests can drive the town back to its former greatness.
Any large city has similar problem in fairness to DCC their legal department are reasonably pro-active with their in house works. The biggest problem are sub contrats where either the contractor or client goes bang.
I think that legislation should be introduced at national level requiring six figure bond for any utitity / roads contracts.
But is the tower exclusively hotel or is there a residential element; the Millenium Tower equally has Ocean Bar over 2 levels so possibly it too may be disqualified on mixed use grounds.
It is a thought everyone interested in the Built Environment has had more than once; once you enter a scenario of multiple ownership the control is certainly watered down. Throw in a few inherent defects a managing agent who doesn’t care and you have a recipe for disaster.
I do however think that planners are tightening up on management plans for apartment buildings and that many grants for permission are part of a phased development so at least in theory on most sites it should be possible to enforce at least some standards.
Once more than 8 units are involved planners should think very carefully before granting consent for apartment schemes as the fragmented ownership makes it very difficult to acquire poor quality buildings in boom times and renders remodeling / demolition unviable in a weak market. Choice could be slum housing or surface car-park in worst case scenario.
There are two essential differences between incineration and off shore wind power
Firstly off shore wind farms are far enough away from anyone that the really valid only concern is the potential to disrupt avian life and seasonal bird migratory patterns. If sited in the correct location these effects can be minimised.
Secondly to suggest that incineration is a progressive process is plain wrong; yes it produces an amount of energy but this does not compare to the carbon footprint of all the materials incinerated that have to be transported long distances to replace what could have been reused or recylced.
The established solution to waste are a combination of the the three R’s; recylcing which needs more work, reuse which since the South Wharf debacle has taken a serious blow with no glass bottle producer left in the state and reduction which will take longer as most of the current generation will not reduce consumption of most things unless the price becomes punative.
Off shore wind farms are an ideal solution for the following reasons.
1. No-one lives close to them so they have limited local effects
2. They have a life cycle of 30-50 years and require limited maintenance as against gas or oil fired stations
3. They reduce imports beyond capital phase
4. Environmental there are no emmisions so reduce localised pollution
5. Carbon taxes they produce limited carbon thereby reducing exposure
6. Global warming reduced
7. Investment premium value given scarcity of utility investment opportunitiesIf enough people turned everything on often enough there would not be enough capacity given the amount of appliances we all have these days.
I think that there is very clear choice to be made in Ireland at this time do we rely on imported fossil or nuclear fuels that we have no control over the supply of or we invest large sums in renewables like in the above examples. The smaller of the 2 examples would even on much reduced North Sea winds provide for all domestic use in Co Cork whilst the larger example would provide for every household in the GDA.
Given the massive carbon tax exposure this country faces at EU level and that there are no domestic utilities to invest in for the National Pensions Reserve Fund this type of scheme would fit very nicely in a number of boxes. This would also give the electricity market suffcient time to reform to concentrate on industrial, commercial and agricultural uses.
What can’t continue are the number of small scale wind farm developments in upland areas that both degrade habitats and give a veneer that something is actually happening in renewable energy; which other than the Arklow Banks scheme is very small and makes a mockery of the climatic advantage this country possesses.
