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I absolutely LOVE these ones, they’re very elegant and chic, hopefully these will never go the way of the concrete. I think they speak classic, turn of the century Dublin as much as the next (lamp)post. This one is on Harrington St, just by portobello there.

The last bastion of our concrete bretheren:

In and around Suburban Harold’s Cross, these Concrete lamposts survive relatively intact..

As a matter of interest,They’re being gradually removed from The Grand Canal between Baggot/Leeson st, also between the Bleeding Horse and Portobello, where evidence of Cracking similar to Graham’s shots is also visible.

Oh yeah and Graham, that was really lucky finding the intact concrete door 🙂 , ALL of the ones I came across had been crudely replaced with said metal plates.

With regard to the Scott Tallon Walker site, from Sundays’ Tribune.

The South Docklands is due to get yet another boost, if a planning application for the former Boland Mills Site at Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 4, Is accepted. The old mill, which was one of the key garrison sites during the Easter Rising of 1916, Eh no.. that was the “Treasury” Mill building.. is set to be developed by the Boland Mills’ Development Company, a subsidiary of Benoth Propoerties, headed up by Sean Kelly.

The company is seeking permission for a major development designed by Scott Tallon Walker architects. It Will incorporate three new landmark office buidings, along with permission to convert an existing warehouse into a four-star boutique hotel. The architects brief was to create a self-sufficient business-orientated complex which would allow the users to have a “working lifestyle” . To this end, the architects incorporated the hotel, brasserie, cafe, and health spa. In addition, an existing multi-storey warehouse fronting onto grand canal dock, and Nos33 and 34 Barrow street are to be retained and converted into office use.

The new buildings, which range in height from 12 to 16 storeys, will be set in an impressive plaza extending from Barrow Street to the Grand Canal Dock, acting as a landmark 😮 centrepiece to the Grand Canal Harbour area. Designed with the latest technology, the buildings will be energy efficient, have good natural light and openable windows on al floors– Fair play, at least it has that going for it. I mean it’s not all about how “nice” it looks – , a rarity in large office develpments.

The largest of the existing buildings will be the six storey cut stone warehouse, set to be converted into a 150 seater restaurant overlooking the waterfront, to be headed by celebrity chef Gray Rhodes.

The developers expect the restaurant, to be known as ‘Rhodes D4’ to become one of the trendiest spots in which to eat in the south docklands area.

The overall scheme will be called Bolands Mill Wharf and between the ofices, hotel restaurant and spa, around 2,000 poeole will be employed here. Plans for the site have come about as a result of discussions and consultation with both the planners, and local residents over the last 18 months

Some of the Remaining Grand Canal Basin Vernacular..

Some more shots, sorry if this is disrupting the conversation!

@phil wrote:

Thanks for posting those images Lotts. I accidently inverted one of them whilst trying to rotate it. It looks bizarre, so I thought I would post it

Like this Phil? It is kinda cool.:)

Just In case Anyone’s interested, the Bakery today. Curve, as previously mentioned, still there. In fact I still like this perspective, It hasn’t lost as much as I thought it had. Also, the Irish Nationwide building which is obviously of the same Genetic Family.

Graham, I think it’s that the building is still being built, there appears to be scaffolding on the near side, and the curving wall is absent, You’re right, what an odd way to approach it!

Andrew, the Building dates from 1948.

Conor.

Right, I was down there this evening and took a pile of photos, It does look a lot better in the sun and I do feel better about the developments as they’re nearing completion. I maintain that the campshires should be better managed and will upload some photos, Including the Travellers! :p bit by bit. Here is a taster anyway. The blue building on the left, and the red “needles” which are tacky and cool at the same time

With regard to Warehouses and specifically those around the Grand Canal Basin, I would like to add these thoughts:

Although I agree that in some settings, a long vista and uninterrupted campshires could be appealling, there is little demand for more “riverside walks” here. The neverending (and dull) liffy campshires are within about 100 metres. If you spend any sustained period of time here (as I did sailing in the basin in my youth), you’ll realise that nine out of ten days, the grand canal basin is a windswept, uncomfortable place to be. So nobody will be sitting out in nice, European style chairs, observing their yachts-. no matter how many empty berths DCC provide.

Further, Very few people actually travel down that side of the Basin. It isn’t – and never will be – a route from A to B.If you Walk down the North side of the Basin (towards the lock), you come to a dead end! (Although until recently, there was a delightful traveller camp there.

Finally, and Importantly, these buildings give the Basin it’s CHARACTER. They frame the Vista, and as water gently laps against them, you can feel the history of the place. The Dialogue between the water and little windows, Boats docked right against your living room, is the type of elegant and interesting building stock that Dublin is rapidly losing. Something far more innovative could have been done with these empty shells. Perhaps the idea of a boardwalk would have worked, with the Warehouses on the campshires Sheltering people and restaurants as they walk around.

It is no longer the “Dublin” Docklands, it’s just yuppie housing, visible in the Soulless, Yuppie filled, wind swept developments which have sprung up all over the North and South of Britain: Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, et al.

I would like to add that I feel the North Docklands have been quite successfull and I’m not for one moment suggesting that the docklands should be low rise. I just feel that DDDA have compromised. They have neither produced an outstanding design or vision. Or retained any of the “feel” of the area. They have bulldozed a lot of history and replaced it with a lot of what passes for suburban housing on the continent. A series of gated, self contained blocks, with little or no hope of community.

Here you are; courtesy Pat Liddy: the changing landscapes of Dublin