GrahamH
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Phil you’re in luck – of all the most bizarre coincidences, there was an old programme on RTE 1 last night from the archives, focusing on amongst other things, the laying of the cobbles in Trinity!
Admittedly, I thought they were late 19th centurytoo, dating from the installation of the cast iron furniture of Parliament Square.
It turns out they date from around 1977/78, when the programme was made!
They were laid in the traditional painstaking manner, each one individually placed onto a deep bed of sand, and then tapped a bit here, another bit there, checking to see if the stone was flush with the others, then adjusting and checking levels again and so on on for each stone.The more regular setts, also laid at the same time, such as those infront of the Campanile, were nicked from Smithfield of all places, from the fruit market. How extraordinary, that part of Smithfield’s history and heritage was lost, to benefit another historic area. Also interesting is that exactly the same simple material is used in two hugely contrasting areas/institutions in the city.
It was unclear however if cobbles were there before, although I think it was said that ‘these cobbles are being relaid’.Also featured was the first major restoration in the city, that of the Bank of Ireland across the road, which was going on at the same time.
Interestingly, much of the work was carried out not by 30-somethings in fluoresent jackets with degrees coming out their ears, but rather by men in their 50s and 60s who had been in the trade for decades. Their skill and ease working with such an historic building was so impressive.
I think everyone knows this already – but all of the huge blocks of rustication surrrounding the ground floor were replaced at this time, which is why they’re in such perfect condition today.
And it was extraordinary to see the building in all its different parts during the restoration, as when the original granite blocks were removed, reality hit in, as the building, like so many Georgians is simply a big pile of rubble shrouded in a theatre set of cut stone.
There’s about a foot or two of a gap behind the curving cut stone screen walls of the building, and then the ‘real’ structure begins, built of a load of rough stone and slapdash mortar.The camera also got right up to cornice height
on the scaffolding, and the detail and depth of carving on the column capitals was just extraordinary to see up close.And about now, the capitals of the House of Lords badly need cleaning, they are by far the most elaborate in the city and should be seen in all their glory. Unfortunately this corinthian design is a very bad dirt collector, as is evident on the Four Courts too. City Hall is a great example of how fantastic they can look.
I would say the exact opposite – I wouldn’t mind in the slightest having George looking down at me, or Nelson.
And say the opposite with regard to the appearance of the Pillar too, it was an ugly, cumbersome yoke, who’s base was a horrendous in scale and design.And the continuity graphic on RTE One where the Pillar morphs into the Spike most conveniently forgets the equally nasty caging surrounding the top to stop people jumping off.
(other than that it’s very accurate)Whereas it should never have been removed for the huge social and historical aspects to it, I can’t help feeling glad that such an intimidating structure is now gone – with the benefit of lacking an emotional attachment to it.
Imagine how bizarre it would be to have George there today, look how pompous and ceremonial he is, and how utterly pointless it would be today, what a pity it’s gone, as well as the many others.
Interesting to see the symbol of Establishment, the Shelbourne, looming in the background there t.
And as I always wondered, there’s a floor missing to the rear of the building that’s there today. I always wondered if it was a later addition because the brickwork is much newer looking, and the original cornice is still there at the join.Nice to see those fountain thingies there too, do they date from the Guinness’s development of the Green? They look a bit later, with a kind of Edwardian pleasure garden aspect to them.
This pavement is often mentioned – I don’t remember it at all!
Was it directly in front, or on the median – I do remember a large expanse of tarmac that was laid, attached onto the median which narrowed the roadway to two lanes.Eircom’s tribute to red brick looks very out of place now.
The building on the corner with Harcourt St looks great in contrast with the Victorian station, as does the view of it from outside the Garda station.
The description of the Garda station at the time of comnpletion as akin to ‘an Albanium metal asylum’ is scarily appropriate.And as for the transformation of Iveagh Court. It was clad in glassfibre lightweight panels, which were simply attached with big ‘clips’ to the original aggregate nastiness. You could get a great view of what was going on from the top of the bus.
Isn’t there more building about to get underway on Harcourt Rd with the recent demolition of rotting shops – anyone know what’s going up?
As always it’s about opinion and taste etc, but still – havn’t met a single person who likes it yet…
I remember the first time I was with someone who was seeing it for the first time, he laughed and laughed and laughed.
I just cried.On a lighter note, the tip lighting looks great – at last! The 5 or 6 joins that were evident previously in the light are much less noticable now, it looks really good against a darkening deep blue sky.
A big cumbersome lump, I like the wings but find the portico and central part almost ugly.
It built between 1928 and 1932 apparently.
The landscape and setting is extraordinary, as are those fantastic lamposts lining the drive and up at the building itself.
Something of a folly really.I’ve always been deeply jealous of such an architectural statement and setting, while we’re lumped with a musty lecture theatre tacked onto a townhouse, hidden behind trees and railings and a galvanised steel ramp…
Should be an interesting situation…
But great progress is being made, it’s clear the whole paving process has been speeded up hugely in light of recent criticisims in the papers etc.
For example the whole pavement spanning the length of the GPO was dug up, cleared and sand levelled in just 3 days last week, including all the mess involved in diverting pedestrians. The speed is evident in other areas too, whatever about the lack of work or otherwise at weekends.As of Monday, some sort of matting material is being laid over the sand underneath the portico – called ‘Sealosheet’ or something – anyone know what it is? Weird it’s just being laid under this paving.
And you can really see now what it’s going to be like walking past the outside of the columns for the first time in a century, as pedestrians are diverted this way now.
At last the columns appear not as a wall or screen curtailed by the road, rather you can now appreciate them individually as architectural features, with space in front, behind and to the sides – ‘breathing room’ as it were. Their scale is very impressive also, something one could rarely acknowledge previously, squeezing through behind along with 50 other people.More trees are going onto the central median now – and at the crossing with Abbey St you can see the provisions made for the new lighting of the central median, possibly the tall carrigeway lamps – although I think these may be going along the side pavements.
Things are happening!
This place is just waiting for another bus disaster.
At 5 in the evening, the pavement there is choked solid with people waiting for buses, so the many people rushing to Pearse and other places have to walk along the road, often weaving in and out of buses that are parked, moving and about to move.
It’s a joke.
Are we going to have to wait for another terrible Wellington Quay incident before something is done?This is fun.
Stephens Green Centre not the best place for this site BulldozerGirl – there’s a long history there…
Are you from the Internet – ha!
I agree that most one-offers want the cheapest house possible, and that these are inevitably of the tradtional variety.
But still, I’d say if people were offered the choice of a modern home over a tradtional design, at the same price, they would opt for the tradtional.Obviously if most of the homes being built in the country are of this nature, than this guide must of course be aimed at these designs; it’s just unfortunate that such attention to standard designs just aids in the breeding ‘traditionalism’.
Unless of course there are examples of modern homes in the guide, although not the impression given from F McD and others.
This guide should definitely be free.
The seats are plonked right in the middle of the pavement, dividing it into two narrow strips.
It’s funny here, for once no one’s going to saying a word about the kiosks until they’re open, but really, with an awning or whatever out, and a big black hole opened up in their fronts, they’re not going to look much better.
And whatever about when they’re open, what about when they are closed, in the evenings, during early morning rush hour and probably for most of Sundays, they’ll look just like what they do now.
Passing today, they really are ugly, esp when seen from the Millenium Bridge, four big containers straddled across Grattan Bridge, like the bad old days in front of the Custom House.And that beautiful raking angle view of the bridge from just alongside it, taking in the ironwork, the massive iron brackets, the lamp standards and the stone arches looks horrible now.
A fine building, it’s a good example of the transition from classical to modern, the windows and railings having similarities to Clerys.
Presumably the two dates are displayed because when the owners rebuilt their premises in a modern way, they lost the ‘establishedness’ and respect of the previous building, and so in typically pompous early 20th century style, they emblazoned the original and new date across the facade.
Wasn’t it that people first thought that the discolouration was the result pollution affecting the top part while the bottom part was still wrapped up – but then it was confirmed that the line was in fact a deliberate design feature?
Considering it’s been up for over a year, somehow I think if it was pollution causing it, it would have mellowed by now as the bottom part was only wrapped up for a few weeks!I was looking for that pic too!
Excuse my ignorance re po-mo.
Still, that design isn’t really po-mo. It looks like it on paper, indeed similar to many such yokes put up all over London in the 80s, but in the context of the existing facade it isn’t.
Such modernist vertical lines and the stepping of wall is very post-modern if in a stand alone development, but next to the cinema is clearly art deco in style.
The pilasters are equally po-moish, but in the context of the cinema they are simply repeating the features and lines of the original facade. Executed in the same materials as the original, the design would work perfectly.Most architects preference today is always to throw up up-to-date glazed boxes next to older structures, rather than enhancing them by sometimes building in the same style.
O’Cll St is a place where I think this is necessary, where the rest of the street needs to be taken into account as well.The continued emphasis on ‘traditional’ is so predictable. Modern design should be equally encouraged; contemporary properties with a strong horizontal emphasis can look fantastic on the landscape, and better than any tradtional design.
Suppose this guide is directed in this manner simply because traditional is what 99.9% of people want.What does Po-Mo mean?
(other than something bad…)I think it was great, ok there were some decidedly ‘heritage style’ canopys at street level it could have done without, but otherwise it complemented, indeed simply flowed, into the existing facade, and would have contributed to the terrace as a whole.
Please elaborate Sue!
The base is still so so disappointing, I hate it even more than I did at the time of unveiling.
It’s so rubbish, so messy, so lazy.And as for the stupid stupid line of discolouration just over the peeled Sellotape effect – why, why, why? It’s as if Ritchie decided that he had to acknowledge where it reaches street level, and so drew a straight line around three storeys up.
It’s so crass, so inappropriate, disruptiing the entire flow of the sculpture to the ground.
It’s the equivilant of bricking up the bottom 10 storeys of the Eiffel Tower to acknowledge the city’s skyline, and the fact that people on the ground can see that part of it up close.Why go to the effort of building such a massive structure, only to make the only part of the surface clearly visible from street level so crude and hugely disappointing.
It would be 100 times better to simply have continued the shot-peening down to the ground, creating a clasically elegant, simple design.Agreed.
I’m still not convinced about it moving to O’ Connell St though; the effect the Abbey would have on the place would be precisely the same as the current situation with ‘The Bag Shop’ (or is it gone now), ie, nothing.How is Upper O’ Cll St supposed to develop by eating up the prestigious Carlton site, the large expanse of Dr Quirkeys next door, and the equally significant derelict site, replacing them all with a comparatively dead institution in terms of footfall.
Pass the Abbey on the current site, and note the complete lack of interaction with the street and the public.If more productions were on during the day, and other uses/attractions for the place included, perhaps.
Were it to move here, it is essential that the plans drawn up by Arthur Gibney and Paul Clinton on behalf of the Carlton Group be used. They proposed flanking Art Deco wings for each side of the 1938 facade, creating a major set-piece. It looked fantastic.
