Harry
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There is some information here.
http://www.reflectingcity.com/0205b.htm
It is a bit old now, but the idea has been around for a while.
I have always thought that the Phoenix Park, although used quite a lot, could be so much better.
I always seem to think of how well Central Park NY is used (all year round).
Have we grown so used to having such a large park so close to the city centre that we have forgotten that it is a park and simply treat it as a carpark and a short-cut home?
Would the CC also have a problem with people who remove the lawn and pave the garden, but not for a car?
Some people simply prefer not to have the “traditional” (sometimes tiny!) lawn for a number of reasons apart from carparking.
Sorry if that became a bit of a rant.
One other point that has not been mentioned is the issue of insurance. If I fell down the steps, can I claim against the bank ?
I don’t want to turn this into a slagging match. I expressed my opinion and did not attack any of the other members.
This is a thread about the building, which by the way I do like but agree that it is somewhat out of place. The plaza is part of the overall architecture of the building and at that I do not think the railings suit the original building very well. One thing I always thought about the railings is that they certainly could have been designed with a very wide opening at the front. This would have made it less intrusive and left the view of the steps unobstructed when left open during the day and when closed at night still met the requirement for which it was erected in the first place. The railings should also have been closer to the building to preserve the size of the plaza.
I am not small minded (I started my post with “Correct me if I’m wrong……â€). I agree that the railings do detract from the overall plaza but I don’t think it is totally ruined. I am thankful that the whole plaza was not closed off. That does not mean I am happy about what they have done, but surely there should be some recognition that there is still a (smaller) plaza there.
I don’t claim to know Sam Stephenson, I have never been to one of his lectures, I’ve probably never sat beside him on the bus, I have not extensively toured the placa’s and plaza’s of Europe, but I do not consider myself “unenlightenedâ€. I live and socialise in the city centre. I spend as much time as I can here and that in itself can be enlightening (for good and bad reasons), but I love it dearly and will regret having to leave if and when that days comes.
The segregation of the classes is becoming more and more obvious as time goes by. This is caused be a wide number of influences not by any one set of railings however symbolic or prominent they are. The segregation of classes is caused by society itself and we are all part of that (banks, architects, skateboarders, drunks, all classes, colours and creeds etc. included).
But that is another thread, this one is about the Central Bank.
Originally posted by Zap
The civic space was great – the railings are a joke – so obviously a hastily throught of add-on – a case of ‘this is my space and I’m not having anyone else in so I’ll build a ridiculous wall around my area’
Correct me if I am wrong but surely all of the so-called “Civic Space” is really their property.
I think the railings are an unfortunate necessity of city centre (especially Temple Bar!) life. Hands up who actually would like to have to power-wash down their front doorstep of all sorts of crap (literally) every morning.
But at least the whole plaza was not closed off and some thought was put into keeping the area as a space where people can meet/congregate.
We probably should be thankful!
Maybe the turbines have been stopped for fear of causing a landslide through Temple Bar ‘-)
I thought I heard before that the building was still fully functional. If it is not, it is a shame and I wonder why not.
Even more of a shame is that it is a one of a kind.
Does anybody know if there are any other buildings with interesting “green” features around?
Also on the subject of damage to bridges, has anyone seen the state of the James Joyce bridge lately?
The practice of climbing the arch now seems to be a thing of the past, but the benches are now occupied by groups of street drinkers most days. They have the place wrecked!. The whole of the pedestrian walkways are in dire need of a powerwash to rid the place of urine/vommit/godknowswhatelse.
It is on Francis Street. If you come from Thomas Street it is on the left
The DTO have a journey planner which will help. Enter “Iveagh Market” as the business.
“Trees seem to have been, and continue to be, added with very little thought.”
At least they are being added !
Recently a lot of trees were removed from the North Quays. I e-mailed the DCC roads and streets dept. and they (very promptly) referred me to the Parks Dept, who then ignored me.
They must a have a special team that only come out at night, because the trees were there one day and gone the next. (Probably working in stealth mode to avoid the Green Party’s crack group of tree-huggers ! )
Anyway, the more trees the better…uniformity would be nice too.
I didn’t see any drawings from the paper, but the TV briefly showed a “concept map” that was used before. It showed the metro line running through a station called “Liffey Junction”.
If this is the suggested station in Phibsboro on the “D-Connector”, surely it would make sense to include the link from Heuston to Connolly in this plan. This would then bring passengers to both stations without moving them through, what will be a highly overcrowded, O’Connell Street Station.
Is the Connolly re-furbishing only limited to Connolly or will it extent to the Spencer dock area as well?
I was looking at the rail network on street maps the other day and one thing struck me.
How about a new tunnel under the Liffey from Spencer Dock to the Grand Canal basin area and eventually re-joining the main-line around the new Grand Canal station?
A very large scale project indeed, but imagine the implications, More platforms, more lines, more stations, re-route freight and non-stop mainline away from the loop line, etc., etc..
It may be impossible…..but one can only dream!!
“If you visit the bridge when there is no photographer present you are unlikely to see anyone climbing the arch.”
I didn’t see the article in the paper, but my apartment overlooks the bridge and most evenings you can see people running up the side of the main arch and sliding back down. The only photographers that seem to be around are sightseers and tourists.
It is probably fairly normal for a story to hit the papers in that way, (photographer asking subject to pose) but that does not lessen the validity of the story.
As well as running up and sliding down the main arch, I have also seen people trying to “shimmy” up the “ropes” that support the carriageway from the arch and skateboarders using the seats as slides.
It won’t be long until someone decides to go all the way to the top of the arch and falls on some innocent pedestrian.
This is a public order issue. Indeed, there are many places where people can climb to precarious positions (and sometimes they do!), but not that often and they run the risk of getting in trouble with the law.
The Gardai regularly set up speed checkpoints less than a hundred metres away and pay no attention to whatever else is happening around them. It is about time they put a bigger presence in the area and tried to put a stop to this and other anti-social behaviour.
I was at the opening on Monday and it was one thing that struck me. It does seem like an open invitation to the daredevil types !
“………and will amend the design if necessary.” makes a shiver run though me with images of anti-climb devices.
I am also amused that the seating does not have some sort of anti-skateboard design incorporated. Surely this is day number one of street furniture design nowadays.
Alarms are better than lights when dealing with burglars.
Lighting around one-off housing should be automated so that it is only on when required. This makes sense in both running cost and light pollution.
Also, a little bit of thought in the choice of lighting would not go astray in most cases. Well chosen (and installed !) feature lighting would make a house look so much better than a couple of halogen lamps slapped on to the side of the house.
I live right beside the bridge and have lived in anticipation (and noise!) since the construction started.
I do agree that it “stands out”, rather than looks out of place. But the other night, they had the lights on for a while. They are VERY bright !. If you think it is eye-catching now, wait till you see it lit up (you will probably need sunglasses).
On the subject of lighting, does anybody else think it is terrible that the feature lighting on the other bridges is falling into disrepair and is switched off far too early. Sometimes the bridges are in darkness as early as midnight.
It’s not really an extension of the existing one if you have to fight your way across O’Connell Bridge to get to it !.
Wasn’t there talk of a Pedestrian Bridge from Marlborough St. to Hawkins St. at one time. I wonder will this go ahead as part of the project?
Isn’t there a plan to cover Moore St. and (part of) Henry Street?
This could lead to different types of night-time activity.
1. Well managed pubs and restaurants that are allowed some external activity.
2. An unused covered set of streets, which would quickly become a problem area where people are afraid to enter.
Hmmm… A wonderful Bazaar type area to attract people all year round or an extension of the GPO Arcade…..?
No, I won’t be entering (the light at the end of the tunnel……………)
The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland are running a trip to Mayo soon and will be travelling through the tunnel.
This brought up the idea of bursts of Steam/Smoke rising up through the bushes in the park !
I’ll probably get on my bike some evening and do some investigating.
