JL
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Im sorry, that cgi is weird. To pick a view from behind a run-down pub is a very strange decision. What is this view saying about a contribution to public space as a public building?
And – I don’t believe this – it actually appears to say ‘SIGNAGE’ on the hotel canopy on the front. It all contributes to the feeling that this building could house anything – hotel, offices whatever.
To me this building doesn’t say “this is where you will find an understanding justice, this is where the ethical and moral decisions which underpin how we decide to govern ourselves and deal with each other will be made”. This says “We are a huge big organisation, our bureaucracy will give the false impression of efficiency and what we say goes”.
Another urban courts for the purpose of comparison
http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=725&storycode=3086779&c=1&encCode=0000000001300e26
I prefer this one although in fairness think it is also PPP (they call it “smart PFI” but time will tell). It’s a bit bleak in this image but I think it has more rigour design wise. I am guessing the boxes are courts, and they are more expressive. The Phoenix Park one has a bit of an air of desperation in the detailing (“do you think anyone will notice we’ve dumped an 11-storey box on the corner of Phoenix Park if we cover it with enough shutters, glass boxes and changes of material?”).
Is this real? I can’t believe that this is being built on this prominent location. I know that it is a difficult site. Was virtually vacant for years (I think it was the city car pound and one-time home of Nelson’s head after his column was blown up) and waws then the site for the ill-fated AHGI competition. Was there an EIA or anything? It will be seen from miles around.
I think PPP is a disastrous method of procurement for major public buildings and if you want unique architecture of the highest quality which will stand the test of time it is absolutely the wrong way to go.
I know that courts are extremely complex to plan and design – I imagine that it must be a nightmare to work on from a practical side. The unfortunate thing is that the external design and urban design issues get neglected. I think that a perfect example of this is hospitals, which have their very own bizarre architectural language which doesn’t seem to exist outside the world of healthcare (all those weird pastel colours…).
Does anyone know who did the art installation (I am assuming that’s what it is on the Dublin quays?) Sorry if it’s been discussed elsewhere.
It consists of flags of all nations flying on teh flagpoles but they are done in shades of grey, as if looking at a blakc + white film – looks really fantastic and not a little unnerving..
Why? I thought graphic design was in pretty good shape. If it’s lack of work there is a lot of architectural work at the moment.
this is basically down to the level of professional respect graphic designers get and the lack of work out there. Salaries are generally quite low in the industry in comparison to architecture.
OK, who wants to tell him/her?
I’m not sure that salaries are going to be any better, but I’m pretty sure that respect isn’t going to be anything to write home to the world of graphic design about.
Courses – DIT or UCD to become a qualified architect however there is no legal protection of the title so in theory you could just start calling yourself one. UnNfortunately I don’t think there are any part-time or apprenticeship routes to qualify in Ireland like they have in the UK.
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SIGNS/Street%20signs/signs.html
sign nerds of the world unite!
thanks for all the photos – I thought you meant that the development opposite the distillery had been completed (which would be quite fast) and that’s why I was asking about photos
I agree that the first picture you marked ‘ugly’ is a remarkably low-grade bit of work for such a prominent site. the Derek Tynan building on N King St is pretty good though (once you get over the initial shock of the stark exterior and the dodgy brickwork) – the inside has to be seen before judging
Sean, you appear to have a serious dose of returnee rage (not to mention any virtual doses picked up from the homepage listed on your profile).
What would a federal government in Ireland be anyway? And what has any of it particularly to do with architecture?
Yes, but I was told that even when I have made a complaint in writing, they don’t have the resources to investigate, and that it would be up to me to provide eveidence for them that the development was unauthorised.
Sounded unlikely to me too, but they restated this when I queried it.
On the enforcement topic I recently had a bafflin / bizarre conversation with the Corpo enforcement dept.
I think a development near me was carried out without planning permission (involving the vandalisation of a victorian building, a part of which involved PVC windows). The enforcement officer told me that the development may not have needed planning permission and if I wanted to pursue the matter it would be up to me to make a written complain and it would also be up to me to investigate and prove that the development was unauthorised in order for them to act.
This sounds absolutely pathetic to me – equivalent to seeing a robbery take place, notifying a garda and being told that it would be up to me to provide evidence of the crime before they can investigate.
Can anyone clarify the reasoning or statutory background to this? Surely the Corpo is failing in its statutory duties?
Sorry I ahven’t seen it – does they mean that the bit underneath where the cars used to go has been glazed in?
although I agree personally on the choices of individual buildings (the ones I know anyway) and generally agree with the British establishment’s idea of good design, I think that these kinds of policies are verging on fascism. This policy along with the anouncement last week that only houses of outstanding design quality will be given planning permission on the countryside are straying into a dangerous area where government is dictating design.
It’s OK now when the labour government thinks that contemporary modernism is cool, but what about in 15 years when a Tory government might think that neo-georgian-hacienda is cool and has the regulatory precedents to enforce it? Don’t forget that John Prescott also thinks that Celebration and Seaside are the way to go for mass housing…
Maybe it’s lucky that the Irish cabinet don’t give a toss about design quality after all.
Don’t agree that the Corpo don’t know what to do with Dublin.
The plan appears to be a chain of spaces linking across to Collins Barracks and expanding the north inner city westwards: O’Connell St – Moore Street – Wolfe Tone Pk – City Market Square – Smithfield, and changing the activites from wholesale to retail and tourism. Combined with the Luas and the West Gate thing, this will finally bring IMMA and Heuston out of Siberia and into the bosom of the city centre.
The Wolfe Tone park thing appears to be mainly a matter of maintenance – shite management as usual – and I disagree that it’s specifically a European style development. The plan merely opens up the park as an open space, rather than having the oringinal imposing railings cordoning it off (something I think should be changed in a lot of places e.g. the National Library / Dail / Museum etc). I worked for a couple of years on Abbey Street and it was bizarre – if you bought or brought lunch there was no decent open space nearby to sit and eat it in, despite being right in the city centre.
Correcting the historic lack of decent public open spaces in Dublin can’t come quickly enough for me.
The best way to see it is in the evening when the light is on the front but the new interior is glowing out – looks grat and is a wonderful addition to the street.
THe rear though looks to me kind of sub-Alsop – a bit like Tottenham Hale station or the like – pointless squashed toiled roll shapes.
The curves also really need large scale to stop the detailing looking very clunky. Works on the Big Blue in France, but not on a 3-4 storey extension.
there’s an article about it (or rather about its lift shafts) in this week’s AJ which includes all the stats.
