Paul Clerkin
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It looks great, I saw it last night on my way home….. brilliantly illuminated….
I see that the signage for the old Douglas shop on Camden Street [where Eddie Rockets is now] has been removed in the last few weeks and relaced with a 7Up billboard. The signage was cool xhrome lettering with neon inserts and site on the gable of a setback on the building.
Personally i reckon ordinary people [as in Joe and Josephine Soap] should be able to talk about architecture and what they like without fear of being sneered at by the more theoretically minded of the architectural set……
As a non architect myself, I always feel on dodgy ground when speaking to architects about buildings and architectural history.
Are you sure it was listed? I dont think so as it was advertsised as development land over a year ago….
Actually the main problem with Busaras is the general attitude of CIE to the building. Originally all the materials were selected for their long lasting low maintainance finishes [1]. CIE unbfortunetly interpreted that as “no maintainance finishes” and neglected the building for 40 years. In the 1990s they have ruined the concourse by removing original fittings and “adorning” the interior with garish signage and telephone boothes bolted to the mosaic clad columns.
When looking at Busaras, you have to mentally strip away all the damage and unfortunate additions and see the building as it was in 1952 – an integrated work of design from signage to furniture to structure. You should also remember that the design work was carried out immediately after the “Emergency” [2] when Europe was rebuilding and Ireland was finacially challenged. The building also experienced long delays when no work was carried out due to political machinations, otherwise it would have been finished by 1950 and would have been seen as a building of the 1940s. Total cost by 1952 were over one million pounds – so whats that now in our money?
[1] http://www.archeire.com/busaras/thesis3.html
[2] What Ireland called WWIIIts just an advert for a month, helps to pay the bills. Keeping this site online costs a bit and it comes out of my pocket so every little bit helps.
I’ve added more details on the bridge design including several computer generated views of it courtesy of Howley Harrington Architects.
Actually that has been bothering me as well…..
And everytime I’m in the Architectural Archive, it slips my mind to look it up.
I heard a bit more about this development last night and it sounds very interesting and different for the city although personally I reckon its got as much chance of being built as the SOM building on Georges Quay.
To be honest, I have no idea. I was on the “Friends of E1027” mailinglist but I haven’t heard anything recently.
I’ll get in contact with a few people and come back with any info I may dig up.
The truth is that in Ireland, brick is associated in the mind sof the people as quality. Look at the houses being built all over the countryside – large red brick boxes. Brick is something people aspire to – its not plastered concrete blocks but “quality” – money well spent.
In Dublin the developers use it for the same reason – their jerry built apartment blocks then have “quality” stamped on them. Look Busaras – derided by the ordinary man-in-the-street and believed by many to be concrete rather than portland stone.
Personally, I actually liked the SOM development…. they were just rather unfortunate in that the site was lousy.
Tours must be booked in advance by telephoning the RIAI on (01) 676 1703 or email info@riai.ie
Tours booked on a first-come first-served basis.
I reckon that you are thinking of the Windjammer on Lombard Street – The Gingerman has a green timber facade and very nice toasted sadwiches.
Fresh and hot off the HTML presses….
Date Time Event 5 October 6.00pm Lecture
“Restoration of XVI Century Monuments in Oaxaca: the Convent of Santo Domingo and the Open Chapel of Tepozcolula” in the RIAI Architecture Centre, 8 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. All Welcome. Lecture is free of charge. Sponsored by Embassy of Mexico3 – 16 October  ‘Irish Building of the 20th Century Competition open to the general public which will appear in the Sunday Tribune on 3 October. Free draw for a case of vintage champagne, Sponsored by Sunday Tribune & O’Briens Fine Wines
8 October 1.00pm -2.00pm Lecture National Gallery of Ireland on the short-listed buildings selected for; ‘Irish Building of the 20th Century’ competition. All Welcome. Lecture is free charge.
8 – 10 October 8.00pm onwards Architecture Exposed
Photographs projected on buildings in and around Dublin City.7 /9 / 10 October 8.00pm Architectural Film Week The Irish Film Centre, Temple Bar:
07 October 8.00pm : Metropolis
09 October 8.00pm : Blade Runner
10 October 8.00pm : Le Mais Pris
All Welcome.
9 October 11.00am A Walk-About of an Exhibition The Work of Grafton Architects’ in the RIAI Architecture Centre. All Welcome. Event is free of charge.
9 October From 10.00am Architectural Walking Tours: Georgian Dublin
Saturday 09 October 10.00am
The Irish Georgian Society, 74 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
Victorian Dublin
Saturday 09 October 11.00 am
Main entrance to the National Library (adjacent to Dail Eireann), Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Contemporary Dublin
Saturday 09 October 12 noon.
Central Bank, Dame Street, Dublin 2.
All Welcome. Tours are free of charge.
9 October 2.30pm Bus Tour of Dublin St. Stephens Green, adjacent to Habitat.
Bus tour by architect Sam Stephenson
All Welcome. Tour is free of charge.
9 October 2.00pm Lectures & Site Visit to Millennium Bridge by Professor Sean DeCourcy and Roger Myers of Price and Myers Structural Engineers.
Commencing at Temple Bar Gallery. All Welcome. Event is free of charge.
