Rory W
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Cheers John,
I think things may get better if this “Millenium Mall” is built properly and contains the promised mix of good restraunts, cinemas, bars and performance areas, we can but hope that this acts as a draw to other quality establishments. We should be proud of the street, northsiders and southsiders alike. Lets hope that in the next century we can be.Happy Christmas
RW
OK, when I said proper Food, I meant that the only place you could eat were the likes of McDonaldsX2, Burger KingX2, Abrakebabra, Supermacs, etc etc, all of which have a nutricional value of….F*** All. There are restraunts where you pay the same (even in Temple Bar) as a big mac meal and actually get something that isn’t recycled cardboard. Yes there is poverty in the area, but the Pearse Street Flats are only a few Minutes from Grafton Street, there is poverty throughout Dublin.
What I am saying is that we need to do something with O’Connell Street. I never suggested going at it with a Bulldozer (Although The Royal Dublin Hotel, Fingal CC offices and Findlater House are too tempting). To destroy the work of our last great city Architect would be a disaster. All I’m saying is that the street needs to be attractive to tourist and southsiders alike. For God’s sake this is supposed to be the premier street of the Country. And as for inner city residents I am one, yeah so its the IFSC, its still not nice having to avoid O’Connell Street after 8pm.
It would be nice to solve poverty but hey this is an architecture website and not the Socialist Worker Fan club.
Post more details about membership/events etc. Also if Paul could send out details on the e-mail list it would be great to remind people that events are on.
RJW
Phirric Victory, anyone?
We are getting what we deserved. A crock of shite for a crock of shite town, why not build it from brick and put a clock tower on it then there would be no complaints from “conservationists”. Wonderful, a black plastic tower to go with the rest of rubbish that is George’s quay. We refused an interesting building in favor of someething that was designed in the late 1980’s. As John said it is the end.
By the way I live local to it so I will see the thing every day. Thanks a bunch.
Rory W
The ugliest building in Dublin is beyond the shadow of a doubt the average 3 bed semi, in “towns” (and I mean that in the loosest sense of the word) like Lucan, Clondalkin, Blanchardstown, Tallaght etc. They are truely awful (In the majority some older ones in areas like Terenure look good – Bushy Park road etc) but the majority are boring, White (invariably) with uniform everything, they destroy the soul. The entire greater Dublin Region (Now from Arklow to Drogheda, and west to Enfield & beyond) are blighted by miles of Rubbish Architecture, yes people have to live, but why in such mediocrity.
RORY W
John,
You are so right about bringing them back. I also think that someone should invent a corner in Temple Bar that Vomits back at you (That’ll teach ya for drinking too much!!!)
RORY W
The problem isn’t really with CIE as such, as come on lets face it they can hardly afford to look after their buses and trains let alone a major building such as busaras. it does need a total renovation (Milennium project anyone??).
RORY W
Well it definitely had one tower, that was taken down. Only a the base of it remains, (I’ve seem photos of it somewhere). The other tower would have been where the awful 1960s facade ends, whether or not it existed was another thing.
Rory W
Well besides the fact that the bus had dreadful sound quality (Loose connections for the microphones I think). Sam Stephenson anf Frank McDonald took us on a trip around the city centre. Starting at St Stephens Green we went to Hume Street where The Battle of Hume street was described. We the went down Baggot Street (Where Sam was congratulated for designing the Horseshoe Bar) and the Corpo were laughed at by everyone when Frank said that the corpo had said that the new look Patrick street would resemble Baggot street between Fitzwilliam Street and Merrion row!! Frank then said that he was wrong about the Bank of Ireland Building in Baggot street and it was quite good in actuality.
Going via Warrington place, we went on to Mount Street Lower and Sam reminised about his first office. Frank said that a lot of the architecture on this street was a bit “IFFY”.
Going around Trinity and around the customs house was ok, but as the journey continued to Wellington quay it was pointed out that they had taken some of the scaffolding off sunlight chambers and everyone thought WOW its clean!
Having had a bit of a chat about the civic offices (OK – but nothing we didn’t know already). We carried on via Heuston Station to Smithfield where we couldn’t get around because of the road bein non existant. People were shocked when they heard that the old Distillary (Where chief O’Neills etc is) was bought in 1992 for HALF A MILLION POUNDS for the full site. Duffy Bros on the other side of the square, a similar sized site 8.5 Million last year.
Having inched our way onto North King Street and then back over to the southside we went down the Christchurch to College Green Axis where Sam started giving out about how the Bank of Ireland College Green would never be built these days and architects and their building should be judged later. He then proceded to give out about the Milennium Spire (Humbug, anyone).
As the trip was coming to a close our two presenters seemed to be giving each other more and more niggling comments, and by the time we got back onto St Stephens Green Frank came out with the quote of the day about the KPMG Building being on the site of the old Russell Hotel which was well known for meetings of Charlie Haughey, Donough O’Malley, and Brian Lenehan … throwing in at the end “But you would know all about that wouldn’t you Sam”. Sam said everbody used to go there and it was just popular right.
By that stage it was 4:40 pm, the Bus returned to Habitat, and I wen’t in search of Lunch.
Tour Length 2hrs 40mins
Your hosts were Frank and Sam
Cost £0
Value for money : Very GoodI would recommend this journey next year, for anybody who wants to spend a Saturday afternoon going around town without spending money, and enjoying Dublin, just for itself.
Rory W
Did anybody else go on the “Sam and Frank show” bus tour around Dublin? I thought it was good fun, pity about the sound quality though.
Rory W
I think I will try to get a look at this house this weekend, can anyone provide me with detailed directions from Eniskerry (Say the Monument in the square). I will be on foot from there. Is it on private land?
Much Appreciated
Rory W
They are not extinguishing the right of way through to Crown Alley and it looks like they are only fenching off the steps.
Rory W
Alison,
I think the South City markets in Georges Street are absolutely brilliant. I also think the north city markets (Little Mary Street) will look brilliant when they have finished restoring it. I just think that there is adistinct lack of imagination these days when it comes to using brick. There is far too much emphesis on the use of brick in this city, as Paul said there is perceived “quality” in architecture these days in which brick is used. I dont know if its the fact that Brick is Low maintenance (Over say something which has to be painted) but in most developments these days there is just an overdose of brick. And its not usually old Dublin brick but bright red, and all in uniform swathes. The other factor that annoys about brick is the Twee factor that John white has consistantly mentioned on this site (Give it a clock tower and it gets permission).Yes, some people see concrete as evil in this city, but I do believe that it can also look beautiful. Stone can look cold but at least it looks different. I think what I am saying is that we need to just break up some of the uniformity, especially in new office/apartment block areas.
Rory W
So I guess that “they don’t build ’em like that anymore” applies. When did we stop using brick in a pleasureable way? If so why?
Worst red brick building in town I think (Besides the recent lego, clock towers etc) has to go to “Liffey House” on the Tara Street/Townsend Street Junction, simply awful.Rory W
Can anybody think of any decent modern brick buildings that are pleasing to the eye?
So I guess that “they don’t build ’em like that anymore” applies. When did we stop using brick in a pleasureable way? If so why?
Rory W
Can anybody think of any decent modern brick buildings that are pleasing to the eye?
Yes I think it is treated with acid or something like that for that “genuine old look”. But I think I know what it really is that annoys me about the use of Brick. the Monotony of its use. Great swathes of uniform brickwork looks terrible. Just look at the apartments in Lombard Street all the same coloured brick with nothing in the way of relief, they look awful.
Its not that I have anything against brick (I think the South City Markets on Georges Street is one of the best buildings in Dublin), but why do developers make such awful use of brick (Ahh yes its boring, it will sell). Red brick looks really well when it is given some relief (the use of polychromatic designs in Victorian Houses looks great) and it breaks up the monotony, (Has anybody seen the restored brickwork on the side of the North City Markets off Capel Street – It looks really good).
If you want to see a building that has overdosed in brick, look at the apartment block south of the Kevin Street/Clambrassil Street Junction. With its tiny windows and great swathes of red brick it just looks ludicrous. Had it been rendered & finished in white paint, it would have worked. Actually since everything in that area is now finished in red brick (even the street setts are red brick) the area is beginning to resemble Mars.
Rory W
I think they didn’t include the original airport buiding as Aer Rianta are about to make a mess of it.
Rory W
