sjpclarke
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Themond Park – I’m sure we’re pretty much of a similar mind here though I take issue with both yourself and DublinLimrick with regard to South London. I’ve lived in London nearly ten years now with the last four or so in South London. Its certainly a bit messy but in no way an urban wasteland. I actullay live in Brixton which is one of the most vibrant, culturally mixed, cultural, fun, well-connected, green and leafy inner suburbs one could wish to live in. Similar could be said of ten’s of other such urban villages that South Londoners call home. I’m not suggesting that Ireland and London are equivalent just that it is possible to house considerable populations in relative urban luxury at medium densities – London is in no way a high density city like Paris or Barcellona.
DublinLimrick – You do not seem to have read my submission above. I make no comparions in my piece at all – just the singular observation that we’ve got a lot of space and not very many people who collectively live in a disjointed and unsustainable manner. How this suggests a “rather geographically ( and perhaps culturally ) restricted knowledge” I do not know. To date I have lived in Dublin, London, Sydney, Melbourne and Boston for extensive periods of time. I do agree that London is not, cannot and should not be a model for Dublin in the round but there are valuable lessons that can be learnt from this city. (Dave – London’s population is increasing and has been for about a decade. While the official population is about 7.5 million this does not take into consideration the green belt which artifically – but positively – confines the popluation figures). Certainly there are much more appropriate models as you noted.
This is both a cultural (manstein) and infrastructural issue (dave123) in addition to the architecture or not of the developments in question. Leaving this to the market is proving a disaster.
I completely agree with the paper quoted. Suburban and ex-urban sprawl, particularly at the farcically low densities at which they are built, are the direct cause of increased reliance on the car, increased commuting times, consequent pollution, polarised mono-cultural communities, reduced cultural opportunity, a degraded rural environment, a missed opportunity re our towns and cities …… Ranting a bit but I could go on. That a country of 5 million people (inc. the North) (basically the size of South London) cannot plan its physical environment (which we all claim as so precious) in a sustainable fashion is a sorry indictment of politicians, local councillors, voters, planners, money grabbing gombeen men and the apathetic public at large. Contrary to the above I don’t think that the Irish have any real feel for nor commitment to a sustainable urban and rural future.
I have friends they have bought starter houses out in Kildare and to a certain extent I can sympathise given the cost in Dublin. But what are young working childless couples doing in a three bed houses with front and back gardens (they never use or concrete over) which they basically occupy from 7pm to 7am. A complete waste of space. The demographic of Ireland is such that two parent three odd child families are very very much in the minority yet we keep building and buying such inflexible space.
And as for the architecture don’t get me started.
Happy to flag a positive alternative.
Couple of points:
– The previous comment on skyscrapper / tall buildings is really meaningless unless set in contect – even so Dublin has a greater need of density rather than tall buildings per say and I would argue that very tall buildings relative to the urban fabric of Dublin are out of context – needs a case by case review within context (love this word today) a more general urban policy
– While I am in favour of positive develeopment happy to conceed that Kevin Myers makes mainly good common sense in his article.
– On the building proposal itself I would be concenered re the height more more explicitly in that it seems to turn its back on the sea – what of something clean and modern like the De La Warr Pavillion. Would generally objecte to private housing being built on green open space.Shane
Roskav – Thanks for that much appreciated. The north side of Hyde Park has something similar except the art is truely crap tourist rubbish for the most part. A better London example if your interested is in Brixton (where I live): http://urbanartonline.co.uk/urbanart/ – cheers, Shane
