Urban_Form
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Anyone who is a regular reader of this forum knows the number of threads dedicated to the rants about the destruction of of various aspects of Dublin and the wider country. If anyone here with a solely An Taisce bashing agenda cannot see the disconnect between such discussions on this forum and the purpose they serve, or the purpose they would better serve with greater Government intervention, then this aspect of the conversation on this particular thread is fairly pointless to begin with.
It’s very important we have an organisation looking out for our heritage (where were an taisce when Dunnes Stores/DCC were knocking part of an intact 1920s terrace on Henry street?).
An Taisce serve an important role as you say. It’s only too bad that their public funding was seriously reduced a number of years ago because they were perceived as being too effective in fulfilling that role.
I have to admit I quite like tacky signage on O’Connell Street – especially the Happy Ring House by the Spire. It’s very recognisably Dublin compared to the over-abundant Centra and Spar facades that you come accross everywhere else.
It’s odd that the Dockland’s Authority requested that a more distinctive tower be built to compliment the U2 tower and they come up with this – to be honest I prefer the previous design – it may have been uninspired but it isn’t an eyesore
The Denouncer: People on these forums get too nostaligiac about buildings like this..
I think this is true to a degree but at the same time it’s a very utilitarian view to dismiss such opinions as exclusively nostalgic. It ignores the point that Liberty Hall is very much part of the visual identity of the city, like it or loath it – it happens to be one of the landmarks that is most recognisable and which has appeared consistently in visual cultural references to Dublin.
At risk of sounding even more sentimental about the whole thing you could say that it is a snapshot of the country – the self-image, hopes and aspirations therein – at a particular time in modern Irish history. No one would suggest we tear down the GPO on O’Connell Street because its exterior is pockmarked with bullet holes or that it’s looking out of date in contrast to contempory style.
I hope the design of the underground section for the Metro is a little more inspired than the drab features of London’s Jubilee Line extension. I know the Jubilee Line extension is highly regarded in terms of it’s design, most notably the Canary Wharf Station, but the rest of it is mostly more of the same un-inspired, un-engaging grayness that typifies the rest of the London Underground’s sub-surface network
Definately should be listed when you consider that locally it’s quite iconic. It’s looking run down these days even after a recent face lift, could do with a makeover. It’s great that the most Soviet looking landmark in Dublin happens to be occupied by the country’s largest trade union.
StephenC: Exactly…what happened to that cyclelane?
I read in the paper recently that O’Connell Street was designed with the provisions of a cycle lane but that it wasn’t included initially since the cycle lane would end abruptly at either end of O’Connell Street; there’s no continuation of a cycle path at either O’Connell Bridge/the quays or Parnell Square.
Frankly this is somewhat of a cop-out really because it implies that even if there were cycle lanes on O’Connell Street cyclists still shouldn’t be using it as they don’t lead anywhere at either end of the street. It’s putting pedestrians, cars and busses before cyclists.
From looking at the street now what I don’t understand is that if, and when cycle lanes are included they would obviously be incorporated into the main road, but why wasn’t the cycle path designed in such a way as to be segregated from the main road and the footpaths like on the Continent? It’s not as though O’Connell Street was lacking in space.
I’m sorry if this has been brought up before, I tried searching the thread and came up with no results, however I couldn’t quite be bothered to read all 99 pages to this thread so here goes;
Does anyone know what that large up-right vent is on the central median of O’Connell Street? It’s an unfinished looking concrete structure about the height and width of a telephone box but about twice the length with horizontal ventilation slits at the top of the sides. It’s located outside Schuh or Supermacs on the central median just south of the Luas intersection between some trees?? It looks completely unfinished, it’s obviously for ventilation but it doesn’t look like the type of thing that would have been included in the original designs for the streetscape since it’s so rough. Everytime I see it I’m just completely miffed that something like that was left there and seems to have gone completely un-noticed.
