urbanisto
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@Morlan wrote:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/infomatique/5681332829/sizes/l/in/photostream/A frankly bizarre high concept scheme for this space which really only requires a well executed scheme that shows traditional city paving and setts to its best effect. The scheme which intended to suggest the flow of the River Poddle using limestone with modern granite and finishes completing the scheme to match the nearby Barnados Square. The small amount of Wicklow granite paving that remains is to be preserved in situ like some relic of the rare aul times. The effect, as ever, will be an incoherent mismatch of about 5 or 6 different paving styles and materials when the adjoining sections are considered.
4 pleached limes have been included to hide the bland and dead frontage of the Robocop building. A stone bench completes the picture. The scheme also extends across Dame Street at an angle into Sycamore Street.
All in all a pretty disappointing response for those interested in preserving our traditional granite paving in a meaningful way.
The Tesco is planned for the site occupied by The Complex on the corner of the small plaza area. The Complex are being turfed out.
@GregF wrote:
Great photos Graham as usual. I was delighted when the FF government reintroduced this annual ceremony for the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising in 2006.
It coincided with the much needed makeover of O’Connell St, although the street was not finished at the time for the occasion….typical!Unfortunately, such a ceremony means nothing today….our Republic means nothing now when we have the IMF and the EU running the show. Our country sold out by FF.
The guard of honour looked well. but the military brass present, particularly the head of our non existant ‘air force’ is farsical. (The sight of our troops giving a gun salute wearing big ear mufflers is comical).
The plastic containers of lillies sums up our so called ‘republic’ beautifully … kinda cheap and shallow!
A bit cynical maybe….but utterly true
From this weekend’s IT
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0409/1224294275041.html
I cant disagree with anything there…it is exactly like the 80s. And look how hard and expensive it was to try and get out of that mindset. The O’Connell IAP was supposed to change everything…but here we are back in the same area almost 14 years after that plan and look.
Batchelor’s Walk
I dunno…maybe its just me! Maybe it looks great..vibrant, dynamic, charming, classy. Maybe I shouldn’t be wearing so much black.
@GrahamH wrote:
The same is true of the recent redevelopment of the supremely elegant former Merchant’s Hall building at the Ha’penny Bridge…. Outside, three trashy plastic flagpoles have been erected with Guinness flags, a banner sign hangs from a first floor window, music blasts out across the river from externally mounted speakers, and further unauthorised signage is erected within Merchant’s Arch itself! Another premier asset is lost to the city. But as long as the Chamber is happy, ach shure isn’t dat all that matters.
You should see their new “Olympia style” archway over the main entrance!
Aaah springtime in Dublin: the leaves beginning to open on trees, the freshly planted baskets and planters, the old spruce up before the start of the big tourist summer……
And on Parnell Square, the installation of some nice new useless bollards to clutter yet another corner of Dublin’s Fair City.
Don’t fall off the path!!!!
The bollards complement the ranks of bus stops, a number of which only serve one route. Also add in a smattering of RTPI poles.
Visual clutter abounds. Archiseekers with long memories might remember the spanking new public realm proposed for Parnell Square under the 2005 Framework Plan that never was. Thankfully DCC Roads department continues to make some much needed investment in the area.
I would almost be inclined to agree (if it wasn’t for your signage being a) a hideous but now commonplace defacement of a protected structure, b) probably unauthorised, and c) surely in breach of the regulations concerning election advertisements). Then again the laws of the 26 county statelet never did apply to Sinn Fein.
Around the corner on the charmingly named Cavendish Row and North Frederick Street, the commitment to quality continues:
DCC applying a little less vigour to protecting a protected structure than to adorning city streets with municipal clutter.
One of the area’s landmark structures…made famous by the Malton print (one display nearby). This is the view for recent high profile visitors such as Albert of Monaco and of course QEII on their way to the Garden of Remembrance.
Shopfront Guidelines anyone?
Hmmm its funny rereading my comment above in light of the Urban Party event…
Anyhow…another cultural anchor of Smithfield appears to be in trouble. The Lighthouse Cinema looks set to close by all account. Their rent has been raised by 100% to €200,000. Smithfield Market (what a misnomer) owner is seeking to have the cinema company wound up.
An interesting event for anyone interested in this area of the city
http://www.pivotdublin.com/blog/?p=1369Yes I think you make a fair point about the distances. And the directions are at times oddly indicated. Its not perfect but its a vast improvement on the chaos and clutter that has existed until now.
Honestly reading all that shit, for that shit and then when they get that shit permitted they build different shit!
“The steel shopfront would be carefully detailed”…”clarify the proportions of the opening”… and best of all…
the simple elegant facade….will raise the image of the Quay and help reverse the downward trend”.
Shocking. So utterly cynical and shocking. Okay so its only a bloody shopfront but really to submit all that crap and KNOW that what you were going to construct would have the opposite effect. That is so cynical.
Everyone’s favourite convenience store on Wellington Quay has undergone a facelift (of the Jackie Stallone variety?)
Yeawh! Jwackie!
Where’s young Devin?
All permitted and above board? Not quite. Here’s an excerpt from the Planner Report…
Planning Assessment:
The proposal is for works to both shopfronts of the Centre located in Temple Bar and which stretches out onto Wellington Quay. With regards the proposal for Temple Bar it is considered that the removal of the iron gates which presently are used for advertising is considered to be acceptable and that these are not part of the historic fabric of the building and therefore it is considered reasonable that they are removed. The siting of two display cases on either of the door is not considered to be acceptable and it will be condition that they be omitted from the development.The applicants propose to site signage on the red brick archway, which is to be made of bronze built up letters backlit with fixing pins in mortar joints cap. It is proposed to have the archway fitted with simi-circular translucent opal glass panel with aluminium frame. The design is considered to be simple and will not detract from the character of the protected
structure.The Wellington Quay side of the proposed removes the existing timber shopfront and instead sites the centra sign in aluminium which is backlit and to have it directly attached to the wall. Over the sign then is a glazed canopy on powder coated steel tees anchored to the masonry wall. It is to project 0.5m from the wall and is composed for 5 panels. The new
shopfront is to consist of a steel frame which is to be powdercoated in white to match the Ha’penny bridge. A grey polished granite plinth is proposed which is .25m high.The following sections of the Dublin Corporation Planning Dept Shopfront Design Guide 2001 apply:
Page 19 item 1 identifies the necessity for a strongly defined framework ,
Page 20, section 1 – Fascia
• “Normally, fascia depth should not exceed a quarter of the distance between the fascia’s lower edge and the pavement.”
Page 23, section 1 – Fascia Signs
• “Letter design should be simple and legible. The dimensions of the fascia should dictate the size and height of the letters. Letters of more than 40cm will not normally be acceptable.”
Page 30, section 9 – Illumination of Shopfronts
“ External illumination of the shopfront should only be considered where the lighting can be subtly concealed by feature details of the building.”The proposal as it stands with regards the Wellington Quay shopfront has a strong defined framework in the non traditional sense and the letters are individually mounted. The lighting of the shopfront is also considered as proposed to be acceptable.
Reasons and Considerations
Having regard to the nature and scale of the proposed works it is considered that they would not seriously injure the residential amenities of the area (eh? :eh: )and would not adversely affect the character and setting of the protected structure and subject to compliance with the conditions set out below it is considered that the proposed development accords with both
the City Development Plan and the proper planning and sustainable development of theSorry, a lot of guff there but you see the rationale. So bronze and aluminium lettering. Hmm I see yellow plastic. Also the permission included a very illuminating condition “The finishes of both shops fronts shall be of high quality” Great, except thats not defined.
I wont make a mountain here…maybe its alright, inoffensive, stylish, smart and contemporary. I dunno. Its not what they said they would do though. And how long till the banners, stickers, posters and neon tickertap arrives to add to the gaiety of the proceedings.
Meanwhile, next door, Merchants Arch, which had made a great stab at renovating the building into a pub, plonks three large flagpoles in front of their building. Why! Don’t they realise that visitors photograph this spot hundreds of times a day! I dont get it.
So the first phase of the Way Finding signage scheme is more or less complete, in time for St Patricks Day and the traditional start of the tourist season. I have to say they make a great addition to the cityscape. There are some minor tweaks required. Some units face in confusing ways but this is a feature of their square design. Its worth saying that a round signage unit works no better, as seen in Docklands where signage can face the wrong way completely. Its not the end of the world however.
In some instances the choice of attractions is odd, eg at Christ Church Place the sign directs you to Francis Street, when I would suggest The Liberties would make more sense.
I would also suggest that a uniform series of Character areas should start making an appearance, eg Old City, The Liberties, City Markets Area, South Georgian City, etc. The idea should be to direct people to areas as well as individual attractions. This will help businesses to locate themselves to visitors and sweeten the pill of the inevitable removal of brown finger signs.
Phase 2 now beckons – due to be completed by June. This will see the remaining units plus 20 large map panels located at various strategic points such as O’Connell Street, College Green, Capel Street etc. Some of the posts are already in place. I think overall about 70-odd finger posts were proposed.
Phase 2 should also see the start of the removal of brown finger signs around the city….really a MUST if this scheme is to make a difference to the quality of the city centre environment. And not just the signs but many of the poles they are mounted on. The City Council’s Roads Dept are instructed to remove the brown signs. I wait in expectation! This has to happen DCC!! We are in a changes world now and we have to start presenting our city centre as an attractive place to visit, not as a dumping ground for every sort of municipal tat.
The signs are not good though…I see a rash of new poles erected around the City Council offices and quays preparing for new traffic signs. Traffic signs and directional signage remains a MESS in this city. No coordination. No urban design input. No clarity to the driver. No consistency of design.
Still I have to say FAIR PLAY to Dublin City Council for delivering a good quality way finding scheme. :thumbup:
