urbanisto

Well done to the Gresham the latest establishment on O’Connell St to do their part for its renovation. As Bertie would say…’A Lot done, a lot more to do’

Unfortunately I think drinking is our culture. The Irish pub, the guinness fueled session, the ‘craic’…its what visitors are told to come here for now. Its used to be out beautiful clean and green island but that not really something we want to be shouting about now that we have built all over it and polluted it with litter.

Its so funny though. The other day I was stopped by two Canadian girls looking for directions (the usual funny thing – looking for Camden St ending up wandering around quaint Sean Mc Dermott St!). Anyway I mentioned they would have to cross through Temple Bar to get to Camden St. Their beautiful blue eyes just lit up at the thought of visiting Dublin’s world famous Temple Bar.

Its sad they way the Council have taken their eye off the ball on this one but I suppose the silver lining to this cloud is that at leats they have something to build on.

The problem seems to be one of ‘maintainence’ as it is with everything in this city. The Millennium bridge is another example…its only been in place two years and already its looking a bit neglected. One half has no illumination at night and many of the small optical lights on the walkway and quayside are broken. Talbot Street is another example…loads of money spent and now it looks like a tip.
Theres not much you can do about the bars at this late stage except hope that some of them go out of business and the opportunity arises to change their usage.
It also seem that the wholke Temple Bar idea has run out of steam if the old city quarter is anything to go by. It looks as if they have given up around Essex Street. Like any project I think T.B. needs to be re assessed. Perhaps the city council could sit down with all the parties and figure out how they can get back to the original ideal of a ‘worldclass city cultural quarter’

The Savoy is another building thats in need of a facelift as well. I imagine they havent done anything to it since the 80s (same goes for the Screen). These should have a much higher profile than they do at the moment.

I had the pleasure of a brief spell of emploemwnt in the offices of Trasury Holding who will be developing the area. Right across from my desk was a visual imterpretation of the Spencer Docks development. And to be honest it sent me to sleep..its seems to be a monumental waste of opportunity. just row after row of boxes. BAron Hausmann’s they are not
And its not just the outsides….I am sure the ‘luxury’ apartments contained will be built to a ‘high standards’ as well. Its very well to discuss moving people out of their semis with gardens fromt and back and into high-rise shared living but ultimately people will get fed up with cardboard walled rabbit hutches and move on. East Wall is the new area to focus our redevelopment sights on(it uses too much space for somewhere so close to the city). A little bit more thought about peoples needs just might make Spencer Dock and the North (and South) Quays the sucessful residential areas they aspire to be.

Cream must be this years colour!

I wonder if this is a good or a bad thing…Trinity College being its new owner. On the one hand they own some of the most inportant buildings in Dublin and (perhaps) have done their best to maintain them. On the other hand they have been much critcised for the state of repair of mny of their properties, eg Westland Row, Pearse Street Buildngs, Goldsmith House. I am not entirely happy that they should now add the GAS building complex and worse Forster Plance to this catalogue. They obviously have the resources to buy these peoperties and to commission new ones – lets hope they are willing to maintain them to a desirable standard.

On the whole I like the building but the details…. I hate the door they have used to section off areas. they are extremely ugly and I think glass would have worked much better. the look like that cheap wood used in MFI kitchens. Another problem area is the connecting gallery with the 1970s building (Milton Wing? I thought it loked really amateurish. But the overall effect of the building is a superb addition to Dublin’s collection of public buildings

I believe that the DDDA have plan to remove the advertising and ‘reinvent’ the bridge as a gateway to the city/docks (depending on which way you are travelling I suppose) This would probably involve restoration, painting and nighttime lighting….and a big sign sponsored by Guinness telling you how fab Dublin is as long as you have has 10 pints…
Perhaps a better option would be to send the train line underground from the Tolka to Grand Canal Dock and do away with the need for this bridge. The resulting land that would be freed up could be sold off to compensate against the costs. Connolly Station would remian but become an underground with links for DART, Metro (shouldn’t these just be the same service?) and mainline services. No need for an above ground Tara St and the removal or redesignation of Pearse St. Think of all those awkward shaped buildings on Talbot St and Tara St that could benefit.

A good use I think. Its a very attractive property and it would be a sin to turn it into yet another pub like the AIB premises on O’Connell St. I also would hate to see Dame Street decend into another bar only street. Perhaps Virgin would consider buying it and developing it along the lines of their Champs Elysees store in Paris. It will be interesting to see which department stores are touted.