Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral grey.

S

shnaek

Guest
I was looking at the plans for the new buildings along the south side of the liffey today and I couldn't help but yawn at the typical autocad crap they are building. Can city planners here not look at the Thames in London or the Seine in Paris, or any other city in which some pride is taken in their buildings before sanctioning buildings along the focal point of our capital city? Are autocad balconies on square-shaped same-height buildings all we have to offer the world of architecture? When I look at China and the inspirational architecture they are currently using I see a country that is proud and determined to make its mark on the world. This lack of imagionation and absence of pride suits neutral Ireland quite well I am saddened to say.
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

If anything that shows any imagination is built people will complain about wasted money and start talking c**p about people on hospital beds etc. You are right; we have no vision.
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

Yeah, a giant needle to replace Nelsons column? Inspirational? I think not! NOT A CLUE!!!
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

Hi shnaek,

Is autocad really to blame for poor design in Dublin? There are plenty examples of bad building design in Dublin which predate autocad.

ajapale
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

My brother is hoping to build his house later this year. He had his preplanning meeting with the planning officer. She came back with a note that the house "should have a more traditional front" The house plans have a lot of glass in the front to make use of light, heat etc . It doesn't look out on anyone, will be screened from the road by way of trees, but the fact it is different makes it a problem.
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

Hmmm.. no one who disagrees thus far... It is frustrating to see this happen, especially when it is now (in boom times) that the greatest opportunity exists to create something to be proud of.. But the buildings along the Liffey & many parts of Dublin are as uninspiring as the grey skies that rest above.. Who is/are the city architect(s)? Do they not have a say, or is the pressure to build, build, build too great?

Practically all of the buildings that give Dublin city centre its character are those that were built when we were under British rule - Trinity college, the Georgian houses etc. Okay we don't have the riches that the British empire had to flaunt, but we could try a bit harder with what resources, talent and vision we do have..
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

That is exactly the point! While we are going through the biggest boom the state has ever known we are doing absolutely nothing to ensure the legacy of the boom lives on. The British did build our most inspirational buildings. All we have done is tore a lot of them down!
Meanwhile we insist on building lacklustre buildings in our towns and cities - buildings that will look twice as lacklustre in ten years time.
And I hear you too Jem - a friend of mine is in the same situation. Any design outside the ordinary is not only frowned upon, but set upon. He has had his design turned down twice - the most recent for a porch that sticks out at the front of the building.
Alas though we speak of it here and we have thus far no dissent nothing will be done and we will go on as before. It is a real shame and a missed opportunity, doubly so in the centre of our capital city.
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

I agree with the original poster. And I also agree that this isn't about AutoCad it's about the people using it, and the people who sanction the tearing down of great buildings to build eyesores.

Yeah, a giant needle to replace Nelsons column? Inspirational? I think not! NOT A CLUE!!!
Click to expand...

I used to hate the spire but I've come around. I now see that it's the perfect symbol of the Celtic Tiger and 21st century Dublin.

It's shiny and sparkly but ultimately hollow.

It's incredibly tall but stands for nothing

It cost millions to build but is useless and
pays tribute to no-one or nothing.

It turned out to be not quite as good as we were told it would be. What happened to the beams of light????

As part of the redevelopment of O'Connell St a fountain which provided a place to sit and rest was removed.

I like to think that the Irony of a pointless needle wasn't lost on those responsible. It is a strangely suitable symbol for Dublin.

If Dublin needs an Eifel Tower then let them go to the Phoinix Park and build us a proper Landmark that people can actually climb up to the top of and see the whole city.

I wonder if the spire came about because they realised that if tourists got a proper view of the city they'd run and never come back.

-Rd
 
Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

I agree heartily about the architecture along the liffey up to Heuston Station. Not just not good - most of the apartment blocks are an eyesore!

Most other major cities in Europe had to put infill contemporary architecture in the rubble of areas destroyed in the blitz. After initial timidity and attempting to replicate what had been lost London, for example, "bit the bullet" and went for the widest most exhilirating mix.

Dublin has the advantage of being able to plan at leisure but hasn't taken up the challenge.

I do like the spike (which incidentally was on the UK shortlist of the most innovative structures in the last decade - the "gherkin" in The City of London won). I hadn't realised the problem was archaic planning restrictions and building regulations.

Unfortunately with the new bridges what used to be a breathtaking and graceful serpentine of the Liffey now looks fussy........more bridge than water. Incidentally does anyone like/use those awful walkways?
 
Re: Throw down the tricolour and fly the flag of neutral gre

In my opinion the new Liffey walkways are the best innovation that I have ever seen in the city centre. Now it is possible to walk up the north quay without the unpleasantness of heavy traffic literally in one's face.

I also like the new millennium bridge - no steps, very accessible to everyone, and helps relieve congestion around the hapenny bridge and merchants arch.
 
walkaways

'Incidentally does anyone like/use those awful walkways?'

oh they are handy, just walk briskly, no eye contact with the wild fauna cavorting, injecting, inbibing, dealing, punching on the seats that run along the walkway.

A fate similar to the one incurred the by Anna Livia fountain, the recepticle for used fast food wrappers.
 
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