Planning Permission for New Liffey Sculpture

[Jim236]

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority today lodged an application for planning permission to construct a new sculpture on the river Liffey which would be 46m(151ft) high(half the height of the Spire) and sited next to the Sean O’Casey bridge.

Full story can be found here: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mheyauojmhmh/rss2/



Should this be allowed? Personally I think its a bloody eye-sore and tbh from the view in the picture above it looks like the man is takin a piss in the Liffey.

Is this the type of Dublin we want for the future? Can anyone honestly say they'd like the look for 2 random skyscrapers dawrfing every building around them, a cable-car running the length of the quays, and this statue here? Will these developments not ruin the low-lying look of Dublin that makes it unique for a European capital, or any capital for that matter?

What are your views?

[NotDevsSon]

It is seriously hideous.

[johnfás]

I'm not particularly fond of the bodyform which is the subject matter of this sculpture. I do think a sculpture in the Liffey would be rather innovative though.

I also believe that Dublin must expand skywards. Half our commuting problems arise from a failure to do this. Dublin can still maintain a low lying CBD in the square from Liberty Hall to beyond the Four Courts up as north as Upper O'Connell Street (perhaps beyond) and as South as the Baggot Street Direction (perhaps beyond) which would keep the unique feel. However, down towards the docklands is an ideal place for tall development. If the future potential of flooding is adequately avoided that is.

[NotDevsSon]

I'm not particularly fond of the bodyform which is the subject matter of this sculpture. I do think a sculpture in the Liffey would be rather innovative though.

I also believe that Dublin must expand skywards.

I could not disagree more.

Half our commuting problems arise from a failure to do this.

No. It is because of density, not height.

Dublin can still maintain a low lying CBD in the square from Liberty Hall to beyond the Four Courts up as north as Upper O'Connell Street (perhaps beyond) and as South as the Baggot Street Direction (perhaps beyond) which would keep the unique feel. However, down towards the docklands is an ideal place for tall development. If the future potential of flooding is adequately avoided that is.

Because of the city's structure, congregating a large development in that area would create insurmountable traffic problems, as most employees would be living in satellite towns. In addition successful as the Celtic Tiger has been, there is not the demand to fill high rise in that area. All high rise in that area would achieve is either
(a) a sucking of offices from the current CBD, creating mass problems with office stock elsewhere, or
(b) large amounts of empty offices.

Experiences in comparable economies and comparable cities have produced high rise developments full of empty office blocks or office blocks where only 1/3 of the space is taken. In addition the age cohort of workers in many companies would mean that people could not move to housing built alongside the development. Dublin is one of those cities utterly unsuited to high rise development, and the nature of residential living among people in the greater Dublin area would make that location unsustainable. A city that cannot cope with the transport needs of low density office and residential sectors could not cope with high rise at that location.

[st333ve]

This modern sculpture stuff is getting out of control.
Wirey messes and things that resemble huge litter, line the motorwayts and dual carrage ways from Louth to Kerry.
Huge balls, random sculptures of cows and othe random ugly stuff is popping up everywhere.
You would almost think Ireland didnt have anything better to make sculptures out of, wheres the traditional irish sculpture, the culture?

[johnfás]

This modern sculpture stuff is getting out of control.
Wirey messes and things that resemble huge litter, line the motorwayts and dual carrage ways from Louth to Kerry.
Huge balls, random sculptures of cows and othe random ugly stuff is popping up everywhere.
You would almost think Ireland didnt have anything better to make sculptures out of, wheres the traditional irish sculpture, the culture?

What consitutes ugly is of course a matter of taste. I quite like the series of beehive huts which are I think along the Dublin to Belfast road?

There are some excellent Rowan Gillespie sculptures about the place. Take this example in Blackrock:

[st333ve]

Thats what i would call art.
A man made of wire or painted spikes on the side of the road is not art.

The only euro art i have liked is that huge ball that looks like someone has rolled up the road.
I cant remember where i seen it.

This kind of nonsence is hideous


The most dissapointing sculpture i ever seen was when i was driving through the bogside in Derry and came across this.


I seen lots of pictures of it and i imagined it was quite large.

Its actually tiny and on top of a mini roundabout!

[Fionn_McCool]

I believe it’s already been nicknamed “the Dub in the Tub”.

It really does look like a guy taking a piss on Custom House Quay and the financial centre.

Perhaps the artist Anthony Gormley is making a fairly blunt statement about the Celtic Tiger here.

It might be marginally more acceptable if it’s waterworks faced east towards the mouth of the Liffey and our neighbours across the Irish sea.

[MarD]

Anthony Gormley was the sculptor responsible for the Angel of the North, a class piece of work.
Calcavecchi?, the architect has designed some class bridges around Europe. His bridge on the liffey is one of his more disappointing works and for any one who uses it, it isn't a functional piece of infrastructure since one lane curves to accomodate the design and since the walkway can be slippy in irish weather conditions.
Also Liebskind is designing some way out building for the docklands. it seems just like our rampant consumerism we have become enamoured by designer labels.
Likewise we seem to be getting a knockdown Gormley design that has no relevance to the surrounding area. Apart from anything else the figure is either urinating or looking glum.
it is a lousy piece of work, we should reject it outright and not be fooled by the designer label.

By the way what happened to the original U2 tower which was a standout building and its latest incarnation as a typical corporate banking block from the City.

[alonso]

I believe that the form has changed somewhat. It appears that he is now looking up across the city to the North. This is a huge improvement in my eyes. I think it's ok. Nothing great, but ok. It might be a grower, like the Spire, much maligned in the past, now a part of the City.



MarD, it's Calatrava, and yes the JAmes Joyce bridge is far too squat and crammed to be a proper expression. However his design for Macken Street looks extremely promising. I believe construction has started - it certainly looks to have. I agree we have an obsession with starchitects, none more so than Bono and Foster - the Clarence redevelopment is an affront to the City which created this band. I think Libeskinds designs for Grand Canal Dock are great tbh- i love the plaza and the red poles, and red carpet concept for the theatre.

The U2 tower is another fumbled balls up by all involved. The original twisting tower was shelved for a fairly uninspiring Foster piece. The competition for it was won, and then taken away from the winners by U2 (something like that anyway). It will end in the Courts and it will be a decade before we get anything built there,

Because of the city's structure, congregating a large development in that area would create insurmountable traffic problems, as most employees would be living in satellite towns. In addition successful as the Celtic Tiger has been, there is not the demand to fill high rise in that area. All high rise in that area would achieve is either
(a) a sucking of offices from the current CBD, creating mass problems with office stock elsewhere, or
(b) large amounts of empty offices.

Yes but the development of the Docklands further east will, like in the past, be a mix of retail, office, culture and most importanty residential. No policy maker advocates a "CBD" type development, rather a whole new City Quarter containing an appropriate mix of uses for such a district. A 24 hour 7 days a week neighbourhood - a contrast and alternative to the satellite towns, which may even facilitate a return to the city.

The protection and enhancement of the current office core in Dublin 2/Georgian Dublin is uppermost in everyones thoughts when dealing with the eastward expansion. But as you correctly point out (for the billionth time on P.ie) it's all about density not height. There's no need or demand for a Morrisey-esque high rise city in Poolbeg, just sustainable well planned communities. The traffic issues are solvable through a combination of rail and bus - especially in new areas where car free streets are built for bus/LUAS/Cycles only.

There are some positive signs in Docklands - the Point Village and the 25 storey National Conference Centre Hotel, along with the U2 tower will add to the architectural offer of Dublin, and make up somewhat for the blandness which emerged at this location from Celtic Tiger idiocy. There's other buildings of note here such as Alto Vetro at Ringsend bridge, and I'm sure Boland's will be redeveloped to a high standard. Also bear in mind, Heuston Gate and the Digital Hub will provide alternative locations for tall buidlings, and hopefully SIPTU will do a decent job on Liberty Hall too...