Further to the article on the Bachelors Walk development in The Irish Times of April 8th, it should be noted that this is not the first time that Dublin Corporation planners have been castigated by Frank McDonald for "meddling in the minutiae of design" (October 26th, 1995).
This pronouncement attracted a strongly dissenting reply in the letters page (November 16th, 1995) from Mr Michael Smyth, chairman, of the Dublin City Planning Group of An Taisce.
I agree with Frank McDonald when he stated on April 8th "If there is an essential Dublin, this stretch of the quays is it" and also "Bachelors Walk deserved the most exceptional architectural treatment".
However, it is relevant in this regard that towards the end of 1993 the study of inner city residential development for the Society of Chartered Surveyors noted "The conditions attached to the planning permission granted recently to the major site in Bachelors Walk indicate that the planners are striving to strike the right balance.
The urban design approach adopted to this significant south facing Liffey quay front site at Bachelors Walk, in the heart of Dublin between O Connell Bridge and the Ha'penny Bridge, took as a reference this statement in the Dublin City Quays, publication by the School of Architecture, University College Dublin. Dublin city Quays are the face of the city to the river. They are an essential part of what makes Dublin a special city. If we lose them we lose the soul of Dublin."
Alas, many of the former city quays have been "lost" in recent decades, as was once well documented by Frank McDonald. At Bachelors Walk there was a manor urban design opportunity to reflect the former glory and grandeur of all these disappeared Liffey quays, terraced streets capes on a largely cleared two acre site.a . .
This site, adjoining as it does the elegant Ha'penny Bridge (1816), was considered to be of the utmost importance to the "image" of the Liffey quays, if not indeed the city, as one might likewise consider an entire cleared side of a Dublin Georgian Square.
The apartment sizes and internal layout of this 1993 planning application predated the recent Department of the Environment guidelines. However, the Bachelors Walk, scheme does uniquely possess two expansive landscaped gardens, in total area close to 0.74 acres on a, site of two acres.
These gardens, open to sunlight and daylight, present enormous potential for residential amenity the newly formed Bachelors Walk Residents' Association, and are pleasantly overlooked by a residents car park. The fact that all the apartments were promptly sold at large prices surely indicates their undoubted attraction for new Dublin city dwellers.
THE Bachelors Walk scheme incorporates in addition significant commercial use while retaining numerous hall doors from the surrounding streets to the apartments in the interests of living streets and living over the shop", as befits its location about 100 paces from O Connell Bridge.
There are now 25 new shops, each with timber or stone individually designed fronts in a traditional or modern architectural style along the entire Bachelors Walk and Liffey Street Lower street frontages.
There is also potential for future commercial use in the purpose designed high ground floor on The Lotts, which in the future should evolve into an interesting mews lane the new church on Bachelors Walk with its polished granite facade by the architect Paul Clinton also includes first floor residential accommodation for the religious community relocated from D'Olier Street.
The streetscape treatment on Bachelors Walk which Frank McDonald rightly notes was not appealed is notable in particular for the retention of the original narrow plot widths and staggered g lines, in acknowledgment of their historical importance. This has resulted in required vertical emphasis with subtle parapet height variations' and the avoidance of a monotonous monolithic pavilion type scheme.
The use of a variety of handmade bricks with appropriate pointing interspersed with bright coloured rendered facades timber sash windows (rather than top hung PyC windows) with natural granite cills in descending height and correct window pane arrangements, natural slate roofs with varying pitches and decorative chimney stacks (without which roofscape interest would be noticeably lacking) in combination with quality detailing are considered appropriate at Bachelors Walk to reflect but not replicate on this site the former charm and even grandeur of a largely vanishing Dublin Liffey quays streetscape.
Indeed, it has often been alleged by Mr McDonald in these columns that he considers more recent treatments of apartment schemes on the Liffey quays not to have had the requisite attention to detailing as was clearly required by Dublin Corporation as planning authority in the case of Bachelors Walk.
The Bachelors Walk development includes a significant conservation content, which is barely alluded to in the article of April 8th, although it is a most important aspect of the scheme.
No 7 has indeed been "lavishly restored" from its previous sad state consequent on three separate fires.
The developers retained both the architect David Kelly and David Slattery as conservation consultants. The full restoration has included the entire 1740s interior notably the timber panelling, staircase, and chimney pieces and the reinstated original tuck pointed brick facade.
The quality of the conservation advice included in this project is further evident in the advice obtained from the structural engineer Chris Southgate on structural aspects from the conservationist Ian Lumley of An Taisce and from the building records held by the Irish Architectural Archive on the timber panelling.
The Office of Public Works had made representations at planning, stage and were consulted by Dublin, Corporation throughout the evolution of the project in its capacity as a statutory authority under the Planing Acts, as to appropriate proportioning and detailing.
The City Planning Officer, Pat McDonnell, an architect and urban design, has also been involved in this project from the outset. The developers propose that No 7. Bachelors Walk will on completion be opened to public inspection for a period prior to disposal of the property.
ALSO the unlisted mid 18th century facade of No 8 was retained, despite significant fire damage, and the appropriately contextual development has also resulted in the ongoing sensitive refurbishment of the three mid 18th century buildings at Nos 13, 14 and 15. In the of No 13, with provision of a single apartment on each of the three floors over a ground floor shop (again with expert opinion sought on the structural aspects and the architectural detailing).
The scheme also includes the retention of an unlisted stone warehouse facade on The Lotts together with retention of the wall to wall stone setts street surfaces both there and on Litton Lane. All the conservation work has been undertaken with the co operation of the developer Liam Carroll of Zoe Developments Limited, and in particular Zoe's David Torpey.
The 1930s former CIE building at 9-12 Bachelors Walk while it may have had a dubious distinction of suitability for hanging swastikas, as Frank McDonald quotes has been replaced by a decidedly "non Georgian" building across the four plot widths. With its uniform red brick, inward opening timber casement windows, the use of substantial natural Portland stone facing and the four modern shop fronts, this builds ing must surely indicate that no "style" straitjacket operated as alleged.
Indeed, this replacement building is now a pleasant, contrasting mid block focal point to the Bachelors Walk new elevation including the retained five original Georgian buildings. The project also includes a "modern" alternating three and four storey design along the entire street frontage to The Lotts and much of Liffey Street Lower. In fact Liffey Street Lower now has a new urban space in the form of an extended pedestrian pavement open and Merchants Arch.
With regard to stated inferences that I am a promoter of mock Georgian or even Tudorbethan or any other pastiche terminology elsewhere in the city centre, I cannot accept this at all.
All I would suggest is that there is a need to consider contextual design and legitimate conservation as a serious contribution to the urban design character of Dublin, in addition to good modern architecture.
On this basis therefore, and the substantial planning gain in conservation terms at Bachelors Walk I must agree to disagree with Frank McDonald, and leave the final judgment to the public, as I respectfully consider that there may be other targets more deserving of censure than the evolving coherence and streetscape appropriateness of this important Liffey guay front site at Bachelors Walk.
