Reality of Dun Laoghaire Library

RainyDay

Well if Frank likes loves it, then how could anyone else complain;

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/frank-mcdonald-why-i-love-d%C3%BAn-laoghaire-library-1.1992936?page=1

Larbre34

He likes the interiors and views and environmental credentials alright but he carefully avoids his own opinion on the scale and orientation of the structure, just describing the community reaction which has been well rehearsed on this thread.

I'm surprised someone like McDonald, normally so vocal about city centre planning and architecture mistakes, could explore the site and not comment on the elevation facing Haddington Terrace or the ruined aspect coming from the Sandycove direction or the obscurity of the Mariners Church.

Aard

I too am surprised that opinionated McDonald didn't elaborate that much on the public-facing side of the building.

RainyDay

And what looks like more positive coverage from that notoriously left-wing pinko rag, the Sunday Times;

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article1480059.ece

Did anyone see the full article?

Tragedy

uch wrote: »

From that link: however, required significant effort including 2,910 staff hours of planning and preparation time, 3,120 staff hours moving materials, and 3,470 hours of National Library Relocation, Inc., time moving materials.

That's a total of 9500 staff hours, so you'd need to know how many staff are involved in the DL move before judging with this.

Much (most) of planning & prep comes before the actual move.

10 people, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 16 weeks (a bit of an oversimplification with holidays admittedly) = roughly 6590 working hours.

Tabnabs

Opening this Monday...



http://libraries.dlrcoco.ie/

RainyDay

Tabnabs wrote: »

Opening this Monday...



http://libraries.dlrcoco.ie/

Is that the dance studio?

josip

RainyDay wrote: »

Is that the dance studio?

Unlikely, no poles.

RainyDay

josip wrote: »

no poles.

Racist.

Bits_n_Bobs

Looks like the county managers new office. They're placing the desk where the shot was taken from. I really hope they put a strip of carpet down eventually for the comfort of supplicants approaching on knees...

Tabnabs

Bits_n_Bobs wrote: »

Looks like the county managers new office. They're placing the desk where the shot was taken from. I really hope they put a strip of carpet down eventually for the comfort of supplicants approaching on knees...

No such thing any more, they've been upgraded to 'CEO's... :rolleyes:

Bits_n_Bobs

Tabnabs wrote: »

No such thing any more, they've been upgraded to 'CEO's... :rolleyes:

I see - hence the new library to accommodate the bigger office?

Chinasea

Where are the windows? I suppose the views were too ugly, so perhaps that's the why!

Tabnabs

Architectural civic pride revives in Ireland with Carr Cotter & Naessens’ library and cultural centre at Dun Laoghaire

http://www.ribaj.com/buildings/lexicon-public-library-dun-loagaire

Sure they only love it.

Bits_n_Bobs

Tabnabs wrote: »

http://www.ribaj.com/buildings/lexicon-public-library-dun-loagaire

Sure they only love it.

the only positive adjective I spotted was 'fine'.

ted1

Tabnabs wrote: »

http://www.ribaj.com/buildings/lexicon-public-library-dun-loagaire

Sure they only love it.

Never a side profile...

RainyDay

Bits_n_Bobs wrote: »

I see - hence the new library to accommodate the bigger office?

No, I know it suits some agendas to spin the 'big council offices' story, but it's not true. The CEOs office is in County Hall. The Library management offices are in Blackrock. The only offices in the Lexicon are for the staff who work in the Lexicon.

ted1

RainyDay wrote: »

No, I know it suits some agendas to spin the 'big council offices' story, but it's not true. The CEOs office is in County Hall. The Library management offices are in Blackrock. The only offices in the Lexicon are for the staff who work in the Lexicon.

I wonder what staff will get to park in the library, wasn't the staff car park the real reason for it

loyatemu

Chinasea wrote: »

Where are the windows? I suppose the views were too ugly, so perhaps that's the why!

The views are presumably great, as its the only building in the town you can't see the new library building from.

Tabnabs

Really looking forward to visiting the new library today and spending an hour wandering around its vastness and inhaling the €36.6m new library smell...

A beautiful sunny today, so I'll enjoy both the views inside and the building itself, bathed in mid-winter sunshine.

Thanks again to the good people of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown for their contributions

Bits_n_Bobs

Tabnabs wrote: »

Really looking forward to visiting the new library today and spending an hour wandering around its vastness and inhaling the €36.6m new library smell...

A beautiful sunny today, so I'll enjoy both the views inside and the building itself, bathed in mid-winter sunshine.

Thanks again to the good people of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown for their contributions

Sounds very relaxing. I suggest you the take a stroll through the main street - it's the bit where the ass of the library is pointed. Admire all the bustling charity shops and then pause then and reflect on the awesome designs of the 'To Let' signs. I also repeat the mantra 'Closed, Closing, Empty' as I walk past all the commercial premises. Most relaxing.

CatFromHue

In the library today and it's very nice, the views really are something else.

There's a good few people sitting at desks using their own laptops/the library's computers/studying, probably more than Deansgrange, Blackrock, and Dalkey could accommodate cumulatively and I'm just on the middle floor.

I'll get my lunch in DL and pick up stuff for my dinner in DL too.

Alias G

CatFromHue wrote: »

In the library today and it's very nice, the views really are something else.

There's a good few people sitting at desks using their own laptops/the library's computers/studying, probably more than Deansgrange, Blackrock, and Dalkey could accommodate cumulatively and I'm just on the middle floor.

I'll get my lunch in DL and pick up stuff for my dinner in DL too.

Yes, I'm studying at the moment and the new library is going to be an absolutely fantastic resource for the community. Leaving aside the arguments regarding the costs and architectural merits of the building, it is as plain as day to anyone who actually uses libraries in the borough, that we were painfully under resourced. The old Carnegie on library road, as beautiful a building as it is, could never have been upgraded to a functional standard, perhaps not even with extension into adjacent buildings. I am certainly a bit dubious regarding aspects of the new library from certain angles but I definitely think it looks stunning from from other aspects. I'm not entirely unconvinced that it won't grow on me.

schemingbohemia

Alias G wrote: »

I'm not entirely unconvinced that it won't grow on me.

Wow! 3 negatives, so does that mean you think you will learn to love it?;)

Alias G

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Wow! 3 negatives, so does that mean you think you will learn to love it?;)

I guess that sentence sums up some undecided feelings on the library. I'm certainly prepared to give it a period of time and use. Unfortunately, it seems many aren't.

Larbre34

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/theatre-arts/40m-price-tag-and-counting-for-keegans-ironic-lexicon-of-love-30811548.html


"It is also a hideously expensive visual carbuncle that cost €40m, the lasting legacy of Owen Keegan's tenure as Gauleiter for the Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown area, and looks like some weird mutant cross between a pill box and an architect's practical joke."

"Supporters of the project claim that, contrary to the opinion of the oiks who live in the area, it is actually a beautiful building. Even better, we're told that in years to come, people will appreciate its beauty in much the same way that Dubliners who objected to the desecration of Wood Quay would one day come to revere the pill box that is the Civic Offices. Well, we're still waiting for that particular revelation."

schemingbohemia

Larbre34 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/theatre-arts/40m-price-tag-and-counting-for-keegans-ironic-lexicon-of-love-30811548.html


"It is also a hideously expensive visual carbuncle that cost €40m, the lasting legacy of Owen Keegan's tenure as Gauleiter for the Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown area, and looks like some weird mutant cross between a pill box and an architect's practical joke."

"Supporters of the project claim that, contrary to the opinion of the oiks who live in the area, it is actually a beautiful building. Even better, we're told that in years to come, people will appreciate its beauty in much the same way that Dubliners who objected to the desecration of Wood Quay would one day come to revere the pill box that is the Civic Offices. Well, we're still waiting for that particular revelation."

Quelle surprise, Ian O'Doherty in Bah Humbug mode! He's never found anything he's liked, he's just a grump.

Tabnabs

And if it's written in the Indo, it must be true...

Larbre34

Take away the O'Doherty savage eye slant and he's still right.

RainyDay

Larbre34 wrote: »

"hideously expensive visual carbuncle

Perfect description of Ian O'Doherty.