Architecture of Ireland: Difference between revisions

[[File:Dublin City Council Civic Offices.JPG|thumb|left|240px|The ''Civic Offices'' (1979), seat of the executive & administrative arm of [[Dublin City Council]]]]

In the 20th century, Irish architecture followed the international trend towards modern, sleek and often radical building styles, particularly after [[Partition of Ireland|Partition]] and the independence of most of [[Ireland]] as the [[Irish Free State]] in the early 1920s. Two major exceptions to this were the [[Royal College of Science for Ireland]] (now [[Government Buildings]]), on Upper [[Merrion Street]] in central Dublin, and [[Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland)|Parliament Buildings]] at [[Stormont Estate|Stormont]] in East Belfast, both built in more traditional architectural styles. New building materials and old were utilised in new ways to maximise style, space, light and energy efficiency. 1928 saw the construction of Ireland's first all concrete Art Deco church in [[Turner's Cross, Cork|Turner's Cross]], Cork.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://turnerscross.com/|title=Church of Christ The King|website=turnerscross.com|access-date=1 October 2017}}</ref> The building was designed by Chicago architect Barry Byrne<ref>{{cite web|url=http://turnerscross.com/church/barry_byrne|title=Barry Byrne (1883 – 1967) - Church Of Christ The King|website=turnerscross.com|access-date=1 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717041317/http://turnerscross.com/church/barry_byrne/|archive-date=17 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> and met with a cool reception among those more accustomed to traditional designs.

 

In January 1940, the [[Art Deco]] [[Dublin airport]] opened, designed by [[Desmond FitzGerald (architect)|Desmond FitzGerald]] and the [[Office of Public Works]].<ref>{{cite news |title=An Irishman's Diary |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irishman-s-diary-1.1164490 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=24 January 2021 |date=1 November 2004}}</ref>

 

In 1953, one of Ireland's most radical buildings, [[Bus Éireann]]'s main Dublin terminal building, better known as [[Busáras]] was completed. It was built despite huge public opposition, excessive costs (over £1m) and even opposition from the [[Catholic Church]].<ref>[http://ireland.archiseek.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/northcity/store_street/busaras/index.html Bus Eireann] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926212012/http://ireland.archiseek.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/northcity/store_street/busaras/index.html |date=26 September 2007 }}</ref> [[Michael Scott (architect)|Michael Scott]], its designer, is now considered one of the most important architects of the twentieth century in Ireland<ref>[http://ireland.archiseek.com/architects_ireland/michael_scott/index.html Michael Scott] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011144933/http://ireland.archiseek.com/architects_ireland/michael_scott/index.html |date=11 October 2007 }}</ref> – however the original structure has become dilapidated and dated.

 

One of the main proponents of modernist and [[Brutalist architecture]] in Ireland was [[Sam Stephenson]]. Stephenson designed the Civic Offices (1979) and the [[Central Bank of Ireland]] (1980), both of which generated considerable controversy at the time of their construction.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.archiseek.com/tag/sam-stephenson/ |title=Sam Stephenson (1933-2006) |website=archiseek.com |access-date=12 January 2023}}</ref> In the same period, [[Liam McCormick]] designed the modernist [[Met Éireann]] headquarters in Glasnevin, Dublin (1979).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0201/849249-weather-forecasting-inside-met-eireann/ |title=Weather Forecasting Inside Met Éireann |website=rte.ie |date=2002 |access-date=12 January 2023}}</ref>

In 1987, the government started to plan what is now known as the [[International Financial Services Centre, Dublin|IFSC]]. The complex today houses over 14,000 office workers. One of the most symbolic structures of modern Irish architecture is the [[Spire of Dublin]]. Completed in January 2003, the structure was nominated in 2004 for the prestigious [[Stirling Prize]].

 

 

==Vernacular architecture==