U2 recording studio to tower over Dublin

[Ed007Toronto]

www.cbc.ca/arts/story/200...tower.html

Toronto has its CN Tower and New York its Empire State Building. Now Dublin is about to join the skyscraper club with the U2 Tower, a 130-metre building to be named after the Irish rock band.

The tower will bring new meaning to the U2 hit Vertigo, with a recording studio for the band on the top floor.


The U2 Tower in Dublin will have a recording studio for the band on the top floor.
(Courtesy of craighenry.com)
The project has been designed by Irish architects Burdon Craig Dunne Henry, who won an international competition with their twisting 30-storey design.
Described as like a "Brancusi sculpture," it will be the tallest building in Dublin when it is completed in 2009, and is expected to become a landmark.

However, the distinctive tower will be nowhere near large enough to be counted among the world's tallest buildings.

Three Canadian architecture firms — Andritsos/Luke, Brown + Storey and Kearns Mancini — entered the competition, which drew bids from around the world.

The project, to be built on docklands in south Dublin, will have 182 apartments selling for 1-1.5 million euros ($1.4-2.1 million).

A recording studio for U2, with views of the city and the ocean, will be in a penthouse at the top. Bono and the band will have a dedicated elevator to take them between the studio and the café and terrace on the ground floor.

U2 already own a hotel in their home city, and band members have invested in real estate in Dublin.

 

[jeicow]

Comparing a 130m building to the CN Tower and ESB seems a little over dramatic but this building has striking resemblence to some of the reject Absolute designs.

 

[The Burgher of TO]

Actually, given that seven of the ten tallest buildings in Dublin are churches (none of which are over 70m to the spire), a 130m structure will stand out quite a bit.

 

[adma]

Malmo-esque...

 

[GregWTravels]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22680282-401,00.html

U2 frontman angers with tower project

• Tiny U2 frontman plans Ireland's tallest tower
• Destruction of heritage buildings "justified"
• Band wants to be part of "the new Dublin"

ROCK star Bono's $220 million dream to stamp his mark on the skyline of his home city has hit a wrong note with conservationists.

The U2 frontman and globetrotting anti-poverty preacher plans to build Ireland's tallest tower in Dublin and revamp his band's city centre hotel - to ensure their legacy lives on long after the music stops.

But Bono and the Edge now stand accused of pushing for the destruction of a historic area of Georgian Dublin.

The duo have unveiled plans to redevelop the Clarence Hotel on the city's quays, which they bought in 1996.

It has become one of the city's favourite celebrity haunts with a guest list that has included Kate Moss and Bill Clinton.

But with fewer than 50 bedrooms, its economic success has failed to match its star status.

'One of the world's great hotels'

U2 believe their $220 million development - which will make it Ireland's tallest building boasting 140 rooms - will create one of the great hotels of the world that will be as synonymous with Dublin as Raffles is with Singapore.

"It's going to be an expression of confidence for the city," hotel manager Oliver Sevestre said.

The building will be crowned by a "sky catcher" glass dome with a longboat-shaped atrium running up to the roof.

The new Clarence will have a spa, gym, swimming pool, creche and music venue. It is hoped that Michelin-starred restaurant the River Cafe will become part of the complex.

Heritage destruction 'justified'

However, London architect Lord Foster's design includes the demolition of several heritage listed buildings.

The designers say the significant contribution the new hotel would make to the economic and social fabric of Dublin justifies the destruction of the protected buildings.

Heritage organisation An Taisce spokesman Michael Smith said he would take legal action if city planners give the Clarence go-ahead.

U2 are no strangers to legal battles.

Five years ago they fought a compulsory purchase order on their recording studio in Dublin's docklands, which was to be demolished as part of a massive urban regeneration scheme in the area.

Legal representatives for the band arrived on the first day of public hearings into the development to argue the studio's cultural significance warranted its conservation.

"It became a place of pilgrimage for U2 fans so obviously they've got a kind of stake in the area," Irish Times environment editor Frank McDonald said.

"It is the new Dublin in a sense and U2 want to be a part of that."

Within a matter of days, the band withdrew their objections after they struck a deal with the Dublin Docklands Development Authority to get involved with a project to build Ireland's tallest building on a nearby site, which would house a new recording studio.

Bono hypocrisy

Some critics have accused Bono of hypocrisy: on the one hand pontificating to the world's richest nations about the needlessness of poverty while on other planning a grand citadel to capitalism.

Construction of the U2 Tower is expected to begin next year but other builders who lost out in the competition to develop the tower claim they were unfairly treated and are considering legal action.

Planners have yet to decide on the plans to redevelop the Clarence Hotel and it has been reported that Bono and The Edge will sell the hotel if permission is not granted.

For the band's legacy in Dublin, it seems U2 may still have not found what they're looking for.

 

[GregWTravels]

http://www.dublindocklands.ie/index...ID=94&5nID=94&6nID=94&7nID=94&nID=105&aID=480

Docklands Authority announces provisional preferred bidder for U2 Tower

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority has announced that Geranger Ltd, a consortium consisting of Ballymore Properties, Patrick McKillen and August Partners (U2 Band members and management) has been selected as the provisional preferred bidder to design, construct and finance the U2 Tower and Britain Quay Building, one of the most significant architectural projects to be delivered in the regeneration of the Docklands area.

The consortium's architects, Foster + Partners, have proposed a stunning design for the 120 metre high tower and adjacent Britain Quay site uniquely situated at the confluence of three waterways, the River Liffey, River Dodder and Grand Canal. The inspirational building will include a public viewing platform at 100 metres, a public amenity area at the base; and hotel, retail, and residential accommodation including 20% social and affordable housing. At the top of the Tower, the U2 studio is included as a suspended egg shape pod.

Paul Maloney, Chief Executive of the Docklands Authority, said that, while all the submissions received were of an extremely high quality and it was a difficult decision to make, Geranger Ltd had been selected because its submission exceeded the expectations of the brief with the emergence of a breathtaking design uniquely suited to this prominent Docklands site. "We are delighted to have achieved our ambition of realising an inspirational landmark design, while at the same time maximising public usage and access. This design will be a very special building for Docklands and Dublin City while integrating the Britain Quay and U2 Tower buildings in a distinct and coherent fashion on the waterfront. It will also provide visitors the opportunity to experience spectacular views across Dublin city and bay, and for the community offers significant social and affordable housing potential".

The announcement of preferred bidder status for Geranger Ltd follows a rigorous EU tendering process where submissions from four short-listed consortia were considered.

John McLaughlin, Director of Architecture for the Docklands Authority said,: "We look forward to working with Geranger Ltd whose members bring a wealth of expertise in delivering tall buildings across the UK and further afield. This consortium working with Norman Foster will deliver an enduring landmark for Dublin".

The Docklands Authority appointed three architectural consultants -.Chris Wilkinson of Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Shih-Fu Peng of Heneghan Peng Architects and Michael O'Doherty, former principal architect at the OPW - to evaluate the architectural and design elements of the proposals.

Since the original design competition, the parameters of the development changed. The original design concept was for a 60 metre tower on a smaller footprint, but following the recent planning amendment for the Grand Canal Dock Planning Scheme area, the tower was increased to 120 metres in height, with an adjoining multi-storey building moving from what was considered a local landmark to a city landmark.

Developers were required to submit bids to develop the U2 Tower architectural concept designed by Burdon Craig Dunne Henry (bcdh) and were also offered the option of submitting a variant design for both the U2 Tower and the Britain Quay building. Two consortia opted to submit a variant design alongside a proposal for the original. In total, six schemes were assessed across criteria of architecture and design, project execution plans and financial offers. .

Taking all those considerations into account the Docklands Authority, advised by project consultants, selected the Foster design as the most appropriate.

It is estimated that the U2 Tower development will cost over €200 million to design and build. Construction is expected to start in 2008 and be completed by 2011.

Solicitors, A&L Goodbody provided legal advice throughout the tender process.

The U2 Tower is located in the Grand Canal Dock area, where the Docklands Authority is working with some of the world's leading architects on projects such as the Studio Libeskind-designed Grand Canal Theatre, the Manuel Aires Mateus designed five star hotel, and the recently opened Martha Schwartz designed Grand Canal Square.

it's amazing what you find when trying to figure out if the boys from Ireland are ever planning on releasing some new music again...

 

[Edward]

Great looking building.

 

[Long Island Mike]

U2-putting investment into Dublin,Ireland!

Everyone: I really find this U2 Tower interesting-It would dominate Dublin like no building before! The band members are willing to put some of their earned millions into their home city-that is what impresses me! Good Move,U2!
LI MIKE