Description - Described by the Sunday Times as a building that will "bring the champagne fizz back into architecture in Dublin", Manuel Aires Mateus's luxury hotel, plus 94 hotel residences, plays a vital role in the dynamic of the new Grand Canal Square. Referencing, through form and material, the dramatic landscape and primordial architecture of Ireland, the building features a dramatic lobby that has been designed as if it was excavated from rock inspired by the Giant's Causeway.
The Chq Building
Just 100 metres along the Liffey into the Docklands is another architectural masterpiece - the chq building. Designed by John Rennie and completed in 1821, the cast-iron structure was originally built as a wine and tobacco warehouse and named Stack A. Now renamed chq, the building has been beautifully restored and enhanced by an international team of architects, glass and lighting consultants.
A location like no other building in Dublin, the chq building overlooks the River Liffey and George’s Dock, the building was designed by John Rennie and completed in 1821. The cast-iron structure was originally built as a wine and tobacco warehouse and named Stack A. The then Stack A was made famous when it hosted the Crimean War Banquet in 1856 celebrating the return of 3,000 Irish soldiers. The building has been magnificently restored and enhanced and is also now home to EPIC Ireland, Dublin’s dramatic new interactive visitor experience. .For further information log onto www.chq.ie
The Convention Centre Dublin
This landmark building was designed by Pritzker award-winning Irish architect Kevin Roche, and features a stunning glass fronted atrium running the full height of the building - giving visitors panoramic views of the River Liffey, Dublin city centre and the Wicklow mountains. This tilted glass cylinder - 54 meters high and 39 meters in diameter - intersects the granite wall of the south facade, creating a partial parabola. The glass cylinder opens up to the activities inside and makes for a highly visible entrance.
Conceived as part of the overall Spencer Dock Development, located on a site adjacent to the Royal Canal between North Wall Quay and Mayor Street, the Conference Centre embodies a well considered program of conference facilities designed to attract the international conference and associated exhibitions market to Dublin. The Centre is composed of a number of different elements, which can function separately or in concert, to meet a variety of conferencing, exhibitions, and small meeting demands. The building is 45,921 square metres in size. The Main Exhibition Hall, located at the ground floor level, can be subdivided into two parts for dual purpose usage. A second Exhibition Hall, similar in size, can be converted into two auditoriums. A raked floor auditorium, capable of housing up to 2,000 people, is located on the second floor of the complex. The auditorium is a fully equipped hall capable of accommodating many events, from international conferences and meetings to product shows, multi-media presentations, orchestra performances, musical theatre, and opera.
Kevin Roche (born 14th June 1922) was born in Dublin, but grew up in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, and was educated at Rockwell College, before studying architecture at University College Dublin. After graduation in 1945, he worked with Michael Scott on the Busáras project for a short while, but contributed to the external appearance of the finished building on the pavilion storey. He left Dublin in 1948 and worked with Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew before he emigrated to the United States to study with Mies van der Rohe. Instead of returning to Ireland, he got a job with Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) and Associates from 1951 until 1961. Here he worked in the planning department before becoming chief associate in 1956. After Saarinen's death he continued the practice in partnership with the structural engineer John Dinkeloo (1918-1981) under the name Roche and Dinkeloo. Here, he completed such projects as the Gateways Arch at St. Louis, Missouri, and the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport. In 1982, he won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the most prestigious award in architecture, the equivalent of a Nobel Prize and one of many awards that he has received. In all, Roche has been responsible for some 51 major projects in the period 1962-82. Paul Goldberger, a New York Times architecture critic, described Roche as "one of the most creative designers in glass that the 20th century has produced," and "a brilliantly innovative designer; his work manages to be inventive without ever falling into the trap of excessive theatricality."
The Grand Canal Theatre (Bord Gais Energy Theatre)
This 2,100 capacity purpose built theatre was designed by world renowned architect Daniel Libeskind and is an outstanding addition to Ireland's Theatre world. The theatre is presenting the best of National and International Theatre, Musicals, Drama, Opera, Ballet, Family Shows & Classical Concerts and has the facility to accommodate world class West End and Broadway productions for the first time in Ireland.
The opening production at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin on March 18, 2010 was a stunning performance of Swan Lake by the Russian State Ballet, featuring star soloists from the Bolshoi Ballet.
One of the Docklands architectural gems is the James Gandon-designed Custom House, one of Dublin's finest 18th -Century buildings, completed in 1791. With its distinctive copper dome, the building is topped with the figure of Commerce, is classically proportioned and stretches for 114 metres along the Liffey quay. Keystone heads representing Ireland's major rivers can be seen on all facades.
The Three Arena
The Three Arena (formerly The Point) is Europe's first venue, of its size, which is custom designed for live music. The old Victorian warehouse is still very evident at the Three Arena but the pillars have been moved to create an amphitheatre style design and therefore it boasts unrivalled acoustics. The layout also ensures clear sightlines and proximity to the stage for everyone in the audience, due to its unique tiered seating design. The Three Arena has a capacity to hold up to 14,000 people who will enjoy some 150 entertainment and live music events in any given year. The Arena opened its doors to the public in December 2008.
The Three Arena is a development of the Point Exhibition Company, made up of Live Nation and Harry Crosbie.
The Three Arena (formerly The Point Depot) started life as a large cast-iron warehouse. It was built in 1878 by the Great Southern and Western Railway Company as a riverside goods depot. Its location beside the point at which the East Wall and North Wall met provided the buildings name. By the 1980's the building was abandoned and facing collapse when it was bought by Harry Crosbie from CIÉ for €952,500. Shay Cleary Architects was recruited to turn the building into a multi-purpose concert, exhibition and conference centre. During the renovation U2 recorded part of their Rattle and Hum album in the building. The Point Depot operated between 1988 and 2007 as a venue for music concerts, boxing matches, exhibitions, operas, as well as theatre and circus performances. It hosted the Eurovision Song Contest on three separate occasions in the 1990's and the 1999 MTV European Music Awards.
The Three Arena is Europe's first venue, of its size, which is custom designed for live music. It is an amphitheatre design and boasts unrivalled acoustics. The layout also ensures clear sightlines and proximity to the stage for everyone in the audience, due to its unique tiered seating design. The THREE ARENA has a capacity to hold up to 14,000 people who will enjoy some 150 entertainment and live music events in any given year. The Three Arena opened its doors to the public in December 2008 after an €80 million investment. It is a development of the Point Exhibition Company, made up of Live Nation and Harry Crosbie. Live Nation operates over 155 music and entertainment venues across three continents and promotes acts as diverse as Madonna, U2, The Rolling Stones and Jay Z.
