Overview
Historically, Dun Laoghaire Town Centre has been cut off from the seafront by the Dart Line cutting between Park Road and the junction of Marine Road and Crofton Road.
The Metals Scheme will deck over the Dart Railway between Marine Road and the entrance to the Pavilion Car Park.
This will create a new pedestrian area, café terrace, small play space and landscaped public space for Dun Laoghaire.
Metals Project wins RIAI Award for Best Public Space
The RIAI announced the 2012 Irish Architecture Awards on 21 June at the Wood Quay Venue, Dublin City Council. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Architects Department won the award for Best Public Space / Urban Design with the Metals Project, Phase 1.
The Metals Project, Phase 1, in Dun Laoghaire has created new public space by decking over the railway cutting and by reclaiming excess and unused road width for pedestrians along Crofton, Queen’s, and Marine Roads. The scheme seeks to attract and encourage people of all ages to linger by providing for a variety of activities –generous areas for walking, places for sitting and eating, a small playground for children and an area for civic events. The project is carefully scaled and detailed to create a distinct character and this is emphasised by a rich palette of materials, colours and finishes.
The project is an integral part of the Council’s larger Urban Design Strategy for the area which seeks to reconnect the seafront and Harbour to the Town Centre. It has created a new setting for County Hall and by creatively facilitating adjacent restaurants is a successful catalyst for the ongoing rejuvenation of the area.
Michelle Fagan, President of the RIAI, commented:
"The importance of good design on even the smallest of projects can have a significant impact and can create something beyond the client’s expectations" and that "the Architecture Awards prove that architecture can deliver something that is not only functional and beautiful but also add real value".
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