RELOCATING Heuston Station on the edge of the Liffey, turning O'Connell Bridge into a public plaza and creating a large park at Poolbeg were just some of the ideas Imagen architects came up with for its winning scheme on how the Liffey would look in 25 years time.
This was entered into a competition run by Architecture Ireland magazine and Plan Expo to mark the exhibition's 25th year of showcasing innovative architecture. Practices were asked to predict how the next 25 years would transform Dublin's Liffey quays. "We suggested that buildings around Heuston should step down to the quay and engage with the water," says Gareth Maguire, who established Imagen in 2006.
"And removing traffic from O'Connell Bridge, currently the biggest traffic crossover in the city, would make it a fantastic public space on water."
Other ideas are for parks on the north and south side of the river helping to connect Sandymount to Clontarf, aided by cycle paths and pedestrian bridges.
With a greener Liffey that will perhaps have tidal barriers in place by then, the practice envisages more water sports taking place such as snorkelling.
"The competition called for some outlandish ideas but we tried to put them into a framework of reality," says Maguire. "We wanted to be positive about the city because the quays are a great asset.
"The quays are extremely congested and you often feel that you want to cross them as quickly as possible. This was a fantastic opportunity to look at how the city can re-engage with the river, from the Phoenix Park to the coast."
