The current movement towards developing Dublin's docklands is not an entirely new phenomenon. It all started with the Vikings, who erected a small quayside fronting storage huts, houses, shops and markets in the ninth century. The lives of these early settlers revolved entirely around the River Liffey. The expansion of Dublin over the next 900 years was largely focused on the city's relationship with the river. Present day Temple Bar is a representation of that evolution.
By the mid-18th century, the berths at the Old Custom House (at the site of the modern Clarence Hotel) were hopelessly jammed. The decision was finally taken in 1780 to build a new Custom House much further down river. Now considered the jewel in Dublin's architectural crown, such was the antagonism generated by the objectors to the scheme that unruly mobs attacked the construction site and the architect, James Gandon, had to constantly carry a sword for his own protection. Then, as ships grew larger over the next 150 years, the docks spread further out into the bay.
The problem with all of this was that the people of Dublin eventually lost touch with their river. It became merely the symbol of the divide between north-siders and south-siders. The docklands themselves, on both sides of the Liffey between the Custom House and the present East Link Bridge, eventually became under-utilised and to a large extent, derelict. Our relationship with the river became even more remote , a situation not helped by the unsightly sheds built along the river's edge on what is known as the campshires.
The wheel has now begun to turn full circle and we are rediscovering the Liffey and the other waterways leading into it. The redundant land around the rivers and canals has produced the greatest opportunity this city has ever seen to create an urban landscape that can combine the inspiration of design with the benefits of the natural environment.
The flagship of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA), the state agency charged with facilitating the regeneration of the Dublin Docklands, is the renowned International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). Both phases of the IFSC, comprising an area stretching from the Custom House to the Royal Canal, will be completed by 2001. Further down river, the new Point Village will be erected around the Point Theatre.
ON a much smaller scale, but nonetheless important in encouraging pedestrians back to the riverfront, is the already successful enhancement by the DDDA of the campshires along the edges of both the north and south quays. This work will continue in time along the full length of the quays. Perhaps the key development in the whole area is that proposed for Spencer Dock, a massive 52-acre site between the IFSC and the Point. The developers appear committed to fully integrating the district within the existing communities, and indeed, have recently instigated outreach programmes in a manner not seen before in large developments. Apart from the world-class Conference Centre, there are to be 3,000 new homes, two hotels, and nine office blocks in which 16,000 people will be employed. In the Dublin experience, this is unimaginably large and the authorities are understandably daunted by its size. Resultant controversy continues to delay planning decisions. In my view, the sheer size of Spencer Dock is its very strength. It will have to catapult the urgent installation of the necessary infrastructure, not only for Spencer Dock, but also for the IFSC and the Point Village and not least for the future efficient functioning of Dublin Port itself.
The gridlock potential from thousands of additional vehicles can be vastly alleviated by the urgent commencement of the Port Tunnel (or an equally efficient alternative such as a rail-linked distribution centre) and the provision of a rail connection from Spencer Dock (on lines already in place) to the mainline network and ultimately on to the airport. Equally, a direct LUAS light rail line from the city centre, working its way down the centre of all the Dockland schemes, will ensure that most of the cars will remain in their garages. This can be a circular line serving both sides of the river and crossing the Liffey by using the proposed new Macken Street Bridge alongside vehicular traffic.
The height of the buildings (the highest at only 22 storeys can hardly be described as a skyscraper) will, I believe, be visually appealing on this particular site and will add enormously to the landscape of Dublin. While we must unremittingly protect our existing heritage, we also cannot live in a stifled museum. It is an unrivalled opportunity for Dublin to acquire the architecture of one of the world's most eminent architects, Kevin Roche, Irish born and trained but based in America for most of his professional life (James Gandon was, after all, a Londoner).
This city needs a catalyst like Spencer Dock to galvanise the state to invest in long overdue infrastructure in a most immediate manner and while the national treasury coffers can afford it. A piecemeal approach will repeat the mistakes of the past and will create a dinosaur out of what might otherwise be a major urban success.
Once the decision is taken to actually create the necessary infrastructure, the city planners and developers can concentrate on the main issue: to create a vision for the future and restore the Liffey to its rightful place as the beating heart of the city.
Author and illustrator Pat Liddy has written several books on Dublin.
