Mr David Healy, representing community groups in the docklands area, took issue with Mr Brian Hogan's description of the Spencer Dock project as a "defining moment".
Mr Hogan had earlier given his views to the hearing at the invitation of the developers, Treasury Holdings.
Mr Hogan replied that it was a defining moment in its projected development of the heart of the capital "in response to the questions and opportunities" of the current time.
He had mentioned the opportunities that the project presented for the creation of new "landmarks", said Mr Healy. Could he clarify?
The whole development as created by the Spencer Dock architect, Mr Kevin Roche, constituted a landmark, said Mr Hogan, in which each component had a part to play. There were many different types of landmark. For example, the Custom House building and the bridges across the Liffey were all landmarks as well as "certain other pieces of contemporary architecture" such as Liberty Hall and the Loop Line bridge. "These are ways you direct a person around the city and are different to ordinary in-fill architecture."
Mr Healy interjected to say Mr Hogan had specifically avoided mention of the two main churches in the area - St Laurence O'Toole and St Mary's. The parish churches were vital landmarks for the community.
Mr Hogan responded: "Indeed, the parish, ward, precinct is the proper way to develop cities as neighbourhoods."
Mr Healy challenged Mr Hogan's criticism that the new quayside buildings "stretching east at five to six storeys" from the Custom House were too low.
Mr Hogan said the chance of achieving here a strong Venetian-style relationship between the quayside terraces and the water-body had been missed: "The city dribbles away into Dublin bay." Spencer Dock and future projects on both banks, he argued, could yet "produce the grand enclosure that Anna Livia deserves" on the last leg of her journey to the open sea.