The Irish Architecture Foundation's Open House weekend threw open the doors to some of Ireland's most iconic and mysterious buildings, writes Fiona Tyrrell
SENSIBLE SHOES AND map in hand, the eager were out from 10am on Saturday morning. By midday, the numbers had swelled to a well-behaved mob and then the queues began to develop. Spotting the telltale Open House badges on labels, we nodded in recognition at each other as we zig-zagged our way across Dublin city and county.
We were all on the same mission: for one weekend only, some of Dublin's most unusual, secretive and iconic buildings were open to the public and we weren't going to miss out on the chance to access all areas, for free.
Now in its third year, the Irish Architecture Foundation's (IAF) Open House weekend can happily claim to be the largest architecture event in the country by a long shot. This year there was a tantalising mix of architectural treats on offer - a chance to admire spanking new eco-designed social-housing schemes or glamorous dockland penthouses, as well as the opportunity to take in some historic gems, such as a beautiful Georgian townhouse in Temple Bar or Belvedere House on Great Denmark Street. For the first time, the Open House programme was extended outside the city, taking in the likes of the old terminal building at Dublin Airport and the Harbour Lodge in Dún Laoghaire.
As ever, the obvious landmark buildings were big crowd-pullers. Some 600 thrill seekers made their way to the 17th-floor pavilion at Liberty Hall and more than 800 people visited the Commissioners of Irish Lights building in Dún Laoghaire .
Then there were the hidden gems - buildings that are under lock and key for most of the year, or buildings that are passed by or through every day. A small oratory behind Bloomfield shopping centre drew significant numbers and, as occurs every year, disappointed visitors were turned away from Nellie Molloy's historic Iveagh Trust flat, preserved just as Nellie left it.
By "putting the spotlight" on these buildings for a weekend, "we can get people excited about architecture and encourage people to see the buildings in a new light", explains Sandra Andrea O'Connell, curator of the programme. "Architecture is an art form but you really have to see it in 3-D, experience it in the flesh. So many people have opinions on the iconic buildings of Dublin, but not many of us have access to them. Open House is an opportunity to get up close to these buildings and the spaces in-between."
For architects, the weekend offers a chance to interact with the public and for homeowners and building users, the event is an opportunity to "show off" a building they are proud of, she adds.
For many, one of the more delicious aspects of Open House is the chance to gain access to privately owned homes. This, according to O'Connell, is not intended to cater for what's-behind-the-door nosiness. Showcasing well-designed homes provides inspiration for other homeowners who are undertaking extensions or retrofitting, she argues.
She cites the example of Meander, a modernist house designed and owned by Máirín Hope and her husband Alan, which remains virtually unchanged since it was built in 1939. "Good design will last a lifetime," says O'Connell.
In addition to the 300-odd volunteers on hand to man the doors, many architects and building users were also there to facilitate a meaningful engagement with the building. Architect Sean Harrington and his staff directed tours of the newly built York Street city-council housing scheme and explained how salvaged timber from the old flats and sheep's wool insulation were used in parts of the construction.
Residents at the senior citizens housing scheme at Elm Park were on hand to welcome visitors.
The OPW's Gretta Doyle conducted the tours at Leinster House, including usually off-limits office areas. She entertained visitors with stories of how tilers from Cork slept in-house in order to meet Charlie Haughey's ambitious renovation deadline in the 1980s.
At a time when much debate is focused on "how such and such a monstrosity was allowed to be built", an event such as Open House, when communal civic pride prevails, is a refreshing change.
WHAT IS MOST surprising is how people from all walks of life made the effort to explore the city. Architecture students, planners and designers mixed with young families, proud citizens, well-informed tourists and the plain curious. All were out to explore and admire.
"We explore when we go abroad, but we just don't bother at home," Veronica Bowden lamented. She was one of the visitors to Liberty Hall's roof terrace on Sunday morning, braving southerly gusts of up to 75kmph. At 60 metres above ground level, the views were knockout. "Liberty Hall was fantastic. I'm just sorry I didn't have binoculars to pick out my house."
Over at the Iveagh Trust flat, Róisín Halligan took the chance to explain to her two young sons how things were done in "the old days". Also there was Reg Browne, who has lived across the road on and off for 14 years and "always wanted to see the flat".
At the York Street housing scheme, Jane Doyle was taking a good look around. She grew up in a neighbouring flat complex and is hoping to secure a three-bed apartment at the scheme.
This year the programme's walking-tour element was extended. Ruari Quinn and Sean O'Laoire were back with their lively boat tours of the Docklands, as was Gerry Cahill with his tour of the Liberties. New this year was a bike tour of Phoenix Park and a walking tour by Alan Mee focusing on public and private space, which was delivered at breakneck speed through the city centre and prompted much vigorous debate.
Coinciding with the Open House programme were a number of children's events and Culturstruction - a visual-arts programme incorporating screenings and an alternative blind tour of some city-centre buildings.
Already looking towards next year, O'Connell predicts that ecological design is likely to form a major theme. Not satisfied with a list of 135 buildings, she hopes to persuade even more homeowners to open their doors to the public for the 2009 programme. She is already eyeing up buildings, such as Daniel Libeskind's Grand Canal Theatre, which is taking shape in the Docklands.
ON THE PAPER TRAIL: INSIDE INSIDE 'THE IRISH TIMES'
The Irish Times building on Tara Street was a new addition to the Open House programme and about 120 enthusiastic visitors took the opportunity to take a peak at a working newspaper office.
The eight-storey over-basement Liffey House has been home to the paper since 2006 and was designed by Donnelly Turpin Architects. For many of the visitors to Liffey House, however, the function of the building proved to be of greater interest than the formal design.
"Many visitors were keen to learn about the ethos and history of the paper. Learning something new about the very familiar is an important element of Open House," says Sandra Andrea O'Connell, curator of the Open House programme.
Tours of the building incorporated a presentation on the practicalities of newspaper production by Foreign Editor Paddy Smyth and an overview of the history and ethos of the paper by Managing Editor Peter Murtagh. Jerry Crowley, from the newspaper's management team, whisked visitors up to the buildings rooftop restaurant for birds eye views of the city.
Visitors were delighted to get the chance to check out the office of Editor Geraldine Kennedy and expressed much curiosity about the day-to-day workings of the paper. Among visitors were Frank Loughlin, a retired public servant and long-time reader of the paper, who was fascinated to learn how the paper was "put to bed".