HIDDEN ROOMS COLLABORATE TO INNOVATE
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Proceedings Report May 2015
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Thank you to our HIDDEN ROOM providers
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CONTENTS
Introduction
Introduction
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Summary
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Map & Venue Locations
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Social: Making Cities Smile
Workshops and Outcomes
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The Universal City
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The Sheltering City
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The Philanthropic City
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The Integrated City
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Cultural: Connecting Cities
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The Respectful City
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The Adorned City
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The Rewarded City
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The Listening City
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Economic: Making Cities Flow
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The Empowered City
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The Innovative City
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The Resourceful City
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The Living City
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Environmental: Making Cities Lighter 13
The Compact City
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The Sustainable City
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The Regenerated City
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16 The Fair City
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INTRODUCTION
HIDDEN ROOMS is a Future Thinking initiative to stimulate collaborative efforts that will deliver innovative solutions to city issues. The initiative kickstarted with a workshop event hosted by Dublin City Council on the 24th and 25th November 2014. The initiative is part of our PIVOT Dublin design development programme. 350 local and international practitioners, public representatives, residents, activists, managers, entrepreneurs, educators, experts, students and policy makers were invited to participate. The objective was to bring a diverse group together; people with experience of the issues, people who brought fresh insight and anyone who is interested in change. Many of those who participated were invited through an open call. On the first day, small groups of people gathered in one of 16 remarkable HIDDEN ROOMS across the city to work on one of 16 city challenges. An international practitioner was invited to present a related project or body of work to each group to provide inspiration. A Dublin practitioner facilitated. Each room was hosted by a Dublin City issue owner, with each issue set in context locally. The purpose of each workshop was to devise a route map for addressing the issues, framed as a pilot project proposal to be actioned by DCC and partners in 2015. On the second day, all participants gathered in Dublin City Hall to present and discuss their proposals. This report sets out the workshop outcomes and progress on proposed pilot projects. Presentations are available on www.pivotdublin.com. The 16 issues are grouped under four categories: • • • •
Social: Making Cities Smile Cultural: Connecting Cities Economic: Making Cities Flow Environmental: Making Cities Lighter
Owen Keegan Chief Executive Dublin City Council
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SUMMARY
Each of the 16 workshops during the conference was tasked with devising a proposal for a pilot project to aid solutions to the issues identified by the Dublin City issue owners. The proposals were presented on the second day of the conference, and the progress since the conference is described in this document. The document provides an update on the status of the pilot proposals which arose from the workshops. In summary, progress on workshop outcomes can be grouped into three categories: the workshops where pilot proposals have been developed into live projects since the conference, workshops where achievable pilot proposals were produced but which have not been progressed since the conference and workshops where useful discussions took place during the conference but no proposals for projects to be developed were produced. The following describes these three groupings. Workshops where pilot proposals have been progressed into live projects: Following the Universal City workshop, traffic modelling is underway to test the feasibility of a redesign of College Green to give wider footpaths, safer cycle paths and create a south facing public plaza at the Bank of Ireland. Should a rearrangement prove feasible, the Environment & Transportation Department has undertaken to hold a design competition for the redesign of the Green. Arising out of the Sheltering City workshop, DCC Homeless Services and workshop participants have continued discussions on a pilot proposal to organise a learning exchange with Lewisham Council about their project to build 24 high-quality, modular housing units on a large regeneration site for people with urgent need. Exchange participants plan to develop a ‘proof of principle’ strategy for application to a central Dublin site. Since the Integrated City workshop, Dublin City Libraries have been progressing the pilot proposal for a pilot digital storytelling project. ‘Dublin: A Great Place to Start’ will be an intercultural project to enable participants create their story under the project theme through collaborative workshops. The project is planned as a pilot for new cultural services being developed for Parnell Square Cultural Quarter. This has been tendered. A proposal has been developed out of the Respectful City workshop to refurbish a number of small, historic, Council-owned properties in the city centre through a revolving fund. It is proposed to commission design and tender of refurbishment of No 43 Aungier Street this summer and include an Aungier Street promotion space in the development. This project is included in the 2015-2017 Capital Programme.
This report includes an account of each workshop including workshop briefs, an outline of presentations and outcomes, a progress report on viable pilot projects, a venue map and a list of participants. The presentations can be viewed at www.pivotdublin.com. 5
A pilot project has been significantly advanced to progress the Empowered City proposal to run the Design Action Team (DAT) programme in Dublin. It is proposed to hold two-day intensive volunteer training workshop in June 2015, run by a team from the AIA. The pilot will proceed working with a group of residents and owners selected through Apartment Owners Network (a national forum including members from 90 different complexes in the Dublin City area), selected participants from the training and representatives from the AIA. Following the Innovative City workshop, Dublin City Local Enterprise Office took on development of the pilot project with City Architects. This has been developed in discussion with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation as a scheme to assist small businesses to use strategic design methods in their development. The programme is to commence in Summer 2015, contributing to the ID2015 programme, with publication of findings in January 2016. The DJEI are looking to potentially develop the project on a national basis. The outcome of the Listening City workshop was a public engagement process. While no pilot site was identified on the day, a proposal has since been initiated to use the process in dealing with problematic public spaces surrounding Ballyfermot Leisure Centre. The project involves the Irish Architecture Foundation and the Matheson Law Firm who are making a financial contribution to augment DCC funding. The Adorned City workshop which focused on the Cork Street area has validated work being undertaken by the Area Office. A Design Team (Landscape) has now been commissioned to develop a new Urban Park in Cork Street (site of Chamber Court). The Design project will involve comprehensive consultation and engagement with the local community and other stakeholders. Workshops where pilot proposals were developed for achievable projects, but which have not yet been developed further: Feedback from the Philanthropic City workshop was that it was very useful, particularly in understanding the motivations and mechanisms of philanthropy. Proposals included a long term Lord Mayors task force and a dedicated fund-raising team. The Dublin City Council team are considering how the Council can secure new philanthropic funding for the Dublin (previously IMPAC) Literary Award as a high profile, internationally acclaimed project with significant reputational benefits for a donor. The Culture Recreation & Amenity Department is continuing to examine opportunities for philanthropic funding, particularly for art, culture and sport.
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A pilot project is under consideration arising out of the Sustainable City workshop which focused on the Pigeon House Power Station to lease an ancillary building, such as the Laboratory, as creative studio space to start-ups or SME’s producing innovative environmental products or operations. Dublin City Council Environment Department have met a group of SME’s who are currently seeking studio and event space to assess how this might work. The Council is also examining production of a vision document which would include approaches to public consultation which actively encourage visitors to the site. The Fair City workshop pilot proposal, to create a temporary swimming pool in the Grand Canal Dock, was one of the most commented on projects following the City Hall presentation. The DCC planning team, who led the workshop, found the workshop very valuable, particularly in relation to the Docklands Public Realm Strategy currently being commissioned. A preferred location for a temporary pool would be the river, not the canal harbour. We will continue to investigate the viability of this pilot proposal for possible incorporation the Public Realm Strategy. Workshops where no specific pilot projects were proposed but discussion on the day has informed thinking on the challenges raised by the issue owners: The Regenerated City workshop focused on the proposed refurbishment of the Dorset Street housing complex, in particular the retrofit project of two blocks at St Mary’s Place. The outcome of the workshop was a set of recommendations for community engagement around a vision for the regeneration. DCC Housing and City Architects have been developing the retrofit project and the Housing Department will take the recommendations from the Hidden Rooms Day to inform the brief for a design team to be engaged in mid 2015. The outcome of the Resourceful City workshop is a set of guiding principles and a process with a strong emphasis on public engagement that can be applied to Dublin City Council infrastructure and public realm works. While no specific pilot project was identified, Environment and Transportation is looking to integrate these principles as part of DCC’s current infrastructure planning and design methodology. There is an opportunity to apply them to the design of the new Docklands bridges in order to understand the bridges’ purpose beyond being physical connectors. The Living City workshop outcome was a range of options, each of which put Dublin City Council in a leading role in design and delivery. While there is no plan to proceed with a pilot project, the discussions and proposed options can inform DCC’s thinking in the development of the Housing 2020 PPP project.
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While there are no immediate plans to develop the outcomes of the Compact City workshop, the event helped inform DCC’s consultations around the new Development Plan. In addition, external members of the workshop are planning to continue to research ideas generated, particularly around a scheme to enable self-builders develop higher-density homes. They have also suggested a symposium on self-building bringing together all the necessary stakeholders to build knowledge of the technical, regulatory and other practical issues. The Rewarded City Hidden Rooms process was an accelerant, which helped deepen Arts Office initiatives around Foley Street as an emerging Cultural Cluster. The Arts Office has met stakeholders in the area and had started to build a network of people. A decision has been made to bid for the European City of Culture 2020; applications to be submitted October 2015. A bid must demonstrate capacity of culture to deliver real change. Dublin’s bid will focus on the north inner city.
The Hidden Rooms conference was funded by Dublin City Council.
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HIDDEN ROOMS COLLABORATE TO INNOVATE DUBLIN November 25th & 26th 2014 Marino
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The Coombe
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Ballsbridge Ranelagh Harold’s Cross Rathmines Acknowledgements
Hidden Rooms Project Team
Thanks to
Ali Grehan, Mary Harvey, Jeremy Wales, Carol
Owen Keegan Chief Executive and Dublin City
Boland, Ciarán Byrne of Dublin City Architects
Council Departments for funding and support
Patricia McColgan, Anja Fischer, Sandy
All our Hidden Room venues
Schlossbauer of Abbey Conference & Corporate
Peter O’Brien, Sam Bishop of Happenings
Advisory Panel
First Music Contact
Scott Burnett, Angela Dorgan, Bob Gray, Paul Hayes and Aibhlin McCrann
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VENUE LOCATIONS
Clontarf
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Preparatory Briefing Block T Smithfield, Dublin 7
TUESDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 2014 Hidden Room workshop (see Room Sheet for details)
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MONDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 2014
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The Universal City
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The Sheltering City
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The Philanthropic City
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The Integrated City
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The Respectful City
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The Adorned City
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The Rewarded City
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The Listening City
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The Empowered City
10 The Innovative City 11 The Resourceful City 12 The Living City 13
The Compact City
14 The Sustainable City 15 The Regenerated City 16 The Fair City
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Conference Supper Powerscourt Townhouse South William Street, Dublin 2
WEDNESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER 2014
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Plenary Session Dublin City Hall, Dame Street, Dublin 2
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Social: Making Cities Smile 1 THE UNIVERSAL CITY
Workshop Brief Question There is a proposal to turn College Green into Dublin’s premier civic space; an exemplar in public realm design and a space of high amenity but which would still have to accommodate traffic. How can all the conflicting agendas and user requirements for this space be accommodated and reconciled under the umbrella of universal design? Context At present College Green is dominated by vehicular traffic, catering for buses, cars, taxis, cyclists and a forthcoming tram (LUAS). The aspiration is to move from the dominance of the vehicle in the space to the dominance of the pedestrian in the space, whilst acknowledging that not all traffic movements can be removed. Until now, the ‘shared space approach’ has only been used in a residential context (low density suburban housing estates) in Ireland. The next challenge is to develop this approach to the high street or the urban context. Can the vision for College Green as Dublin’s premier civic space be achieved using this ‘shared space approach’, or will it necessitate a ‘delineated model’ of traffic management? What could be piloted in 2015? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that could demonstrate how conflicting agendas and user requirements for College Green can be accommodated and reconciled under the umbrella of universal design.
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Participants Alan Mee Alessandro Tavernaro Anne Kiernan Brian White Chris Garde Chris Manzira Cllr Ciarán Cuffe Conor McQuillan David Brennan Declan Wallace Derry O’Leary Edward Jones Eoin Fayne Eoghan Madden Gerry Kerr Isabella Brito Jason Frehill James Hubbard Kilian Skay Mark Rowlette Noelle Cooper Orla Carroll Patrick Grant Tara McGuinness Tiago Oliveira Tom Johnson Tracey O’Sullivan Guest Speaker Edward Jones
Chair James Hubbard
DCC Client Declan Wallace
Visualiser Isabella Brito
Architect and fo unding partner of Dixon Jones, London. Graduated from the AA School of Architecture in 1963. Divides his time between private practice, teaching in Europe and North America, design jury service and writing.
Senior Design Advisor, Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD), National Disability Authority, Ireland.
Executive Manager Environment & Transportation
Student of Marketing and Programming, Dublin Business School and graphic design student in Brazil.
The Ark 11a Eustace St,Temple Bar, Dublin 2 A unique, purpose-built cultural centre in the heart of Dublin’s Temple Bar, where children aged 2 -12 can explore theatre, music, art, film,literature, dance and more.
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The Universal City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Ed Jones presented the ‘Exhibition Road’ project in Kensington London, designed by Dixon Jones Architects. The road was first developed following the Great Exhibition of 1851 and has the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, Imperial College, the Royal Geographical Society and the Goethe Institute. The objective was to create a more pleasant environment for the 11 million pedestrians who visit the museums every year. The key concept was to create a “shared space” whereby pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles all occupy the same surface, without kerbs or barriers to separate them. The project was completed in 2012 and involved extensive engagement with many stakeholders. The design was also ‘trialled’ allowing the final layout to emerge from the extensive consultation process. Exhibition Road is the largest example of such a space in Britain. Proposal: Trial a temporary public place at the Bank of Ireland Extend the existing pavement south to include the median. Link it to an established event e.g. Street Feast. Limit car traffic or hold a Car free day. Do further study of possible uses and traffic impacts. Avoid over-design. Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • Good for Dublin. • Will increase footfall for business. • Both public events space and transport accommodated. • TCD – BOI Heritage identity captured as a setting. • “Pedestrian friendly” - Rebalances the % pedestrian space vs. road space. • Creates a temporary civic space that people can appreciate. • Incorporates Universal Design Thinking. • Improves the public realm. • Benefits – RPA • Creates more dignified setting for Heritage Architecture
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Pilot Project Next Steps The workshop discussion explored ideas on optimum ways to redesign College Green to allow wider footpaths, safer cycle paths and to create a south facing public plaza at the Bank of Ireland. Consensus has to be achieved between many stakeholders/agencies in order to deliver this but there is general agreement in principle. The workshop proposed hosting a public event to test the potential demand for a public plaza. This proposal was being discussed with a view to holding an event in early summer to pilot the concept to coincide with a window in the RPA Luas construction works. An issue has now arisen where the work schedule submitted by the contractor on the Luas track laying contract does not give us the window expected in May/June. This will make it impossible to facilitate the pilot as intended. However due to a recent allocation of EU funding the Roads Department have now commenced a sophisticated traffic modelling which will give better traffic flow and management information than the pilot could have offered. Following completion of this project the Environment & Transportation Department will be in a position to prove or otherwise the feasibility of the public plaza concept from a traffic management point of view. If it does prove feasible then the Department intends to hold a design competition for the area in question.
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Social: Making Cities Smile 2 THE SHELTERING CITY
Workshop Brief Question Dublin is currently in the middle of a major Housing Crisis The price of property for both sale and rent in Dublin is increasing dramatically due to lack of new housing supply, both public and private. Affordability is a key challenge for many citizens and waiting lists for all forms of public housing are growing exponentially. Homelessness in Dublin is reaching critical levels. How can new public housing meet Dublin’s unmet housing needs, and be made acceptable for users, Dublin City Council and local residents? Context The 2013 Housing Strategy provided that homelessness should be addressed using a ‘housing led approach’. Homeless persons may be placed into 3 categories: • Survivors of institutions, persons suffering from abuse or addiction • Unmet housing need – affordability (No means to access housing in any other market) • Economic – post crisis (People who sought to provide their own housing but no longer are able to do this) Dublin City Council is proposing to address the issue of homelessness via Public Housing Provision, using well designed innovative and high quality, low energy modular housing for rent, similar to those used in the Scottish Housing Expo. How can modular build public housing be made acceptable to users and local residents? What could be piloted in 2015? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that could demonstrate how modular build public housing can be made acceptable to users and local residents.
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Participants Lord Mayor Cllr Christy Burke Cllr Ciarán O’Moore Cllr Criona Ní Dhalaigh Dáithí Downey Derek Speirs Dervla Cotter Emma Curley Gerry Cahill Gerry Folan Grace Dyas Jennifer Chan Johnny Kelly Lisa Kelleher Miguel Arenas Quintero Moran Been-noon Paul Hughes Philip Lawton Ronan Fallon Sandra O’Connell Tom Fletcher
Guest Speaker Johnny Kelly
Chair Paul Hughes
DCC Client Cathal Morgan
London-based director of Nexus Productions and designer working across multiple disciplines including animation, graphic deign and illustration. Johnny worked at various graphic design studios before completing an MA in Animation at The Royal College of Art in London in 2007.
Based in Amsterdam and founder of ten Meters of Thinking. He helps individuals & organisations to understand their role in a changing world by making complex clear.
Director Dublin Region Homeless Executive
Visualiser Moran Been-Noon Completed her PHD in Fine Art (media) in NCAD in 2014 and a MFA in Computer Art in New York (2008).
Sofia Wisdom Centre, 25 Cork Street, Dublin 8 The Sofia Wisdom Centre provides housing and holistic support services for Ireland’s homeless. The Centre offers an oasis of calmness amongst the bustle of the city.
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The Sheltering City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Johnny Kelly used the example of the Santiago Lo Barnechea Housing project. The Barnechea housing project is located in the most expensive district of Santiago, Chile. Designed by Elemental Architects, the brief was to provide 150 low cost housing units of 40 m2 and a community centre on a 25k m2 city block. Funding per household was extremely limited so the design brief had to be distilled down to what was defined as a ‘necessity’. The goal was to involve stakeholders to ensure the production of a product which meets the users requirements, this was achieved via participatory design. Key learnings presented by Johnny were: Participatory Design: design in context to deal with urban growth in a positive way. Use storytelling to highlight the situation in an engaging way. Proposal: Immediate designation of infill brown-field sites in Dublin of sufficient scale to put 200 units of housing in place within 12 months to meet acute need. An international, design-led competition to deliver different housing typologies that can be scaled up to meet the overall housing objectives of national policy. The framework of Construction 2020 and Ireland’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 will be relied upon to establish an international architectural competition for the provision of new model housing on 16 sites in the Dublin region. All participants will be required to bring designs forward based on a collaborative proposal that requires the cooperation of local community. Benefits The benefits identified are that the housing will: • • • • • • • •
Be affordable rental Be integrated to existing spaces Be adaptable over its lifetime of use Be connected to the residential mosaic of its location Be flexible in its use Be occupied by mixed income households Be home to different household sizes and ages Be desirable
The intention is to develop smart, adaptable, a-rated, flexible, affordable, model housing to meet unmet housing need in Dublin. The benefits are social, economic, cultural, architectural and are adaptable to the national scale.
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Pilot Project Next Steps DCC Homeless Services and members of the workshop group have continued discussions on how to progress possible initiatives. The pilot proposal has been refined as follows: • Organise a learning exchange with Lewisham Council, which is planning to build 24 modular housing units modular housing on a large mixed use regeneration site, part of a longer term development programme. This housing is being designed for people with an urgent need. It will be high quality with 10% greater space than minimum requirements. It will be easily demountable and relocated when required. • Develop a ‘proof of principle’ strategy whereby this model is applied to a centrally located site, possibly on Bridgefoot Street. • Produce a multimedia presentation or animation to explain housing quality issues, particularly where applied to ‘emergency/fast track’ housing to build understanding with the general public.
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Social: Making Cities Smile 3 THE PHILANTHROPIC CITY
Workshop Brief Question “What is Philanthropy? Philanthropy is a particular kind of charitable giving. It is focused on the root causes of problems and making a sustainable improvement, as distinct from contributing to immediate relief. Philanthropy is not the exclusive preserve of very wealthy people. What distinguishes philanthropic giving from more spontaneous once off charitable donations is that the money is given with a degree of reflection and a clear purpose.’” Dublin has a rich history of philanthropy which has played an important role in the social, economic and cultural development of the city. How can Dublin tap into the generosity of citizens today so that future generations will reap the benefits of philanthropy tomorrow? Context Dublin’s philanthropic legacy was undertaken by a variety of people and organisations over time including Chester Beatty, Andrew Carnegie, Hugh Lane and the Guinness family. Philanthropic acts were often associated with arts, culture and amenity areas but also included endowments to educational institutions, hospitals and charities. Philanthropy in Dublin today is strong but perhaps most successfully harnessed by universities and charities, which may also benefit from corporate social responsibility, alumni networks and dedicated fund-raising departments. The new Dublin City Library proposed for Parnell Square will be part funded by philanthropy. Crowdfunding mechanisms have recently been trialled by IMMA (Irish Museum of modern Art) to fund the purchase of artworks for their collection. What model can be developed to encourage and facilitate future philanthropy in the city that would be acceptable to Dublin City Council, citizens and philanthropists? Could it be incentivised? Could portfolios of public projects be developed? How would it work and what environment is required for this to happen? What initiative could be piloted in 2015? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that motivates and facilitates future philanthropy in Dublin and would be acceptable to Dublin City Council, citizens and philanthropists.
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Participants Avril Corroon Barbara Dawson Brendan Teeling Elaine Lammas George Boyle Ian Lumley Jette Virdi John Mahon Kevin M Cunningham Killian Fallon Luke Fitzgerald Margarita Cappock Nathalie Weadick Rose Kenny Seamus Mulconry Stephanie Dickenson Taja Naidoo Terence O’Keeffe
Guest Speaker Sean Mulconry
Chair George Boyle
DCC Client Rose Kenny
Visualiser Killian Fallon
CEO of Philanthropy Ireland - the Association of independent philanthropic organisations in Ireland, including grant making trusts and foundations. Seamus is a member of the Board of Headway Ireland, and the executive Board of the Institute of International and European Affairs.
Architect who founded Fumbally Exchange, a hub for entrepreneurs and creative professionals collaborating for change. She established George Boyle Designs in 2010
Executive Manager Central & South East Areas
Visual Communications Student in National College of Art and Design (NCAD)
12 Henrietta Street, Dublin 1 Henrietta Street, erected by Luke Gardiner, is among the earliest extant terraced houses in Dublin and dates from 1730-1733. The decline of the Irish economy in the 19th century led to the homes being largely converted to tenements; Dublin slums. 21
The Philanthropic City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Seamus Mulconry presented on the culture of philanthropy in Ireland. Philanthropy Ireland’s Mission is “to increase the level of philanthropy in Ireland and to support and expand the community of engaged donors who are regular, strategic, long-term contributors to good causes.” He identified a number of good campaign examples; The National Giving Campaign, The 1% Difference Campaign and the Dublin Funding Network. An obstacle is an Irish ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ which opposes philanthropy. Our biggest challenge is our perception “I can’t make a difference”. People who DO donate in Ireland are Women 35+, Men 50+, Corporate Sponsors and High Net individuals. It is critical that Communities must work WITH Government and Funders must work WITH Organisations in developing philanthropic models or streams. Proposal: Establish a Lord Mayor’s Task Force and/or appoint a Philanthropy Champion The purpose is to: • • • • • • • •
Enshrine idea that ‘Giving is the New Black’ Create a sense of community Generate citizen responsibility Break through the ‘zone of indifference’ Create an emotional connection to the cause Make engagement accessible Instead of trying to pull people into our world, we have to reach them in theirs Use established and successful crowd-sourcing platforms.
Benefits The group identified the benefits as: • Taps into punter funding for small projects. • Targets high net individuals with appropriate expertise and innovation and corporations and major multinationals. • Connects to diaspora via glory moments showcase. • Builds “Brand Dublin” – Investable, irresistible, compelling. • Ignites sense of creative and community philanthropy. • Focus on encouraging citizen responsibility. • Breaks down preconception. • Kick some creative branding ass! • Free wifi, crowdfunding, platform, expertise, etc. • “Potential seed capital” already exists.
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Pilot Project Next Steps Feedback from the event was that the workshop was very useful, particularly Seamus Mulconry’s explanation as to why people contribute philanthropically. The DCC workshop team see merit in establishing a Lord Mayors task force but this should be put on a more permanent footing. There is consensus that DCC must give serious consideration to assembling a dedicated fund raising team. Note that the Hugh Lane Gallery is recruiting a full time fund raiser. The Commissioner for Start-Ups is a good example of a new role established to meet a new and pressing need. A key learning from the day is that strong project proposals are essential to leverage philanthropic donations – people need to see what they are funding, the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter project being a case in point. The Dublin Literary Award, previously IMPAC, is a high profile internationally acclaimed project that can generate significant reputational benefits for a donor. The DCC group is considering how DCC can secure philanthropic funding again for the project. The Culture, Recreation & Amenity Department is continuing to examine opportunities for Philanthropic funding particularly in the areas of Art, Culture and Sport.
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Social: Making Cities Smile 4 THE INTEGRATED CITY
Workshop Brief Question The north inner city of Dublin is potentially one of the most attractive parts of the city, yet it suffers from high levels of deprivation in areas. It has recently attracted people from different ethnic communities for business and residential purposes who have injected a new energy and vitality into the area. Can the social and cultural diversity of the north inner city be harnessed in a manner that creates an example of how interculturalism can drive the economic and social development of an area? How can the positive impacts that these immigrants and ‘new Irish’ bring be harnessed to improve the lives of all inhabitants in this area? Context The wedged shaped area in the north inner city of Dublin roughly stretching from Smithfield in the west, North King Street and Dorset Street to the north, and the Royal Canal to the east is one of the most ethnically diverse multicultural parts of the city. It is also one of the most deprived parts of the city inhabited by an indigenous Irish population often with poor educational attainment, high dependency and a low socio-economic profile. At the same time it has become an area that has attracted new migrants from across the globe. These migrants are mainly highly skilled, entrepreneurial, and employed. The area will also see significant development of key physical assets and spaces in the future. The proposed new Cultural Quarter at Parnell Square, and the refurbishment of the Fruit and Vegetable Market within the Markets Framework Plan will provide catalysts for the social, cultural and economic regeneration of these areas. However, much of the inner city generally is characterised by underused, vacant or derelict buildings, and urban spaces such as Wolfe Tone Park, Smithfield and Mountjoy Square are perhaps not used to their full advantage. How can the social and cultural diversity of this part of the city become the driver of economic prosperity, human development and social inclusion for all who live in the area? What could be done to develop this area as a living expression of the new Ireland, that could attract investment, business and intercultural events and festivals? Dublin’s North Inner City could be a real example of Intercultural harmony, social cohesion , and Ireland’s bridge to the world. What actions/initiatives could be undertaken in 2015 to make this a reality? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that demonstrates how the social and cultural diversity of the north inner city can be harnessed to drive the economic and social development of the area.
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Participants Aaron Copeland Amy O’Neill Angela Brady Anne Bedos Daniel Gray Declan Hayden Emmet Wafer Evangelos Kapros Jean Byrne Johannah Watters Judit Somogyi Lina Tantash Lorna Ross Mark Dyer Mary McQuillan Margaret Hayes Michael Sands Naomi Murphy Peter Finnegan Richard Guiney Roisin Guihen
Guest Speaker Lorna Ross
Chair Angela Brady
DCC Client Peter Finnegan
Visualiser Evangelos Kapros
Director of Design at the Mayo Clinic. Has experience working in design, design research and innovation, particularly focused on health and health care. She is a graduate of NCAD Dublin and the RCA London, England.
Graduated from DIT, Bolton Street. Founder of Brady Mallalieu Architects in London with Robin Mallalieu in 1987. Former President of Royal Institute of British Architects (2011-2013).
Director International Relations Unit
PhD candidate of Computer Science in Trinity College, and Researcher at Trinity’s Learnovate Centre.
Outhouse LGBT Community Resource Centre, 105 Capel Street Dublin 1 A community and resource centre for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) people and their families. It is based in a community-owned and restored Georgian building in the heart of Dublin City. 25
The Integrated City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Lorna Ross presented on her experience of applying strategic design thinking to operations in the complex systems such as healthcare and a large organisation such as her employer, the Mayo Clinic. Fundemental principles are that: • When something breaks in your system, don’t fix it until you fully understand why it broke. • First determine what it is trying to tell you. • Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation, it is also the power that enables us to EMPATHIZE with those whose experiences we have never shared and to think ourselves into other peoples places. • Innovation that is additive is more tolerated. • Innovation that is SUBTRACTIVE is more threatening. Proposal: Make 2015 a ‘Year to Embody Experimentation’ Build a virtual model of the physical Library: • Collecting stories and presenting through Dublin Libraries website • Prototyping the spaces, events, and discussions • Building a virtual Commons for a future Commons • Build a virtual model of the physical Markets: • Traders’ Museum, Food classes and events • Creating an authentic retail experience • Create Pathways between physical elements, between communities • Connecting and making them visible - “show us” • Measure footfall with Dublintown to build a baseline as a measure for success - allows for continuous evaluation • More creative ways of presenting this information • Championing transparency and access to knowledge Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • Build the audience • Build the future now • Acknowledge the historic assets and future assets, and link them up • Speculate, simulate collisions • Prototyping facilitates identifying positives, risks, and weaknesses quickly • Great way to collaborate through immersion and simulation • Co-creating future assets • Creating ownership and building relationships • Personalises the process • Looks to break down stereotypes, by anchoring large-scale projects to individual identities. • Learn, create, participate, collaborate. 26
Pilot Project Next Steps Dublin City Libraries is progressing one of the workshop proposals; a pilot digital storytelling project entitled ‘Dublin: A Great Place to Start’. This intercultural project will enable participants, through a series of collaborative workshops, to create their story under the project theme. A minimum of 12 digital stories will be created for publication online at www.parnellsquare.ie, incorporating rich media such as photographs, moving images, documents and sound. The proposed process is to • Engage a facilitator to research best practice, conduct the workshops and promote the initiative. • Invite people from all communities in the North Inner City to attend. • Workshops will help participants frame and refine their stories. The project can be seen as a prototype for the new City Library’s digital learning facilities and can inform the new City Library development brief.
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Cultural: Connecting Cities 5 THE RESPECTFUL CITY
Workshop Brief Question Many of Dublin’s historic buildings and streets occupy prime city centre locations, but are often vacant, underused or falling into dereliction. Protected structures, conservation areas, national monuments etc. are designations that provide statutory recognition to the architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest or value of a structure or area in Ireland. Such designations are designed to protect such structures or areas against any unauthorised development that could diminish or destroy this interest or value. These designations however may be one of the contributory reasons for so many of Dublin’s historic properties remaining vacant and underused: conservation restrictions may inhibit their full development potential because of refurbishment costs, upgrades to contemporary building standards or perversely, tax incentives may encourage owners to leave properties vacant. Protected structure designation is therefore often interpreted as a burden, indeed, it is known for owners to have appealed against designation for fear of the impact on value. Potential purchasers can be wary of hidden refurbishment costs, with banks being risk-averse and loathe to finance the purchase of these properties, particularly by first-time buyers. While small grants or tax reliefs are occasionally available, a significant proportion of these structures rely on the good will or charity of their owners to foot the bill in ensuring their value survives for future generations. These structures have designations due to their architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest or value, but how can we measure their economic value, particularly less prominent non-Georgian buildings? Is it possible to devise a system where property owners are fully rewarded for maintainence and refurbishment and that developers would actively pursue such properties as excellent investment opportunities? How could a new ‘carrot-led’ system to refurbishing protected structures be used as a model for other parts of the city, and what exactly would this ‘carrot-led’ model be? Could new forms of trusts, charities, grants, co-operative housing (e.g. Dublin House), tax exemptions/credits, risk transfers, corporate social responsibility, crowd-funding, philanthropy etc play a role? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that tests the effectiveness of a ‘carrot’ led incentive system in bringing about the restoration of protected structures on Aungier St.
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Participants Caoimhe Lavelle David Wall Freddie O’Dwyer Hollie Leddy-Flood Karolina Badzmierowska Niamh Blake Marc Ritchie Mariano Amelio Much Untertrifaller Niall McCullough Niamh Blake Nicki Matthews Paraic Fallon Rachael Ball Richard McLoughlin Sean MacCarthaigh Sharon Greene Sunni Goodson Susan Roundtree Trevor White
Guest Speaker Much Untertrifaller
Chair Susan Roundtree
Architect and founding partner of Dietrich I Untertrifaller. The practice has offices in Bregenz, Vienna and St. Gallen/ Switzerland. Projects include the Festspielhaus in Bregenz, the ETH Sport Center in Zurich along with numerous large and small building commissions.
RIAI Grade 1 Conservation Accredited Architect Conservation City Architects Architect, trained at DIT Bolton Street. Masters in Urban & Building Conservation from UCD (1991). Practice experience in both the public and private sectors in Dublin.
DCC Client Nicola Matthews
Visualiser Hollie Leddy-Flood Visual Communications Student in National College of Art and Design (NCAD).
The Printing House Trinity College, Dublin 2 The Printing House was Richard Cassels’ first solo commission built originally circa late 1600s. Today it houses the majority of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering courses.
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The Respectful City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Much Untertrifaller of Dietrich Untertrifaller Architects, Bregenze, Austria, has designed award winning projects in sensitive, traditional urban and rural contexts. Their buildings are always contemporary in style, often experimental and built to very high environmental standards. It is possible to get acceptance for new and different buildings in historic areas if we: • Involve the Public in the design process. • Invest in high quality design and building. • Are highly sensitive to context and seek to integrate old and new design approaches and materials. Proposal: Ongoing dialogue with the local community Establishing a hub on the ground in Aungier street to: • Curate the spirit of the place. • Produce model guidance on reuse options for building owners for residential urban living and adaptive reuse. • Give positive guidance and support to building owners and occupiers. • Raise awareness of the historic significance of the place in consultations. • Identify the community – residential and business. • Support the arts in the community. • Design competitions for building uses, shop fronts, public realm and branding. • Conduct feedback and continuous assessment because of pilot nature of project. • Planning tool to remake the city and attract funding initiatives. • Number 43 to give the project a face. Benefits The benefits identified were: • Building on the wealth on information that is already available about Aungier street. • The project will be an exemplar for an improved A.C.A. process. • The project will have widespread application potential in the city and on a national basis. • The project will demonstrate the value and potential of the city’s wide range of historic buildings.
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Pilot Project Next Steps The workshop built on the considerable momentum behind the restoration and regeneration of the Aungier Street area. This includes the architectural conservation research that ‘discovered’ the unique house type e.g. 9/9A Aungier Street; the current preparation of an ACA and a scoping study of development opportunities in what is now called the ‘Valentine District’. The workshop explored how this momentum can be given a ‘face’ on the street. A revolving fund proposal has been developed for the refurbishment of a number of small historic DCC properties in the city centre, including No 43 Aungier Street. This project is included in the 2015-2017 Capital Programme. It is proposed to commission design and tender of refurbishment of No 43 this summer and include provision for a Aungier Street promotion space as part of the development.
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Cultural: Connecting Cities 6 THE ADORNED CITY
Workshop Brief Question Investment in public projects should always strive to achieve the highest possible standards of design. Some designs however deliver an added value that go beyond the utilitarian to produce additional benefits, and may produce unexpected even extraordinary results, some of which may be considered as ‘iconic’ interventions. Is this added value dependent on additional financing, and is this a correct use of public funding? What determines if they’re iconic and how can their impact be measured? Context Ensuring maximum return and value for money is paramount when investing in public projects. Yet cost-benefit analyses of these investments are rarely undertaken, nor are studies of their impacts on local and community development. It is difficult therefore to ascertain the success or otherwise of these projects, and whether additional investment in their design may have achieved greater, or even exponential returns. ‘The word ‘iconic’ now suggests a cynical branding exercise’, according to a recent international publication, concluding that ‘Simple is the New Fancy’. A number of sites in Dublin 8 would benefit from interventions to assist in their regeneration: the Chambers St. site, St. Luke’s Church, Newmarket Square and Cork St. – St. Luke’s Avenue. ‘Iconic intervention’ is a term that is often used as a supposed regeneration tool in a city. But what does these mean and is it possible or necessarily desirable to deliberately design an icon? What should interventions in these sites be and who are they for? Should attempts be made to make them ‘iconic’ and how? What criteria could be used to measure the returns from these interventions? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project to define and demonstrate the value of the iconic in the context of the regeneration of Dublin 8 sites.
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Participants Aisling Prior Ali Rohan Barry Sheehan Bruce Phillips Claire Farren David Healy John McGrane John Tuomey Katherine Scott Lisa Godson Louise Cotter Mary Conway Michael McDermott Orlaith Ross Ray Ryan Cllr Rebecca Moynihan Ruairi O’Cuiv Sheila O’Donnell Sorcha O’Sullivan Willie White
Guest Speaker Ray Ryan
Chair Barry Sheehan
DCC Client Bruce Phillips
Visualiser Eimear McNally
Curator of the Heinz Architectural Center at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh. Ryan was Commissioner for Irish participation at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2000 and 2002. Ryan graduated from University College Dublin (B.Arch. 1981) and Yale University (M.Arch. 1987).
Head of Design at the Dublin Institute of Technology. He is Chairperson of Design Week and a former President of the Institute of Designers in Ireland and Vice Chairman of Design Ireland.
Senior Executive Officer South Central Area
Member of UpStart and freelance graphic recorder/ visual facilitator, employing both digital and nondigital techniques. MSc, Sustainable Development, DIT (2005)
Sean O’Casey Community Centre, St Mary’s Road, East Wall, Dublin The centre was designed by award winning architects O’Donnell & Tuomey. The concept of the centre was to enrich and engage the local and greater community in the arts, culture, sports and education and to provide facilities to both young and old.
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The Adorned City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Raymund Ryan spoke about Iconic buildings; what has worked and what hasn’t and reasons why. The Bilbao Guggenheim museum is the definitive successful icon. It reflects an ambitious Basque country, has established the career of the architect and is an international project for the Guggenheim. The National Centre for Popular Music, Sheffield, was a failure. It’s now used as the student union. Some considerations when seeking to create something distinctive (iconic) are: • • • • •
Is it about branding or placemaking? Idea of refurbishing derelict areas through culture and art e.g. post industrial building Icons - parachuting them in or developing from the ground up? Are icons catalysts? Icons can be more than buildings and come in various forms e.g. IAMSTERDAM
Proposal: “The Tenters”, a public realm project. Will be developed to include 4 components:The Tenters, Cork Streeted Parts I and II and Museum. The project would be in stages incorporating several of the shortlisted ideas in a step by step approach: • • • •
Part 1: Tenters, Design 2013, Actual 2016. Cost- 7.5M Part 2: Cork Streeted I, Design 2015, Event 2016, Cost- 150K Part 3: Cork Streeted II, Design 2017, Actual 2010, Cost-10 M Part 4: Museum, Design 2020, Cost: 30M
Participants and stakeholders would include Dublin City Council, the community, business community, GDTA-tourism, NTA, and landowners. Benefits Value of the iconic in the context of regeneration of Dublin 8 sites. Why ‘The Tenters’ works: • • • • • • • • • •
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Creates community connectivity Economic Growth Safety and humanising Animation and fun Reinforces existing uses of square Responds to history of area and growth of Dublin Gives a centre focus to ‘The Tenters’ and establishes its identity as a neighbourhood but also brings two neighbourhoods together through Cork Street. Developed and supported resources Will increase footfall
Pilot Project Next Steps The guest speaker, Ray Ryan, emphasising in his presentation that many successful iconic interventions today are public space projects. Some are small-scale and even temporary. The workshop focussed on the Cork Street area and the discussion validated the Area Office’s approach to making the area more attractive and distinctive. A particular area of interest for the workshop participants was the proposed urban regeneration project for Newmarket Sq. The group proposed extending the project to the new park at Chambers Street. A summary of outcomes being progressed by the Area Office is as follows: • A Design Team (Landscape) has been commissioned to develop a new Urban Park in Cork Street (site of Chamber Court). • The Design project will involve comprehensive consultation and engagement with the local community and other stakeholders.
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Cultural: Connecting Cities 7 THE REWARDED CITY
Workshop Brief Question A new Cultural Quarter is currently at the design phase for Parnell Square with a new City Library and Cultural Centre opening there in 2018. An emerging Cultural Cluster is developing around the Arts Office in Foley Street incorporating Dance House, The Oonagh Young Gallery/Design HQ, The Talbot Gallery & Studios, Artists Units 3+4, The Abbey Theatre, Firestation Artists Studios alongside heritage buildings such as the Customs House, Busáras and Connolly Station. This cultural community works alongside businesses such as Irish Water, Bord Gáis, the Health and Safety Authority and AON insurances and Dublintown (Dublin Business Improvement District) in what remains a residential community in the heart of the north inner city. Situated in Dublin’s historic Monto area, residents include generations of Dubliners who have deep connections to the area’s rich heritage and a significant ‘new Irish’ community. Can Arts and Culture now lead in the development of this area? Creative entrepreneurs are central to initiatives such as these and the City Arts Office will invite a number of guests to share their challenges and experience, and talk about the dividends they create and the ones they need. Creative entrepreneurs provide vision and leadership, create wealth and drive recovery by improving the quality of life in the context of personal risk taking. What incentives, investment and support do they need? What initiative could we pilot in 2015?
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Participants Aiden Kenny Angela Dorgan Angela Rolfe Anne Miltenburg Dave Smith Dennis McNulty Eavan Murphy Elaine McDevitt Hugh Campbell Ian Oliver James Van De Waal Johanna Varghese Kerry Guinan Marie Redmond Marissa Denker Mary Weir Nicola Ryan Nora Mahony Oonagh Young Ray Yeates Shane Waring Sheena Barrett
Guest Speaker Anne Miltenburg
Chair Angela Dorgan
DCC Client Ray Yeates
Visualiser James Van de Waal
Founder of Designistan in 2013, which develops content for media, educational programs and events at the crossroads of design and society. Empowers change makers to achieve their mission through branding and communication design, collaborating with social, creative and cultural entrepreneurs.
Founder and Director of First Music Contact, an Irish Resource organisation which promotes, encourages and develops Irish acts.
Arts Officer Culture, Recreation, Amenity & Community
Manager of Marketing and Administration at Pure Haven. Studied Computer Science in DIT and Media Production in Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education.
Liffey Trust Centre, 117-126 Upper Sheriff St, Dublin 1 An eight storey purpose built building incorporating enterprise and start-up office units for the Liffey Trust, a designated Performing Arts School and residential accommodation. Completed in 2009, the centre was designed by architect Shay Cleary.
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The Rewarded City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Anne Miltenberg presented on a new venture she has developed with a team at THNK, the Amsterdam School of Creative Leadership. The concept is a scaling tool for social impact initiatives around the city, and enabling social entrepreneurs to create revenue from it. The project will be trialled in Nairobi as Amsterdam too small. Nairobi has a thriving social entrepreneurship culture, prompted by the inadequate state systems e.g. educational initiatives which are plugging the state gap. These could be replicated globally given a framework. The project has since been launched in Nairobi. Proposal: A peer to peer network for knowledge exchange Key points: • About knowledge paths, mentoring, means of sharing resources • Propose to host a first meeting of a Peer to Peer Network group • Open call through the networks offered by people in the room including Arts Office databases with the LAB offering space and administration for this meeting • For artists, creative entrepreneurs, community groups, businesses and individuals • Proposed as a network for exchange of knowledge and identifying and addressing shared needs. • The first meeting will determine the form of future events. • The network will look at how to incentivise the groups, artists and organisations to come forward and share knowledge and mentor where appropriate. • The network is moveable within the geographic area and could have a range of hosts. Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • A support structure or scaffold for creative entrepreneurs. • Supporting what or who already exist as well as emerging ideas and connecting them. • Feasible and ready to go. • Uses existing resources and feed into the City Arts Plan. • A Meeting for entrepreneurs. • Low cost. • Timeline identified with built in reviews and feedback processes.
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Pilot Project Next Steps Hidden Rooms process was an accelerant, which helped deepen Arts Office initiatives around Foley Street as an emerging Cultural Cluster. The Arts Office has met stakeholders in the area and had started to build a network of people. A decision has been made to bid for the European City of Culture 2020; applications to be submitted October 2015. A bid must demonstrate capacity of culture to deliver real change. Dublin’s bid will focus on the north inner city.
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Cultural: Connecting Cities 8 THE LISTENING CITY
Workshop Brief Question Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a communication gap between Dublin City Council and the citizens it serves. Is DCC unnecessarily remote from its client groups and the citizens of the city? How can we listen and engage more effectively with the citizens of Dublin? Context Dublin City Council is the smallest yet the most populous of the four local authorities adminstering the county and city of Dublin with 525,000 inhabitants. Communicating effectively with citizens is a key challenge. While local networks and online services undoubtedly bridge a gap between the Council and citizens, informal feedback suggests that citizens are not tuned in to what the Council provides for the city, and that the Council does not appear to be listening to them. Many citizens may be unsure or confused as to the Council’s administrative boundaries or its services. A significant percentage of the population remains disengaged or when engagement does occur, it may only be to pay bills, licences or lodge complaints. Engagement can also be limited to those with vested interests and Council messages may also not be reaching the right audiences. There is poor awareness of many positive Council activities, such as building communities, supporting enterprise or facilitating organisations and events such as St. Patrick’s Day, Tall Ships or the Web Summit. Delivering public projects such as new pedestrian pathways, bridges, boardwalks, public artworks, restoring historic buildings or regenerating urban quarters often have very mixed reactions. Key urban projects are often not identified with DCC; at times the media may not attribute in whole or in part, the role that DCC may have played in delivering these works. When the Council gets things right, it is often not acknowledged, yet when things go wrong, the Council is often the first to blame. In many of these instances, the Council may not be at liberty to disclose the full story, which may compound poor public perception. How can DCC improve its public perception and engage more effectively with the citizens of Dublin, so that they hear and understand the role it plays in serving and facilitating the city? Conversely, how can the Council better listen and understand their needs? What could be piloted in 2015? Objective Devise a pilot project for 2015 that helps DCC engage more effectively with Dublin citizens and enables better mutual understanding.
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Participants Cllr Alison Gilliand Ann Brophy Anne Lynch Anusia Grennell Boz Temple Morris Dave Dinnigan Deborah Hewson Declan O’Brien Dervilla Masterson Elaine Mulvenny Jackie Bourke Karl Mitchell Kieran Gallagher Linzi Ryan Paul Hayes Rachel Collier Roddy Guiney Samantha Norris Sheila Gahan Una Mullally
Guest Speaker Boz Temple Morris
Chair Paul Hayes
DCC Client David Dinnigan
Visualiser Anusia Grennell
A producer, director and consultant, deploying innovative strategies to tell stories both in the business world and the arts. As a maker of drama, live events and arts projects he has collaborated with leading artists and practitioners in design, performance and technology.
Marketing and communications specialist for a number of Irish and internationally based venture backed technology companies.
Executive Manager North Central & North West Areas
Graduate in Visual Communications, IADT, Dun Laoghaire (2013)
NDRC The Digital Exchange, Crane Street, Dublin 8 Early stage investor in I.T. innovation. NDRC is owned and operated by a consortium of five Irish universities: Dublin City University, DĂşn Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, National College of Art and Design, Trinity College, Dublin, and University College Dublin. 41
The Listening City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Boz Temple-Morris spoke about using Storytelling for communication. His approach is often controversial and highly original, e.g. his ‘Death Cigarettes’ from ‘The Enlightened Tobacco Company’ campaign which told the truth about the dangers of cigarette smoking. In communicating, we need to be honest about Assessing Perceptions • How you see yourself. • How others see you. • How you want to be seen. Proposal: A Framework and a Space to Ask Questions and Get Answers PLUS A Visualisation of the Organisation There is a 4 stage process: • Internal conversation events to trigger culture change. Test and iterate. • Create a visualisation to describe the organisation of the Council and shine a light on its work. Give a personal face to the service delivery. • Roll out innovative mechanisms developed in point 1 for public participation, for example public conversation events. • Document all of the interactions and present this externally. Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • Demonstrates the willingness of DCC to engage in a two-way conversation with citizens • Establishes a new platform for communication • Empowers staff and public • Encourages clarity and consistency in communications • Nurtures existing expertise and shared passion and commitment
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Pilot Project Next Steps The workshop outcome was a public engagement process. While no pilot site was identified on the day, and a proposal has been put forward to use the process in developing a strategy for the public space fronting the Ballyfermot Leisure Centre. The environment around the Centre is perceived as unwelcoming and bleak and there are issues with vandalism and thefts of cars from the parking area which are impacting on the Leisure Centre, reflected in lower bookings relative to other similar DCC facilities. The communications strategy discussed during the workshop is informing proposals for how to proceed in developing consensus on a positive vision for the Centre’s surrounds, out of which proposals for improvements can be developed. A project has been initiated with a view to developing a plan for the public spaces around the Centre. The project involves the Irish Architecture Foundation and the Matheson law firm, who are making a financial contribution to augment DCC funding.
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Economic: Making Cities Flow 9 THE EMPOWERED CITY
Workshop Brief Question A new type of neighbourhood has emerged in Dublin in recent years: the private apartment complex. A third of all homes in Dublin City are apartments or flats, however many developments are compromised by a range of legacy issues - design, construction, management - and apartment living is not considered an optimum long term housing choice. Improved regulation and standards will improve quality in future, but how should we deal with existing developments? Should we be concerned about improving quality and livability for residents, for the reputation of apartment living generally and for the quality of the environment in general? Context Apartment living involves a high degree of interdependence between owners and is a relatively recent phenomenon in Ireland. We need apartments to meet demographic needs (growing population, more and smaller households), combat climate change and urban sprawl. The Dublin House pilot project is a new-build pilot model initiated by DCC to address some reputational issues but doesn’t address existing developments. 55,000 of Dublin’s 65,000 apartments were built in the last 20 years, with 35,000 completed from 2001 to 2008, the majority in private ownership; Dublin City Council own 16,000, some of which are within private developments. Virtually all apartments pre-date new regulatory standards introduced in 2008 to increase space, functionality, and amenity standards. 50% of apartments in Dublin inner city are less than 40sqm with few compensating amenities. Many of those constructed before 2008 are defective or non-compliant with Building Regulations. Owners then have to undertake extensive repairs which requires collective action and significant resources. Priory Hall is an extreme case. We are still coming to terms with how to properly manage apartment living in Ireland. The Multi-Unit Developments Act which regulates the ownership and management of the common areas of multi-unit developments, and provides for the setting up of owners’ management companies only came into effect in 2011. Poorly performing management agents are still a feature. Despite these challenges, many developments have great potential; centrally located close to public transport and services, they can make excellent homes and strong communities given appropriate improvements and inventive interventions. Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that motivates private apartment owners and residents around the long term regeneration of their existing homes, creating value, a high quality neighbourhood and a durable community.
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Participants Aibhlin McCrann Senator Aideen Hayden Ali Grehan Aoife Irwin Moore Bernie Doherty Cecilia Naughton Clare Mulvaney Dylan Haskins Emma Geoghegan Eoghan Parle Hans Zomer Iseult Byrne Joel Mills John Moran Karen McAuley Laura Howe Maryrose Simpson Noel Dempsey Orla Reynolds Pat Nestor Val O’Brien
Guest Speaker Joel Mills
Chair Aibhlín McCrann
DCC Client Ali Grehan
Director of the American Institute for Architects’ Center for Communities by Design, a leading provider of pro bono technical assistance and participatory planning for communities. His career has been focused on strengthening civic capacity and civic institutions around the world.
A director of Communiqué International, a communications consultancy specialising in strategy development, facilitation and stakeholder engagement with different organisations.
Dublin City Architect
Visualiser Maryrose Simpson Visual communications graduate of Limerick School of Art and Design and has completed a postgraduate in innovation, entrepreneurship and enterprise.
Office of the Ombudsman for Children, 52-56 Great Strand Street, Dublin 1 The role of the Ombudsman for Children is to promote and safeguard the rights and welfare of children and young people up to 18 years of age and to investigate complaints made by children and young people or by adults on their behalf. 45
The Empowered City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Joel Mills spoke about the 21st Century paradigm. Issues are becoming bigger and more complex, public resources are dwindling. Civil society has never been stronger, it is easier to share and adapt ideas. He focussed on a programme he runs for the AIA (American Institute of Architects). This is The Design Assistance Program (DAT): • • • • • •
Began in 1967. Inspired by civil rights movement. Voluntary and Expert. First community was a post-flood recovery for a downtown area. Harnessed in over 200 communities in US & Canada. Has been adopted across the world.
Proposal: Establish a Design Action Team (DAT) Pilot Programme Establish pilot project to work with a group of private apartment residents to create a masterplan & implementation strategy to transform their homes within the context of the wider neighbourhood. The pilot will include: • Canvassing for communities to participate in the DAT programme • Volunteer recruitment • Implementing DAT project Ambition - to redefine apartment living for the 21st century! Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • It proposes a sustainable and sustainable community-led process which can be applied to a spectrum of issues and opportunities related to apartment-living. • Based on an established successful model in existence for more than 50 years. • It is a user-led grassroots initiative which connects the community with appropriate professional expertise. • It will deliver a masterplan and implementation strategy that incorporates all design aspects: physical, financial, regulatory. • The process is collaborative, designed to foster ownership of the resultant plan and implementation by the community.
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Pilot Project Next Steps The pilot project is significantly advanced. The workshop outcome was to apply the Design Action Team (DAT) programme on a pilot basis in Dublin, working with a group of private apartment residents and owners. City Architects presented the proposal to the Apartment Owners Network (AON) forum in January 2015. The AON is a national forum and includes members from 90 different complexes in the Dublin City Area. The group expressed interest in participating in the project. Further discussions have been held with the AIA DAT programme team and we will be initiating the project in June 2015 as follows: • A team from the AIA will hold a hold 2 day intensive volunteer training workshop with a select group of 20-30 people who might serve on a DAT. • The group will be selected by invitation and through an open call. It will be multidisciplinary. • We will then work with the AON to select a suitable group of residents and owners. • The project will be piloted using appropriate personnel from training session and representatives from the AIA
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Economic: Making Cities Flow 10 THE INNOVATIVE CITY
Workshop Brief Question Competing in a national and international market means that start-ups and SME’s in Ireland have to make their product or service stand out from the crowd. How can Local Enterprise Offices (LEO’s) raise awareness of the value and role that good design can play in setting them apart? Context For many start-ups and SME’s, the value of good design is often only considered at the end of product or service development, once functionality concerns have been addressed. However the design of websites, packaging, branding, user-interaction etc can all play a critical role in the later success or failure of a company’s business. The LEO’s are currently involved in scoping the functions of a new Design and Innovation Centre, proposed as part of the Cultural Quarter for Parnell Square. Its role will be to ‘support designers in the development of innovative design enterprises or projects, and assist businesses in using design for innovation, product and service development, branding and communication’. How could this centre promote and showcase the role that good design can play for start-ups and SME’s to develop their businesses? How can the LEO’s facilitate start-ups and SME’s to find the best designers for their budgets? What initiative could be piloted in 2015 that would address this issue and help scope the functions of a new Design and Innovation Centre? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot initiative that connects start-ups and SME’s to good design and can inform a programme for the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter Design and Innovation Centre.
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Participants Adrian O’Donoghue Agata Stoinska Aileen Dempsey Anne Marie Butler Bob Gray Clare Dunne Cllr Deirdre Heney Diane Dears Eibhlin Curley Eoin Kernan Georgia Connolly Greg Swift Jonathan Legge Kieran Corcoran Laura Lee Liam Barry Owen O’Doherty Róisín de Buitléar Steven McNamara
Guest Speaker Laura Lee
Chair Bob Gray
Architect and Professor of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. An international leading voice for integrated design education, practice and research. She lectures on issues concerning the relationship between design education, practice and research.
Head of Local Founding Director of Red&Grey Design. He Enterprise has worked in design and education in Dublin and Amsterdam and is also an undergraduate lecturer in the National College Art & Design.
DCC Client Greg Swift
Visualiser Diane Dear Visual Communications and History of Art & Design student in National College of Art and Design (NCAD)
North House, Dublin Institute of Technology Grangegorman, Dublin 7 DIT is now consolidating its position in Dublin’s city centre, bringing its entire community of students and staff from sites across the city together in one central location at DIT Grangegorman. 49
The Innovative City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Laura Lee spoke about the Impact, Role and Value of Design. She outlined how design can address specific Global challenges, European challenges and Irish challenges and gave examples of systematic approaches to embedding design in social and economic programmes, the goal of each being to: • Increase capacity • Expand opportunity • Generate prosperity Proposal: Reposition Ireland through design Hypothetical headlines were used for discussion: • In five years’ time: “Number of companies Engaging With Design Innovation Centre Has Grown 100% over 5 Years. DCC Chief Design Officer Applauds Results.” • In 20 years: “Dublin Voted No.1 Most Liveable City By Design” • In 50 years: “Atlantic Corridor Renamed Design Valley” By the end of the workshop the outline of a proposal to encourage use of design thinking among small businesses was developed. The proposal is to operate a scheme of “Design Strategy Vouchers” to assist micro-businesses in utilising strategic design for development of their business proposals and products. The proposal is to operate the scheme in 2015 as a pilot in 2015, leveraging the ID2015 Year of Irish Design programme. This would then inform the development of services to be run in the design and innovation hub proposed as part of the Parnell Square cultural Quarter development.
Benefits Benefits of the initiative were seen as including: • • • • •
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Using the benefits of design thinking to aid business growth. Building the capacity of the design sector to assist business. Providing case studies on which to aid evidence based policy decision making. Broader public awareness of and engagement with design processes. Input into development of the programme for the Design Centre in Parnell Square.
Pilot Project Next Steps Following the workshop, development of the proposal was taken on by Dublin City Local Enterprise Office and City Architects and is significantly advance in discussion with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and is now proposed for inclusion as part of the programme of ID2015. The proposal has been developed into a scheme to assist small businesses across a range of sectors in using design strategy methods to aid their development. It involves providing subsidised design consultancy services to businesses to which will: • Review and analyse their objectives and resources • Provide advice on design services or processes which could aid their development. • Assist the business owner in developing a brief for a project to further their objectives • Assist with commissioning the design services required to implement the project • The scheme will then provide funding to subsidise the design services required to implement the project. Businesses which are based in Dublin, employ 4-9 people, have the potential to expand and have been trading for over 3 years will be eligible for participation. There is a 9 month implementation programme, with a proposed timetable to commence the project in April 2015 and publish findings in January 2016.
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Economic: Making Cities Flow 11 THE RESOURCEFUL CITY
Workshop Brief Question Increasing levels of urbanisation require greater integration and coordination of the long term sustainable planning, design and delivery of strategic infrastructure to future-proof our cities. Dublin City Council’s responsibility as principal overseer for this function has however continually diminished over time through political expediency, local government reform, privatisation and deregulation, and the setting up of new alternative agencies often with conflicting and competing agendas. Strategic infrastructure planning in Dublin is now undertaken by diverse agencies, often with stand alone briefs in terms of vision, purpose, programming, timescale and whom they seek to serve, particularly those providing utility and transport infrastructure. How can Dublin City Council reclaim its authority as the agency best positioned to provide and oversee the planning and design of future strategic infrastructure for the city and citizens? How can Dublin City Council spearhead the long-term sustainable planning and development of strategic infrastructure, to future-proof the city and reduce its carbon emissions, using the Dublin Docklands Strategic Development Zone as a model? Context The Dublin Region comprises the four local authorities, of which Dublin City Council administers the city of Dublin (population 527,000). Local authority responsibilities include housing and community, roads, planning and economic development, culture, recreation and amenity services. Dublin City Council provides over 500 services to the city, however local authorities in Ireland generally provide less services than their counterparts in many other European countries (where education, policing, transportation and health services would be included) and continue to outsource or lose services to other agencies (e.g. domestic waste collection and water services). Investment, budgest and staffing levels in local authorities has decreased dramatically since the economic downturn. A proposal for a directly elected mayor for the city was recently refused by Councillors in one of the Dublin Authorities. The Dublin City Development Plan is renewed every six years, however the inclusion or otherwise of some elements of strategic infrastructure may be omitted, as its planning and provision may not be within the City Council’s remit. Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project to test how DCC can spearhead the long-term sustainable planning and development of strategic infrastructure, to future-proof the city and reduce its carbon emissions, using the Dublin Docklands Strategic Development Zone as a model.
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Participants Aidan O’Connor Anthony Connaghan Antoinette O’Neill Brian Swan Chris Poulissen Edel Kelly Finbarr Barry Gerry Wardell Javier Arbeloa Katherine Vandermarliere Krystyna Rawicz Laurent Ney Lynn Scarff Marisa Ronan Michael Phillips Rory Caraher Ruza Leko Sima Rouholamin
Guest Speaker Laurent Ney & Chris Poulissen Laurent, a civil and structural engineer and Chris, an architect, collaborated to form NP Bridging, a multidisciplinary practice experimenting an integral approach to urban design and infrastructure projects.
Chair Lynn Scarff
DCC Client Michael Philips
Visualiser Ruza Leko
Director of Science Gallery Dublin, and responsible for devising compelling programmes that engage diverse audiences on themes that cross boundaries and disciplines.
Assistant City Manager Environment & Transportation - Roads & Traffic
Graphic Designer and In-House Designer at the Science Gallery, Dublin. Graduate of IADT, Dun Laoghaire
The Custom House Dublin 1 The Custom House is a neoclassical 18th-century building which houses the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
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The Resourceful City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Laurent Ney & Chris Poulissen, a Belgian Engineer / Architect practice, presented the process of designing Nijmegen’s new City Bridge. They spoke about the challenge to overcome popular opposition. Their process helped people see the opportunity. A critical element contributing to the success was the collaboration with an artist to integrate a monument to soldiers killed at the crossing during the Second World War. The presentation focused on ‘demanding more’ from infrastructure and getting it without adding cost. The practice believe that good design and materials don’t cost any more than poor design. It’s about connectivity and interaction and spotting the wider opportunities. Proposal: Guiding Principles for an Integral Approach Key points of the proposal: • • • • • • • • • •
Learn: from other cities experience. Identify: roles, champions and stakeholders. Facilitate: identify a facilitator. Communicate: develop a communication and marketing strategy. Commitment: ensure you have commitment of all stakeholders. Acknowledge: there is a need, a set of proposals. Quality: a connection between two areas not just a bridge. Partnership: not just public-private but public-public. Question: ask the right question to the right people. Finance: talk finance at the beginning.
Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • Bringing stakeholders together around a discussion on needs & requirements in the area • All stakeholders are represented. • A process of regular meetings with stakeholders. • Giving guiding principles how to best facilitate.
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Pilot Project Next Steps The outcome of the workshop is a set of guiding principles and a process that can be applied to Dublin City Council infrastructure and public realm works. There is a strong emphasis on public engagement. While there is no intention to proceed with a specific pilot project, Environment and Transportation is looking to integrate these principles as part of DCC’s current infrastructure planning and design methodology. There is an opportunity to apply them to the design of the new Docklands bridges in order to understand the bridges’ purpose beyond being physical connectors. The principles draw in wider questions on the purpose of making those connections. Is it to connect residents north of the river to work in the south east commercial quarter? Is it to effectively extend the south Docklands north of the river? What other social, cultural and economic ‘connections’ can be made?
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Economic: Making Cities Flow 12 THE LIVING CITY
Workshop Brief Question The provision of housing services is one of the principal functions of Dublin City Council, which maintains a property portfolio of over 26,000 dwellings within its administrative area. As the design, delivery and management of housing is increasingly been outsourced to third parties, how does the City Council ensure that housing supply is designed and constructed to the highest possible standards, and that the city receives the maximum return from public investment? Context In the past, Dublin City Council directly provided all its own housing stock, by designing, constructing and maintaining dwellings for rent (and possible later sale) to tenants. Today, much of the City Council’s housing provision is outsourced, through various delivery mechanisms such as PPP’s, Part V etc. However, high profile cases have emerged, which have unveiled deficiencies in these models. Cities similar to Dublin in the UK have utilised alternative methods of housing delivery and procurement -what can Dublin learn from these cities? What criteria is required when assessing applications from private developers to ensure the city obtains maximum value and best quality for all parties concerned? What could be piloted in 2015? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot initiative to guide Dublin City Council in procuring optimum quality and value public housing developments from the private sector.
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Participants Anthony McCaul Brendan Sullivan Claire McManus Deirdre Ni Rathallaigh Diarmaid Lawlor Gerry Geraghty Grainne Dunne Jeanette Lowe Karen Kennedy Karl Dieter Kate Joyce Luke Meehan Maura Connolly Neil Murphy Oisin Fagan Paul Dunne Paul Kearns Pauline Byrne Ray Gastil Stephen Byrne Stephen Musiol
Guest Speaker Ray Gastil
Chair Diarmaid Lawlor
DCC Client Gerard Geraghty
Visualiser Luke Meehan
Planner and urban designer who became City Planning Director for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Major initiatives for his department include neighbourhood planning, resilient waterfront communities, and complete streets.
Head of Urbanism with Architecture and Design Scotland. An urbanist, with a multi- disciplinary background, he has worked on projects in Ireland, the UK and Europe.
Executive Manager Housing & Residential Services
Student in Landscape Architecture, University College Dublin
The Central Bank of Ireland, Dame Street, Dublin 2 The Central Bank is the financial services regulator of Ireland. In 1967 Sam Stephenson was appointed to design the new headquarters.
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The Living City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Ray Gastil presented on strategic planning and housing strategies for Pittsburgh, a post industrial city that is now re-inventing itself. The tech sector is extremely important as a new economic driver. Strategies he presented included comprehensive mapping of vacant or distressed properties and an innovative methodology for targeting public investment, Market Value Analysis. He also presented on the significant programme of Neighbourhood Regeneration projects, all delivered through public-private partnerships. Proposal: Options for a new DCC Housing Development Model Mechanisms for this proposal include: • SPV - DCC: land, expertise plus private finance = annual dividend/return to DCC after 80 years. • MIXED MODE - DCC: sell land and co-ordinate delivery. Mix of SPV/traditional. • WHOLE PUBLIC SECTOR: Land and services Collaboration. Regulation approaches which could be used include: • • • •
Temporary zoning Performance zoning, Use it or lose it, Right of return to use Task force, Leverage existing flexibility Priorities, SDZ approach?
Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • • • • •
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Small tight group Strategic decisions Set priorities Power to make decisions 3-4 people
Pilot Project Next Steps The workshop outcome was a range of options, each of which put Dublin City Council in a leading role in design and delivery. There is no plan to proceed with a pilot project, however, the discussions can inform DCC’s thinking in the development of the Housing 2020 PPP project. Options: • Establish a SPV, recruit an equity partner, DCC design and develop housing project, equity partner receives confirmed yield over a prescribed period e.g. 6% over 30-40 years. • DCC develop site as mixed tenure/use and sell private residential/commercial units. • DCC devise terms of reference for a fast track project delivery mechanism including establishment of a project team that has autonomy of decision making. The purpose is to expedite the process and minimise the number of stakeholders (gatekeepers) e.g. define a stakeholder chain with a maximum number of stakeholders, e.g. three per stage of development process. The final option addresses a particularly problematic issue with delivery of public housing. Quality is central to any proposal to avoid previous mistakes made in fast track delivery e.g. Ballymun in late sixties.
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Environmental: Making Cities Lighter
13 THE COMPACT CITY
Workshop Brief Question New developments on brownfield sites in the city should be designed to increase and optimise residential densities. But how can we increase and optimise residential densities within the city’s existing housing stock of 3-4 bedroom private family homes? Context As demand for housing in Dublin is increasing, household size is decreasing: 50% of housing need in the future will be for 1 or 2 persons. While some of this future demand may be accommodated in new residential developments, large swathes of the existing city are characterised by low-rise 3-4 bedroom family homes, in suburban and inner suburban areas like Clontarf, Sutton and Marino. Many of these homes are now occupied by elderly parents. How can Dublin develop a housing model that encourages residents of these dwellings to make better use of existing underused residential space in the city? Could better incentives be created for residents to rent rooms to accommodate friends, family or students in their homes (and provide them with additional socio-economic benefits)? What would encourage more empty nesters to downsize and sell their homes to households or families in need of larger accommodation? How could it be made easier for residents with larger gardens to develop mews dwellings or other independent dwellings on site? Or to sub-divide or extend their homes to provide additional independent accommodation for rent? What could be piloted in 2015? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot initiative that demonstrates how we can increase and optimise residential densities within the city’s existing housing stock of 3-4 bedroom private family homes.
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Participants Adrienne Eacrett Aideen Elliott Cllr Andrew Montague Bryan Ward Christine de Baan Ger Craddock Grace Maguire Grainne Hassett John Casey John O’Hara John O’Shea Jonathan Bevan Madeleine Lyes Micheal O’Mara Órla Keane Philip Comerford Philip James Philip Maguire Robin Mandal Rosi Leonard Thomas Legge
DCC Client Philip Maguire
Guest Speaker Christine de Baan
Chair Grainne Hassett
Curator and editor of exhibitions, conferences and publications and Former executive director of the strategic internationalization programme ‘Dutch Design Fashion Architecture.
Manager Planning & Practising architect and founder of Hassett Economic Development Ducatez Architects. Senior Lecturer and member of the Advisory Board SAUL.
Visualiser Shelly Rourke Graduate in Architecture at University College Cork (2013)
City Assembly House, 58 South William Street, Dublin 2 The vision of the Irish Georgian Society is to conserve, protect and foster an interest and a respect for Ireland’s architectural heritage and decorative arts. City Assembly House was the first purpose built public art gallery in either Britain and Ireland.
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The Compact City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Christine De Baan, from the Netherlands presented on the varied and inventive approach the Dutch have to developing towns and cities. She showed examples of densification strategies and schemes ranging from Modular Housing, Micro Living, DIY Urban Renewal, Group Development and Self Build. She quoted a Dutch colleague “Its not about adding as many dwellings to the inner city as possible, the challenge is to increase the number of attractive houses in such a manner that the overall quality, liveability and microclimate of the inner city improves. Smart densification goes hand in hand with the upgrading and expansion of urban green...” Proposal: DIY Dublin’s Future Create an on-line enabling framework for citizen led densification. Benefits There’s an appetite for many different types of development: • Empty-nesters • Unlocking Georgian Dublin • Suburban self builds There are many obstacles to the realization of these ideas: • • • • • •
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Fire codes Planning uncertainty Financing Lack of expertise and knowledge Legal issues Imagining the possibilities
Pilot Project Next Steps There are no immediate plans to develop the outcomes, however, the workshop helped inform DCC’s consultations around the new Development Plan. In addition, external members of the workshop are planning to continue to research ideas generated, particularly around a scheme to allow people living in low-density suburbs to redevelop their houses, preferably in groups, into higher-density modern housing developments through a self-build model. They have also suggested a symposium on self-building in Dublin. This would bring together all the necessary stakeholders, with a view to discussing the technical (architectural and financial), regulatory (planning, guarantees, standards etc.) and political (getting local buy-in, governance) questions. It might be interesting to invite citizen-builders from the Netherlands to the symposium, to share their experiences with the Irish audience.
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Environmental: Making Cities Lighter
14 THE SUSTAINABLE CITY
Workshop Brief Question The Pigeon House power station and hotel site is an underused 2.2 hectare precinct on a small river dock close to the Poolbeg chimneys on the Poolbeg peninsula located in Dublin’s south east docklands. ‘It forms one of the most striking industrial architecture complexes in the city. The site and buildings have huge potential for reuse’, Shaffrey, Dublin Electricity Generating Station Conservation Plan and Reuse Study. In its planning application for the Poolbeg Waste to Energy plant adjacent, Dublin City Council undertook to ‘prepare a development brief in consultation with the local community and seek development proposals from the private sector’ for the Pigeon House site. What sustainable and inventive uses could be proposed for the Pigeon House Precinct, that could provide benefits to the local community and citizens of Dublin as a whole? What first steps can be taken towards preparing a Development Brief for 2015? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot initiative that demonstrates sustainability in action on the site of the Pigeon House Precinct; that can inform a site development brief and activate its transformation into a premier Dublin destination.
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Participants Arthur Huang Cllr Claire Byrne Darragh Lynch Cllr Dermot Lacey Eulich McGeown Grainne Shaffrey Helen Connolly Helen McNamara Joe Hayden Johnny Ryan Kate Cronin Mark Bennett Matt Carroll Neil McCabe Owen Keegan Pauline Riordan Sarah Miller SinĂŠad Cullen William Anthony Brennan
Guest Speaker Arthur Huang Based in Taipei and founder of Miniwiz in 2005. Arthur Huang is a university professor, engineer, architect and entrepreneur. Previous experience at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Pentagram Design.
Chair Kate Cronin
DCC Client Helen McNamara
Visualiser Eulich McGeown
Product designer and co founder of Obeo food waste box. She also founded Klickity a successful homewares design brand.
Senior Executive Officer Environment & Transportation
Visual Communications Student, Currently interning at Obeo.
Pigeon House Hotel Pigeon House Road, Dublin 4 Constructed in 1793 the Pigeon House Hotel embodies great feats of 18th century maritime engineering, military and industrial heritage.
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The Sustainable City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Arthur Huang spoke about projects he has been involved in through his design/engineering/ manufacturing/product marketing company MINIWIZ. Projects have included SDTI E-Waste Recycling Infrastructure with a façade and canopy system made from old computers; Taipei City’s Food Waste to Bio Ethanol programme; DaFung International Refuse Collection/Sorting Infrastructure Facility. Common characteristics among these projects are that there is no waste generated or left, and that there is cross-disciplinary collaboration between government and creatives. An overarching principle for Arthur is that Waste is a Resource. Proposal: Create a Powerhouse to Use existing resources to remake the future. This will: • Produce: Food Cultivation • Renovate: Tourism • Reuse: Resource Innovation Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • • • • • • • • •
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Job Creation Local Food Production and Consumption Promoting Health & Recreation Protecting Biodiversity New Urban Tourism Create New Materials (I.P.) & Real Value from Waste Recover Heritage, Buildings & the Place Circular Economy Reconnecting the City to Peninsula
Pilot Project Next Steps The workshop objective was to kick start the production of a development brief for the Pigeon House Power Station. While there is general agreement regarding the site’s potential, the cost of refurbishment into a public landmark is prohibitive when set against the site’s inaccessibility and surrounding heavy industrial uses. The adjoining ESB site also needs to be included in any ambitious redevelopment. The workshop discussion focused on potential uses not previously considered in feasibility studies, particularly innovative ways of recycling / up-cycling waste. A pilot project under consideration is to lease an ancillary building such as the Laboratory as creative studio space. The focus here is on start-ups or SME’s producing innovative environmental products or operations. DCC Environment Department reps have met a group of SME’s who are currently looking for studio and event space to assess how this might work. DCC is also looking to identify steps required for production of a vision document. This would include approaches to public consultation which actively encourage visitors to the site.
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Environmental: Making Cities Lighter
15 THE REGENERATED CITY
Workshop Brief Question The regeneration strategy of existing flat complexes in the city until recently consisted of demolition and redevelopment. This is generally no longer viable for economic reasons however, and the focus is now on refurbishing existing blocks to a high standard. How do we decide what to retain, refurbish and replace, and how does social regeneration factor in and influence these decisions? Context It is proposed to refurbish a number of flat complexes in the city, and improve their energy efficiency through retrofitting under the JESSICA programme. Many of these flat complexes relate poorly to the adjoining streetscape and may use the existing site inefficiently, hence infill buildings may be proposed as part of the refurbishment strategy. A number of these complexes are located on prime city centre sites. The Dorset St. Flats is one example, located 5 minutes from O’Connell St. While previously this site may have been seen as peripheral, the surrounding area will soon be transformed with a new LUAS (tram) line running nearby, and the proposed extension of the ‘Civic Spine’ to run from O’Connell St through Parnell Square and onto the new DIT campus at Grangegorman. The Parnell Square area itself will be redeveloped into a Cultural Quarter, and will be the location of Dublin’s new City Library. But is refurbishing these flats money well spent? When is it better to demolish and redevelop these sites so they achieve higher densities, provide a more coherent streetscape, comply with contemporary building regulations and residential space standards? At what point is refurbishing and retro-fitting throwing good money after bad? In tandem with physical urban regeneration, how can social regeneration influence what should be retained, refurbished or replaced? Community engagement is predicated on the promise of extensive redevelopment. What pilot project could be undertaken in 2015 to motivate residents around the long-term regeneration of their existing homes and without necessitating significant investment? How can the City Council refocus their expectations and regenerate in a new way? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that motivates residents around the long-term regeneration of their existing homes, using the Dorset Street Flat complex as a model.
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Participants Andrew Nugent Celine Reilly Chris Galvin Clare Brass Faolan Bashford Gina Lovett Hannah Breshears Helen Meany Hugh McKenna Joe Donohoe Justin O’Brien Lisa Smith Mel Gardener Merlo Kelly Paul Altman Sean Smith Simon O’Rafferty Stefan Lowe Tina Robinson William Scott Ygraine Bright
Guest Speaker Clare Brass
Chair Simon O’Rafferty
DCC Client Celine Reilly
Visualiser Ygraine Bright
Designer and head of SustainRCA, a crossdepartmental centre for sustainability at the Royal College of Art. Senior Design Tutor in Innovation Design Engineering
Design researcher and social design practitioner. Published widely on design, design policy and sustainability and active in a number of grassroots initiatives
Executive Manager Housing & Residential Services
Currently studying Graphic Design having previously completed a BA in Music Technology and Anthropology, NUI Maynooth.
F2 Community Centre Fatima 3, Reuben Plaza, Dublin 8 The F2 Community Centre is a flagship purpose-built facility established in June 2010 as the successor to the Fatima Regeneration Board.
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The Regenerated City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Clare Brass is a designer who supports the creation of positive social and environmental futures with students and businesses. She was Leader of Sustainability at the UK Design Council before setting up SEED Foundation, exploring design-led entrepreneurship. Clare presented on the importance of starting with a vision as key to a regeneration journey and the need to be positive: “Desirability is something that advocates of sustainable development are not very good at”. Proposal Vision Statement: St Mary’s Place is a sustainable, self-sufficient and resilient community driven by social enterprise that harnesses local talent and connected to the wider urban environment. • • • • • • • •
Deep retrofit and bring scheme up standards Relationship with street and original urban grain Explore options for higher density using existing space Address anti-social behaviour through design Place-making, positive identity, landmark Identify and build on skills inherent in the community Stimulate and support entrepreneurial activity Co-design with community
Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • Economically viable- fits in with existing proposals from city council. • Socially viable- motivates residents around long-term regeneration. • Possible space for ground floor development-workshop spaces, community support centre • Capacity for self-sufficiency- community gardens and allotments • Designing out anti-social behaviour “They are a community in waiting”
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Pilot Project Next Steps The subject site for the workshop was the proposed refurbishment of the Dorset Street public housing complex, in particular the retrofit project for two blocks on the east perimeter at St Mary Place. The outcome of the workshop was a set of recommendations for how DCC might approach community engagement around a vision for the longer term regeneration. DCC Housing and City Architects have been developing the retrofit project. A design team will be appointed mid 2015 to progress the work. The Housing Department will take the recommendations from the Hidden Rooms Day to inform the project brief.
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Environmental: Making Cities Lighter
16 THE FAIR CITY
Workshop Brief Question The Campshires located along Dublin’s Liffey quays possibly comprise some of the greatest amenity spaces in Dublin, however their maximum potential has not yet been fully realised particularly by local residents. What interventions could be introduced so that the campshires could become Dublin’s principal amenity attraction? Context Dublin’s campshires are an industrial maritime legacy which were formerly used for loading and unloading ships docked along the river quays. Since the late 1990’s, an extensive programme of investment has been undertaken to develop its public realm with new paving, lighting, parks, cycle tracks and public sculpture, and a Docklands Campshire Vision was published by the Dublin Docklands Authority in 2007. The surrounding Docklands area itself has been redeveloped and regenerated into a world class business, residential and entertainment district for Dublin. Major private attractions in the area include the Point Theatre, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and the National Convention Centre, which are well serviced by Docklands Railway station, Dublinbikes and a LUAS (tram). The area is further endowed with a number of iconic bridges including the Samuel Beckett and the Sean O’Casey which connect the north and south Campshires. The Campshires along the river Liffey present themselves as the principal thoroughfare through the Docklands area, however their usability may be compromised at times e.g. by unguarded quaysides and the exposed environment which may impact on the provision of some amenities. What interventions or catalysts could be introduced to transform the campshires into Dublin’s premier destination and amenity attraction, particularly for local residents? What could be trialled in 2015? Objective Devise a 2015 pilot project that could demonstrate the amenity value of the Campshires particularly for local residents and activate its transformation into a premier Dublin destination.
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Participants Betty Ashe Cian Harte Colin Farmer Deirdre Black Deirdre Scully Derry Solon Dina Ryan Dolores Wilson Esther Gerrard Frances Corr Gerard Meaney Hayley Farrell Marion Keogh Mark Costello Michelle Fagan Niall Byrnes Paul Clegg Roisin Byrne Ruth Williams Stephanie Fy Thomas Ermacora
Guest Speaker Thomas Ermacora
Chair Esther Gerrard
DCC Client Paul Clegg
Visualiser Dina Ryan
Founder of tactical urban design nonprofit Clear Village, specializing in participatory regeneration projects across Europe having trained as an urbanist and geographer. Also founder of Limewharf, a cultural innovation centre in London.
Landscape Architect and Project Manager, Elements of Action. Director and Curator at Bloomfringe Festival, Dublin.
Executive Manager Dublin Docklands
Studied Architecture in UCD and also Permaculture and Green-Building in Cloughjordan Eco Village.
Waterways Ireland Visitor Centre, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2 Waterways Ireland is charged with the management, maintenance, development and restoration of certain inland navigable waterway systems throughout the island of Ireland.
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The Fair City Workshop Outcomes Guest Speaker Thomas Ermacora is an architect who specialises in placemaking, with focus on ‘Tactical Urbanism’ i.e. small interventions to cause large ripples. He described his work in this area: recoding to maximise place capital. Approaches such as Creative Disruption, Participatory Design Process, DIY Urbanism bring benefits: community buy-in, greening and improved urban environment, cost efffective branding. His projects Limewharf Cultural Centre, Regent Canal Local Node, Bedfords Walled Garden, aimed at converting neglected heritage into experiential public realm.
Proposal: Floating Swimming Pool • Potential first element in Esplanade Strategy • Location is flexible; (Grand Canal or North Quays) • Swimming, diving, water sports • Provides animation, attraction, destination Benefits The group identified the following benefits: • Combined Amenity • Provides an attraction to draw people in • Appeals to Locals and visitors, tourists • Transforms the Docklands • Gives character and a new playful interactive function • The nodes of interaction along the walkway • Encourage people to use the route • Catalyst • Interventions • Can be trialled on a small scale • Provides Activity
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Pilot Project Next Steps The workshop pilot proposal, to create a temporary swimming pool in the Grand Canal Dock, was one of the most commented on projects following the City Hall presentation. The DCC planning team, who led the workshop, found the workshop very valuable, particularly in relation to the Docklands Public Realm Strategy currently being commissioned. A preferred location for a temporary pool would be the river, not the canal harbour. We will continue to investigate the viability of this pilot proposal and examine similar international projects. This could be incorporated in the Public Realm Strategy.
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Marino
Fairview
East Wall
Grangegorman
IFSC
Ringsend
The Coombe
Sandymo
Ballsbridge Ranelagh Harold’s Cross Rathmines
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