Green Copper Cladding in Galway?

Amazotheamazing

Can anyone please explain the rapid growth of this detestable material? For years it was just the Cathedral and the Quad that were known for their copper roofs, then GMIT win an award for their (exceptional) design and suddenly it's everywhere. It's infected the new Eyre Square, it's sceptic looking down by the claddagh, pretty sure it features in the new campus at St. Anthony's, the Eye Cinema, every other apartment block. It just seems to be an easy way to make an ugly building look worse but more eye-catching.

Sure it's time to call a halt to this practice before the whole city glows green?

IronMan

The original owner of the Eye did not want to have copper cladding on the outside of the building. He told the Corporation of his wishes. He was shot dead only 4 days later.
It appears to be in some planning guidelines for the city, I heard Keith Finnegan discuss it with some architect/designer one morning. It’s supposed to reflect a modern vibrant city, which is also in touch with its maritime past. In reality, it is overused and ugly. Having left Galway about 2 years ago, its only when I return that I see the scandalous development that has gone on in the city centre. Worse than any other city in Ireland. Being modern for modern’s sake. The buildings have made Galway look and feel like a generic English high street. But hey it’s the celtic tiger kids, short-sightedness in the pursuit of money is the way forward!

padi89

IronMan wrote:

The original owner of the Eye did not want to have copper cladding on the outside of the building. He told the Corporation of his wishes. He was shot dead only 4 days later.
Having left Galway about 2 years ago, its only when I return that I see the scandalous development that has gone on in the city centre.

Two years? Galways had dodgy development for the last 20 years,no thanks to the old brown envelopes.Im not too mad on the copper cladding either , GMIT was done well but i didnt expect everywhere else to follow suit.

IronMan

Oh I realise it has always had dodgy developments, I find the estate in Wellpark has me reaching for the prozac anytime I pass it. Its just that not living there, and returning every so often makes you realise 'Christ, that's an ugly building, I never quite realised how much so when I lived beside it'. GMIT is nice though, it suits its location.

Amazotheamazing

I think the standard of building in the entire country is notably poor, but I'm baffled by the spate of architectural vandalism that is the green copper. Does anyone honestly believe it will look good in 10 or 20 years time? Even the tourist booth in Eyre sq is looking dirty and aged after only 6 months.

Sponge Bob

BUT HEAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the green stuff is called VERDIGRIS and is what you get when you expose copper coloured copper to rainwater.

Were you to do them buildings in copper coloured copper they would end up with VERDIGRIS in about 2 years given how much it rains in Galway.

Your objection should therefore be to all forms of external copper cladding or roofing copper not to Green Copper .

I must admit the new GMIT is about 8700% less ugly than the old GMIT hidden behind it.

po0k

IronMan wrote:

But hey it’s the celtic tiger kids, short-sightedness in the pursuit of money is the way forward!

What's changed in ~400 years?

IronMan

Apart from the falling out of favour of wider society, wearing pantaloons? Very little I suppose.

Amazotheamazing

Sponge Bob wrote:

BUT HEAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the green stuff is called VERDIGRIS and is what you get when you expose copper coloured copper to rainwater.

Were you to do them buildings in copper coloured copper they would end up with VERDIGRIS in about 2 years given how much it rains in Galway.

Your objection should therefore be to all forms of external copper cladding or roofing copper not to Green Copper .

I must admit the new GMIT is about 8700% less ugly than the old GMIT hidden behind it.

No it shouldn't. Firstly, this treated copper is supposed to be impossible to clean so any ground level copper will need to be covered over or replaced when it gets unspeakably dirty. Secondly, the normal copper does not turn luminous green, the verdigris copper is more vomit coloured than natural coloured, thirdly, whereas it was originally attractive due it's relative scarcity, now it's everywhere, and very often, just being used to mask a completely nondescript building, damaging the good uses of it.

Sponge Bob

Amazotheamazing wrote:

No it shouldn't. Firstly, this treated copper is supposed to be impossible to clean so any ground level copper will need to be covered over or replaced when it gets unspeakably dirty.

a blasht of water from a powerhose will do it, sure the cathedral is up for 40 years and there is hardly a pigeon sh1te mark anywhere on it

Secondly, the normal copper does not turn luminous green, the verdigris copper is more vomit coloured than natural coloured,

Oh YES it does, save in the Sahara obviously .

thirdly, whereas it was originally attractive due it's relative scarcity, now it's everywhere, and very often, just being used to mask a completely nondescript building, damaging the good uses of it.

I disagrees with you there but purely from an aesthetic viewpoint. Galway is basically wet and we should accentuate all forms of oxidisation in our natural environment as a consequence.

If we must ban oxidisation we should bring in a by law against iron oxide as well and enforce it fearlessly and with no favour just like we ban bucky bottles .

3 schpots (or schtrikes) of rusht and you are out .......sez this Sponge !

Amazotheamazing

Sponge Bob wrote:

a blasht of water from a powerhose will do it, sure the cathedral is up for 40 years and there is hardly a pigeon sh1te mark anywhere on it

Oh YES it does, save in the Sahara obviously .

I disagrees with you there but purely from an aesthetic viewpoint. Galway is basically wet and we should accentuate all forms of oxidisation in our natural environment a s a consequence.

If we mys ban oxidisation we should bring ina by law against iron oxide as well and enforce it fearlessly wnd with no favour like we ban buck bottles.

3 schpots (or schtrikes) of rusht and you are out .......sez this Sponge !

There's a difference between the naturally green copper on the cathedral and the new green colour, they most certainly aren't the same colour.

Secondly, is copper even a good feature? imo it looks awful, it looks cheap and ugly.

galwaytt

I know ye hate it, but any idea where I can buy it? thinking of making a, well, sculpture of some sort, and would like to try and work it in.....