Open House 2013

Loafing Oaf

http://openhousedublin.com/

Anyone checked this out in previous years? Would love to look round Google cos I live in the area but am wondering would high-profile tours like this be hard to get onto?

Maldesu

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

http://openhousedublin.com/

Anyone checked this out in previous years? Would love to look round Google cos I live in the area but am wondering would high-profile tours like this be hard to get onto?

Looks like its a lottery for some of them, google included, so you've as good a chance as anyone else

donvito99

Did it a few years back and would highly recommend.

L1011

No Busaras this year, oh well - its usually one of the lottery tours. Put in for the other ones I wanted.

wowy

Went to the top of Liberty Hall last year; well worth it, especially if you get a nice day.

smellmepower

Some cool stuff there!

Loafing Oaf

Maldesu wrote: »

Looks like its a lottery for some of them, google included, so you've as good a chance as anyone else

Oh yes I see now how it works. Must have a look at a few of the open access ones if Google doesn't work out...

Maldesu

I think one of the mystery tours will be Dublin Castle. Any ideas about the other two?

schemingbohemia

Maldesu wrote: »

I think one of the mystery tours will be Dublin Castle. Any ideas about the other two?

No, it's like, a mystery.

miamee

Thanks for the reminder OP, I have just entered loads of the lotteries! In previous years, tickets for tours that were restricted on numbers would be open on a particular day around this time and it was first come, first served via online booking - the site always crashed, it was a bit difficult to say the least.

I notice some buildings that have been very popular are missing this year so I am wondering if any of them are the mystery buildings?

I'll spoiler them just in case

One I know always booked out right away is the Provost's House in Trinity at the end of Grafton Street.

Last year there were huge queues for the Rates Office on Lord Edward Street next to City Hall as well; it was it's first time in Open House. Not sure what a third might be, these are only guesses!

ETA: Actually the Rates Office has now been added and is again first come, first served so it's not one of the Mystery Buildings like I thought earlier They must still be adding things (or I totally missed it earlier )

Collie D

wowy wrote: »

Went to the top of Liberty Hall last year; well worth it, especially if you get a nice day.

Would love that but not on this year's list. Was it a mystery one when you went up or listed? Have entered lottery for Croke Park Skyline tour, been meaning to do it anyway but even better if it's for free

Bandara

I'm a bit lost here guys, could someone explain what the story is with this ?

Thanks

LXFlyer

Just click on the link in the OP and you will find all the information that you need.

alastair

miamee wrote: »

Not sure what a third might be, these are only guesses!

It's a 'modern beauty in south Dublin'. I'd say it's Ronnie Tallon's house in Foxrock.


http://www.stwarchitects.com/project-information.php?p=06812

edit - Strike that - it's 'A beautiful example of contemporary architecture' in South Dublin - could be anything.

Miss Lockhart

Really disappointed that Liberty Hall is not on the list.

Doop

Open house Dublin - on this weekend, has been very good previous years,
although my personal highlight from last year -Liberty Hall- isnt on the list this year.

http://openhousedublin.com/

Maldesu

Did anyone get a confirmation about going to the lottery buildings?

Loafing Oaf

Maldesu wrote: »

Looks like its a lottery for some of them, google included, so you've as good a chance as anyone else

Turns out I didn't but my sister did. But she only applied because I asked her so as to double my own chances and I'm her guest so it's all good.:p

We're going on Saturday at 3, I hope it's obvious where the tour starts from: it's a big complex and there's always tons of people milling round...

Miss Lockhart

Guess I didn't get any of the lottery buildings I applied for then. Disappointed!

carlmango11

I won entry for 2 to the Croke Park skyline thing. Woop wooop

Piriz

i won entry to the Central Bank on Saturday... have to bring proof of id due to the nature of the building... was in the Houses of the Oireachtas for Culture Night...
the last few years in a row i tried to get into Liberty Hall always to arrive as they were finishing...disappointed it is not on this year...although with the forecast for rain all weekend the views might be crap anyway..
Went to BusAras last year and its a great building... worth a visit...
Went to the Customs House too...meh..
Sometimes during the year the Freemasons building on Moldsworth Street is open for different events...i went to a night of short movies for free...its a great building to visit...i love the Stonecutters!

Davidth88

I too won the lottery for the Central Bank ..... really looking forward to it !


Great idea .

oconnoao

I got tickets for the Croke Park Skyline, thanks to the OP - I only applied when I saw this thread! Does anyone have suggestions for good walk-in buildings for the weekend? I'm thinking of checking out City Hall on Sunday.

miamee

Got tickets for Dr. Steeven's Hospital and my friend got them for the Irish Stock Exchange. We are each other's plus ones, both tomorrow. Should be good!

Maldesu

I got Steeven's Hospital and a friend got Google (but shes taking someone else)

Loafing Oaf

So Google was pretty cool, if not quite the 'David Brent on acid' scenario I had envisioned. The swings and the football tables were their alright, but off in their own little cubby holes. The way the guide was explaining, you could see a genuine professional rationale for all the fancy lampshades and bean bags and so on. If I was a ten-year-old, I could see me orienting my entire career path to getting into such a cool workplace.

Speaking of kids, the security guard told us lots of people hadn't grasped the lottery thing and just turned up assuming they could get in, even family groups travelling up from Limerick or Waterford and the like. Of course it ended up with kids being turned away in tears...

Piriz

went to Central Bank this morning (lottery)... interesting building...went into the lobby, the third and seventh floor...the third floor is fairly open plan entirely surrounded by glass walls with great views, however the views from Patrick Honohan's office were spectacular over looking the north and west of Dublin from the seventh floor... also they gave everyone a briquette of shredded money...apparently its about E20,000...its cool!

miamee

I have my feet worn away with all the walking today! Irish Stock Exchange was quite interesting and a beautiful building inside (well the bit we saw - the old trading floor, now a large conference & function room), Dr. Steevens' Hospital was also worth the visit. They were our two lottery tours.

After this we did the Rates Office, interesting but you only see the staircase and one room; Trinity Innovation Centre on Foster Place, fantastic inside, again just one large room open to the public and the tour guides were just students there, they didn't know a whole lot; DIT Cathal Brugha Street, an art deco 1930s building, not my choice, it was ok but I wouldn't bother going back. We tried to get the last tour of GPO then at 4pm but it was full. As it turned out, they only go into the main foyer of the building where everyone is buying stamps anyway and then into the museum which was free to go around today (normally €2) so we just had a wander round in there ourselves.

Might do a couple more tomorrow

Maldesu

Well, my lottery was Steeven's Hospital which was nice - no free money or crying kids though. Big courtyard in the middle which would be beautiful to relax in on nice days. Plaster work on the ceiling was taken from a house that was demolishing and the stairs came from another place. The highlight was the Edward Worth Library which hasn't been interfered with, loads of books in cases, most in Latin and mainly botany from what I heard.

Managed to get to the Anatomy lab in TCD and the Market in Mary's Street too. All that running around has me ready for a nap.

miamee

Ooh were the Anatomy Lab and the Fruit & Veg market worth seeing? They were both on my list of things I wanted to see; I must check if they are both open tomorrow or not.

Maldesu

The lab was fun enough but a lot of the cool toys were covered in bubblewrap. There is half a head in formaldehyde, a heart and a cows heart. Some skeletal remains but not much as parts have been sectioned off.

Market was ok. The building itself is very impressive but the inside is getting loads of work done to it so its filled with scaffold - staff seemed really happy it was getting attention though and were really putting the idea out that there is a lot of work going into the project to promote small business, regeneration etc. - It'll be amazing when its finished.

Davidth88

Piriz wrote: »

went to Central Bank this morning (lottery)... interesting building...went into the lobby, the third and seventh floor...the third floor is fairly open plan entirely surrounded by glass walls with great views, however the views from Patrick Honohan's office were spectacular over looking the north and west of Dublin from the seventh floor... also they gave everyone a briquette of shredded money...apparently its about E20,000...its cool!

I was there too.

Very good tour indeed , my briquette is sitting on my desk .

Interesting building .

miamee

Just as an FYI, Open House 2014 will be on 17th - 19th October next: http://openhousedublin.com/

I think the lotteries have already been done - am going to Central Bank with a friend as her plus one - but most of them you can just turn up to. Liberty Hall is back on the list by the way and if the weather is clear, it is well worth it for the view from the top

Maldesu

miamee wrote: »

Just as an FYI, Open House 2014 will be on 17th - 19th October next: http://openhousedublin.com/

I think the lotteries have already been done - am going to Central Bank with a friend as her plus one - but most of them you can just turn up to. Liberty Hall is back on the list by the way and if the weather is clear, it is well worth it for the view from the top

Guess this means I didn't get a place then. I tried for the bank too. Might check out Liberty Hall if the views are good.

miamee

I guess not, she just got the email confirming the two spots this morning.

miamee

I got to a good few things on Saturday at this. Well, I think 4

Richmond Hospital - more to see on the outside than the inside but interesting nevertheless in my opiniion.

Central bank - worth it for the views from the top floor alone.

TCD School of Midwifery - formerly Gas Company, D'Olier St - this was actually one of my favourites, the inside was unexpectedly decadent and unusual with coffin shaped doors and other Egyptian inspired motifs, a mock Tudor building out the back facing onto the now-closed Leinster Way. Beautiful and luckily very quiet too so there were just two of us on the tour

Iveagh House - worth the wait (almost an hour I think). An absolutely stunning interior. I had been there as a child so knew it was beautiful but wow. Definitely go if you ever get the chance.

The only thing I planned to see on Sunday was 9/9a Aungier Street but thanks to the ridiculous amount of press it got, the queues were mental so I gave it a miss. It was open 12-3pm yesterday, a friend joined the queue at 11.30am and got inside at 2.50pm :eek: It should have been a lottery tour really...maybe will get to see it next year or some other time.

Piriz

I posted in this thread last year and I'm back with more...
This year I finally got to the top of Liberty Hall and got some great photos, on Saturday I went to AirB&B office...was really interesting interior and well thought out..the architect was there to explain the ideas and staff gave other info...seems like a great place to work...
ON Sat I visited Liberty Hall had to que for over an hour but its was worth it.. , The Convension Centre (fairly boring...left half way through the tour...but glad i got to see the scale of the rooms inside...
We went to Dublin Port next and were welcomed by some great volunteers...they offered tea and coffee and the tour was brilliant..one lady spoke about the development plan for the port for the next 25 years and we went up to the 5th floor (i think) and seen the board rooms, etc and the views are great...as is the art around the building...
Finally, we went to the Nest House in North Strand...a simple looking house from the outside but a master redesign of space and features on the inside...a spectacular place to visit...the owner of the house was there talking with visitors... a great Open House... would love to see the Bord Gas Energy Theatre on the list next year...