Are Irish people aesthetically challenged?

fatknacker · 08-06-2015 03:59PM

Yes of course.

And no repo man's gonna attempt to take a house with an anchor attached.
Could you imagine! Hah

BoatMad · 08-06-2015 04:06PM

The main issue in Ireland is that unlike say in the UK , planning has concentrated on the basic right to build or not , with little impact in the design.

In fact it goes more then that , with many planning authorities perpetuating the dormer bungalow over two story building or proclaiming that houses should be finished in plain render or white and grey tiles ( aka Wicklow ). This has led to a complete lack of innovation , and a focus on size rather then exterior design qualities.

This isn't helped by the prevailing attitude that if you have extra money you build bigger rather then better

By the way i'd prefer stone cladding any day over render

08-06-2015 04:14PM

The ubiquitous dormer bungalow is a blight on the Irish landscape. I hate them. The more peacefully pastoral the setting, the more likely some monstrosity with a deep gable roof and velux windows is to pock it.

awec · 08-06-2015 04:15PM

IMO render walls are fugly the majority of the time.

Inside of houses is just as bad btw. People focus too much on making things bigger rather than making them better.

jester77 · 09-06-2015 09:29AM

smash wrote: »

I'm always amazed when someone builds a nice big house and then doesn't bother to paint it. Feckin concrete coloured houses all over the place.

My sister bought such a house, mgmt rules say they are not allowed to paint it :eek:

BoatMad · 10-06-2015 01:09PM

Both the dormer bungalow and unpainted rendering are a function of the planning authorities. The former stems from counties that make it difficult to construct two story houses ( as of there arnt any 2 story Victorian rural houses) and the latter from some bizarre dislike of brick finishes and the fact that many planners think all houses should look like they are on the blasket Islands

SpaceTime · 10-06-2015 01:13PM

I think you've also got to accept that different places have different concepts of aesthetics. I actually find Ireland can be really similar to some Nordic countries and parts of North America. Our concept of aesthetics is about expression of individualism a lot of the time.

I don't find Irish housing or buildings are particularly ugly. The place to me looks very "wealthy" and has a nice lifestyle expressed in the architecture which is mostly about practicality and space.

I've lived in a few countries and none of them have perfect aesthetics or planning. ugly buildings everywhere unfortunately!

SpaceTime · 10-06-2015 01:19PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

What where the Americans expecting ? 20 People in a horse and cart ?

Beware of a certain generation of American tourists thinking the world is Disneyland full of stereotypical characters.

I have heard comments in France like that someone was disappointed that there were so many cars and modern things and I've heard comments in Ireland from Americans that actually bordered on serious racism against hotel staff. I witnessed a woman telling a hotel manager that "I didn't come to Ireland to be served drinks by some chinaman"

She actually lodged this as a formal complaint with the hotel manager!!! The manager was far too polite about it too!

Countries are places where people live, not ethnic theme parks. Tourism in Ireland is also in reality not a major industry that we dependent (2.7% of GDP) on so, don't expect to be presented with O'Ireland of a bygone era or totally pandered to - it's just one of many economic activities. Life goes on, you're visiting partially to experience that really when you go anywhere.

I'm not saying that tourism isn't important or shouldn't be focused on but I just find that a certain small % of US tourists in particular can have a bit of a "we're here to give your peasants out great $' type of approach when visiting Europe and it often backfires horribly...

BoatMad · 10-06-2015 01:25PM

SpaceTime wrote: »

I think you've also got to accept that different places have different concepts of aesthetics. I actually find Ireland can be really similar to some Nordic countries and parts of North America. Our concept of aesthetics is about expression of individualism a lot of the time.

I don't find Irish housing or buildings are particularly ugly. The place to me looks very "wealthy" and has a nice lifestyle expressed in the architecture which is mostly about practicality and space.

I've lived in a few countries and none of them have perfect aesthetics or planning. ugly buildings everywhere unfortunately!

I agree with this, I've recently taken to traversing the greater south east and midlands again and I see many lovely new houses in rural areas, actually the countryside and many small towns look very prosperous compared to my similar travels in the early 80 s

There is no doubt also that modern houses building standards are far better then heretofore too.

PressRun · 10-06-2015 01:31PM

I never really understand people who decide to stick up huge, super-modern houses in the middle of tiny rural villages. When I was growing up someone built a house down the road from us, a huge monstrosity with just the weirdest design (I couldn't tell where the front or the back of the house was supposed to be) and huge windows that ran the whole height of the house from the ground to the roof. It stuck out like a sore thumb in an area occupied by little traditional cottages and farms. Some people just seem to have no regard for how something is going to blend with the surroundings. Rather than building a house that will fit with a country setting, they just plonk whatever bizarre idea they have into the middle of a rural environment and think nothing of it.

SpaceTime · 10-06-2015 01:35PM

I just think you have to accept that our aesthetic is about individualism really and you're going to see bright colours and different looking buildings.

To me, that's what 21st century Ireland is all about and it's one of the things that I find very attractive about it.

Oddly enough Iceland, Norway and Canada give me that vibe too. So does NZ and Australia.

Ireland isn't like parts of continental Europe our buildings are mostly a lot younger, our ideas of housing are also quite different too.

Speaking from experience too, a lot of rural French villages lose their charm on a cold winters day when everything is damp, dark, unpainted, gloomy and people are all hidden behind shutters. It's days like that I prefer the chaos and colours of an Irish village or Reykjavik or anywhere cheerful tbh!

There's a certain hustle, bustle and vibrancy about most Irish towns and cities that is really nice. It's a kind of braced to the wild weather of the Atlantic feeling that you also get in Iceland and parts of Scotland too.

Things are open, buildings are bright to the point of being a bit garish and shops and bars are a bit bonkers but that's what makes the place.

BoatMad · 10-06-2015 01:37PM

PressRun wrote: »

I never really understand people who decide to stick up huge, super-modern houses in the middle of tiny rural villages. When I was growing up someone built a house down the road from us, a huge monstrosity with just the weirdest design (I couldn't tell where the front or the back of the house was supposed to be) and huge windows that ran the whole height of the house from the ground to the roof. It stuck out like a sore thumb in an area occupied by little traditional cottages and farms. Some people just seem to have no regard for how something is going to blend with the surroundings. Rather than building a house that will fit with a country setting, they just plonk whatever bizarre idea they have into the middle of a rural environment and think nothing of it.

Planners are mostly failed or frustrated architects. They hate " pastiche" design. Hence it's easier for example to stick a modern " funky" steel and glass monstrosity unto a period house then simply " duplicate" the original design

They will also state they are looking for divergence of styles and designs , hence the tendency to submit such schemes.

Very little design in Ireland of one off housing isn't influenced by " what's the views of the planners "

I was involved in a design in a sensitive area surrounded by trees. The planners rejected designs that tried to blend in , but wanted a " statement " roof etc.

Funny world !

Voodoomelon · 10-06-2015 01:42PM

Interiors are the worst in my view. Such a huge percentage of houses built in the last 15 years or so have the same distinct layout, the same exposed pine doors, architraves and skirting, cheap laminate flooring and toy like fireplaces. Boilers in kitchens, office style radiators throughout with exposed copper piping and plastic fantastic switches, sockets, external doors and windows everywhere.

Horrible stuff altogether.

/ snobbery

SpaceTime · 10-06-2015 01:44PM

The biggest issue with ugly here is actually the housing estates. I'm quite happy with the mad individualistic stuff it's the boring, built to a price, suburbs with unimaginative repedeitve housing that I don't like.

Those bland looking white 1950s suburban homes you get in a lot of parts of Dublin, Cork and elsewhere just annoy me.

BoatMad · 10-06-2015 01:54PM

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Interiors are the worst in my view. Such a huge percentage of houses built in the last 15 years or so have the same distinct layout, the same exposed pine doors, architraves and skirting, cheap laminate flooring and toy like fireplaces. Boilers in kitchens, office style radiators throughout with exposed copper piping and plastic fantastic switches, sockets, external doors and windows everywhere.

Horrible stuff altogether.

/ snobbery

Please give the cash strapped builders and buyers of such one off houses your extra money so they can indulge in 50k designer kitchens

I've been in loads of new houses. What exposed copper , most of it is qualplex, office style rads , what ya on about

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 10-06-2015 02:55PM

On my way to work I used to walk past a bright blue house somewhere in Cork city (I think it was around the lough) that had a tarmac-ed yard just lousy with stone eagles and gnomes and lions, and a miniature yacht (a boat seriously about ten or twelve foot long at a push, but designed to look like a yacht). Big fcuk off sign on the gate, according to which the place was named 'Valhalla'

10-06-2015 03:16PM

When I lived in a leafy part of south Dublin, we got new neighbours in down the road in a very pretty Edwardian house. They started renovating by removing the lovely original sash windows and installing upvc ones, putting in a pvc hall door, and fake Victorian street lamp on the newly brick paved walkway from the garage to the house. They finished off by painting the railings black, with gold tips, a la Buck Palace. The finishing touch was a boulder with the name of the house etched in black on it 'Balmoral' - what else?

Never met the occupants, but I'm fairly sure they were called Bucket.

They've since moved on and the house was painstakingly de-uPVC'd and crazy-paved, the lamp post retired and the boulder removed. It was like the house cheated on it's elegant wife with a blousy floozy, only to return when the novelty wore off.

BoatMad · 10-06-2015 04:32PM

Candie wrote: »

When I lived in a leafy part of south Dublin, we got new neighbours in down the road in a very pretty Edwardian house. They started renovating by removing the lovely original sash windows and installing upvc ones, putting in a pvc hall door, and fake Victorian street lamp on the newly brick paved walkway from the garage to the house. They finished off by painting the railings black, with gold tips, a la Buck Palace. The finishing touch was a boulder with the name of the house etched in black on it 'Balmoral' - what else?

Never met the occupants, but I'm fairly sure they were called Bucket.

They've since moved on and the house was painstakingly de-uPVC'd and crazy-paved, the lamp post retired and the boulder removed. It was like the house cheated on it's elegant wife with a blousy floozy, only to return when the novelty wore off.

believe this experience is not unique to Ireland in any way

Herb Powell · 10-06-2015 11:01PM

partyguinness wrote: »

Well the Celtic Tiger certainly did not help. There was such a rush to build that any old design rubbish was good enough.

No thought or imagination whatsoever. TBH- I don't think we really cared.

Sure we were all going to sell on for a huge profit in a few months anyway so why waste the time...:rolleyes:

We all partied

whisky_galore · 10-06-2015 11:03PM

BoatMad wrote: »

There is no doubt also that modern houses building standards are far better then heretofore too.

Yeah, that's if they're adhered to; Priory Hall...Millfield Manor...Pyrites... building on flood plains...bet there's more shoddy jobs and death traps that have yet to come out of the woodwork.

SpaceTime · 11-06-2015 01:13PM

BoatMad wrote: »

believe this experience is not unique to Ireland in any way

The French have a terrible habit of fitting hideous, white pvc coated roller shutters to everything!! Even historic buildings.

BoatMad · 11-06-2015 06:35PM

whisky_galore wrote: »

Yeah, that's if they're adhered to; Priory Hall...Millfield Manor...Pyrites... building on flood plains...bet there's more shoddy jobs and death traps that have yet to come out of the woodwork.

Im talking in respect of the latest building regulations and those implemented since priory hall.

priory hall was a failure of the inspection system , not the lack of regulations

hognef · 11-06-2015 07:03PM

What I can't get my head around is the small rooms with all wall space taken up by doors, windows or chimney breasts, leaving it impossible to fit in any furniture or a TV. Yet people insist on big fluffy sofas that end up permanently obstructing access to the room. Or massive sleigh beds that fill every square inch of the bedroom.

But then I'm not Irish, so maybe I'm missing something.

BoatMad · 11-06-2015 07:04PM

What I can't get my head around is the small rooms with all wall space taken up by doors, windows or chimney breasts,

doors : to get into the room
windows: its a dark country , havent you noticed.
chimney breasts: we like a good fire

hognef · 11-06-2015 07:10PM

BoatMad wrote: »

doors : to get into the room
windows: its a dark country , havent you noticed.
chimney breasts: we like a good fire

Eh... Read the rest of my post. What's the point in having doors (typically double ones, between sitting an dining rooms), if the sofa makes it impossible to use it? How hard is it to build proportionally to what is expected to be in the room?

BoatMad · 11-06-2015 07:14PM

hognef wrote: »

Eh... Read the rest of my post. What's the point in having doors (typically double ones, between sitting an dining rooms), if the sofa makes it impossible to use it? How hard is it to build proportionally to what is expected to be in the room?

standard house design is a very conservative process as the punter doesnt want change.

as the population has become wealthier and has acquired more " consumer durables", rooms have tended to be over filled.

The double doors etc, represent an " ape" of the great house, that Irish people have been attempting to recreate, from immediately after they burned most of them down !

Hans Bricks · 11-06-2015 07:57PM

The council estates are the worst. Rows of ugly terraced housing ranging from Navy, brown, mustard yellow, Maroon, Cream, baby blue, brown and red brick even fuckin' black!

The litter and black/yellow bollards to deter joyriders just add to the grimness.

SpaceTime · 11-06-2015 07:58PM

Double doors are so that you can open up one big room for parties and gave you the option of two smaller rooms or one big room depending on your mood.

BoatMad · 11-06-2015 08:00PM

Hans Bricks wrote: »

The council estates are the worst. Rows of ugly terraced housing ranging from Navy, brown, mustard yellow, Maroon, Cream, baby blue, brown and red brick even fuckin' black!

The litter and black/yellow bollards to deter joyriders just add to the grimness.

The " vibrant " colouring of irish houses is 100s of years old and was always a feature of main streets and small towns etc. This is just a continuation

whisky_galore · 12-06-2015 09:48AM

Hans Bricks wrote: »

The council estates are the worst. Rows of ugly terraced housing ranging from Navy, brown, mustard yellow, Maroon, Cream, baby blue, brown and red brick even fuckin' black!

The litter and black/yellow bollards to deter joyriders just add to the grimness.

Who would paint a house black?
Goths/Cureheads?

Are Irish people aesthetically challenged?

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