The Markets Area: The Idea

The basic idea is to create a new square 130 m x 130 m equivalent to 17,000 m2, containing the existing Fruit and Vegetable Market building 60 m x 100 m equivalent to 6,000 m2. Mary's Lane and Arran Street East would allow restricted vehicular access to the pedestrian square while St Michan's Street would be upgraded to be part of the pedestrian area. The existing Fish Market would be demolished and its cast-iron support structure re-used to provide supports for canopy covers for outdoor markets and other activities in the Square. A reduced activity of the wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market could be accommodated at the northern end of the existing Market. The Fish Market will be accommodated in a new building to the South of the Fruit and Vegetable Market facing Chancery Street. The East side of the Market will be extended to accommodate Market Workshops to replace the existing accommodation along the West side of Arran Street East. The first stage will be built on the Flower Market site and then when circumstances permit the Southern stage.

The new Market Square will be contained by several 6 storey 16 m wide buildings with a common façade on the West, North and East sides. The South side facing Chancery Street will be partly enclosed with a wing of the West side building turned to face Chancery Street but with a two storey porch - St Michen's Foyer - allowing a street level view into the Square.

Below the Square two basement levels will be provided for 515 car parking spaces for both the new Fish Hall and Fruit and Vegetable Market. The Fruit and Vegetable Market will form the covered part of the Square and will be adapted to the changing uses. Within the existing structure 1,330 m2 will be reserved for the continuing activity of a wholesale market situated at the Northern end. Vehicular access will be either directly from Mary's Lane or from the loading and unloading bays situated in the basement at the Southern end with a goods lift to the ground floor. The proposal contemplates a gradual reduction of wholesale activity vacating by stages from South to North given the necessity to situate the new Fish Market Hall along Chancery Street.

The rest of the existing market will contain a free multi-use space of 2,600 m2 for occasional markets and other activities. This space will be surrounded on three sides with 1,852 m2 of retail accommodation. Above this another 1,800 m2 will be available for retail, restaurants and administration, together with a large stepped terrace on the South side overlooking the market/entertainment space.

The market is connected with a goods lift to a basement at the Southern end with 855 m2 for storage and bays for loading and unloading. Two direct access stairs and lifts connect with the public parking beneath the Square on the West side.

The Fish Market Hall to the South has a ground floor area of 780 m2 with an upper floor of 585 m2 and a basement for loading and unloading, storage and parking of 2,300 m2. A 20 m turning circle for vehicles is also included within this basement.

On the East side the Market has been extended to include workshops, 1,140 m2 at ground level, which could incorporate another 400 m2 within the Market building itself. Two upper levels and a basement would add another 3,300 m2 approx.

Behind the façades of the buildings surrounding the Square are a series of Courts. Although the Court concept is proposed, these should be flexible to adjust the form to uses other than residential should this be required. The proposed densities should be kept.

Rather than identifying each block with letters it is suggested that former uses and names be used instead.

Moving around the Square in a clock-wise direction, the Western building on the present Fish Market site would be St Michen's Court. On the North-West corner would be The Brewery Court, then between George's Hill and Halston Street the existing Convent and School will remain with the hope that in the future, the precinct could be remodelled to retain its educational purpose, while adding some cultural dimension. This allows the existing fabric to intrude and not be excluded from the Square.

The North-East corner is formed by the southern edges of two courts, The Old Potato Market Court and Petticoat Court. In between and straddling Little Green Street is a bridge building carrying the façade of the Square along Mary's Lane. On the East side the Abbey Courts are formed by a building split into two parts to allow the inner court a direct connection with the Square. Within the courts of this city block only single to four storey buildings will be allowed and arranged so that there is a pedestrian permeability. These interior spaces provide a link North-South from Mary's Abbey Street to Little Mary Street. It would be interesting for this pedestrian permeability to continue South to Strand Street Little. Apart from this, note should be taken to reproduce the plan of the Cistercian Cloister of the former Abbey of St Mary's founded in 1139 in its original position in the pavement pattern. An important operation concerns the Bank premises on the corner of Capel Street with Little Mary's Street as the present building - of no architectural merit - now blocks the view into the Market area from the important Henry Street shopping mall. If this could be rebuilt with an arcade at street level Little Mary's Street could be almost aligned with the Henry Street axis and allow wide pedestrian pavements on either side encouraging an easy access to the Market Square.

Cuckoo Lane should be widened North of the Brewery Court to allow a new domestic public space to connect St MichenŐs Park with the historic St Michen's church. This itinerary would eventually affect the convent on George's Hill if it were to be developed one day in the future, but on the other hand will provide an amenity for the residents in this neighbourhood.

It will be seen from this description of the proposal that the repair and renovation of the Market area is concentrated on the formation of a Square to provide a setting for both the Fruit and Vegetable Market building and the new Fish Market. This allows the early work to replace sheds and warehouses and some small properties without disturbing the present population of residents.

To compensate for the generous provision of public space a high density is contemplated of slightly more than 3.00 m2/m2 over the net area of the new site limits. In time the impact of the new Square will obviously affect the value of the adjoining properties, so it will be prudent to place any thought of further repair and renovation on hold until the occasion demands attention.

The construction of Luas along Chancery Street provides the key motive for acting now to recreate this new urban identity for the centre of Dublin. With its long tradition of Markets it would become the ideal centre for fruit, vegetable, fish and other foodstuffs including specialist and ethnic food products, flowers, restaurants, cafes, etc. Add to this the clear demand for offices and workspace for the legal and other professions, small businesses and entrepreneurs and the current demand for 1, 2 and family sized apartments and live-work units, then the impetus for change is now at hand.