The second Irish installation of internationally acclaimed contemporary artist Spencer Tunick took place tat the South Wall in the Dublin Docklands in the early hours of Saturday, June 21st as part of the back-to-back city installation commissioned by the Cork Midsummer Festival and Dublin Docklands Development Authority. 2,500 people attended the installation, with some enthusiastic participants arriving from 10pm on Friday evening! The participants were greeted by an amazing pink sunrise before the first installation on the South Wall, but unfortunately the rain came at about 6am, however everyone kept their spirits up and Spencer was able to do a second installation of approximately 1000 participants on the beach with the volunteers all cheering him on!

On the following morning, 144 participants braved the elements once again to take part in a smaller installation on the balconies of the Altro Vetro Building at Grand Canal Dock.

The installations in both cities captured the imagination of the public, with almost 1,200 participants in Blarney castle in Cork on Tuesday 17th June, and 2,500 in the Dublin Docklands. In exchange for participating, attendees will receive a limited edition photograph from the event they attended, by the artist in Spring 2009. This will coincide with an exhibition of work by the artist in Summer 2009.

Spencer Tunick's previous installations have taken place in cities around the world including New York, Amsterdam and Mexico City. Tunick is recognized worldwide for his elaborately posed still and video images of multiple nude figures in public settings. His temporary site-specific installations have taken place around the globe in cities including Montreal, Melbourne, Lyon, London, Newcastle-Gateshead, Santiago, New York, Mexico City and Barcelona to name a few. Tunick gathers volunteers to participate in the making of his work which, in the past, have totalled anywhere from 100 - 18,000 participants. The photograph from his Greenpeace project on Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland was named Time Magazine's Picture of the Year 2007.

From his beginnings documenting individual live nudes in public locations in New York City he has taken his celebration of the nude form to an international stage having photographed over 75 temporary site-specific related installations all over the world.

Dublin Docklands Development Authority would like to thank Dublin City Council, Dublin Port Company and Treasury Holdings for their assistance.

For more images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10258928@N04/sets/72157606560287315/

The commission of an Open Ideas Architectural Design Competition to address the site of No. 16 Henrietta Street is enshrined as a policy in the Henrietta Street Conservation Plan, (2006).

In addition to this competition a number of policies aimed at safeguarding and improving the condition of Henrietta Street are being actively implemented. Such policies include: a revised treatment for the existing bollards protecting the cellars; a separate study of Henrietta Lane as an addendum to the conservation plan; structural conservation works to No’s 3 and 14; an exhibition and booklet aimed at raising awareness of the importance of the street amongst the general public.

The competition aims to establish a design framework for the development of the site, which is informed by the Conservation Plan and best architectural practice, and to generate debate and discussion on the challenge of contemporary design as in-fill in sensitive historic settings.

Winning Design: Ryan W. Kennihan Architects

This entry was considered unanimously the most successful. It is distinguished by a number of factors outlined below:

The design is persuasive, optimistic, promising and sympathetic to the street. It responds excellently to the challenge of how to build in an historic setting. There is a beautiful resolution of form, context, and use, offering a positive contribution to Henrietta Street.

The design demonstrates strong 3 dimensional control. In every respect the side elevation and the negative corner are refinements of great beauty and it is vital in understanding the diverging treatments of the three facades.

The assessors were impressed in particular with the proposed use, which is appropriate to both the immediate and surrounding area. One of the concerns in the planning of this area is the loss of small work spaces even around Henrietta Lane. The loss of the repair workshop, joinery workshops changes this bigger context. Many submissions struggled with defining a use for the building. What was proposed as use in many instances in the competition (exhibition gallery, interpretive centre, library) is predictable, whereas here there is real thought given to the use which is site specific. Yet the design could be adapted to other uses.

The design derives great depth and beauty through articulation of the selected material – brick. The proposed use validating and informing the material very successfully also. In form and scale the design offers respect to the original composition of the 1740s house and the street and offers vastly interesting things internally that a complete replication could ever offer, and vastly interesting things to the side elevation.

The assessors had minor reservations regarding the resolution of the building at ground level but felt this could be reworked with no great difficulty. The elevation to Henrietta Street was debated also, the assessors feeling that there was not complete clarity of intent –If the structure is the aesthetic, as is suggested in the report, then what are the blind windows doing?. It is odd that they don’t consider the blank windows a nod to its predecessor. It was noted also that this device, although common of its time, would not have been employed so expansively on such a significant elevation. Notwithstanding these reservations, the assessors concluded that this proposal has significant substance, beautifully executed.

Highlights of the Urban Beach included a special mass yoga event and themed nights including Brazilian, samba and salsa. The popular Dutch Flowerman, most recently seen at the Docklands Maritime Festival, as also on hand offering a varied selection of orchids, lilies, sunflowers, bedding plants and more. As well as beach cabanas, lounge chairs, beach umbrellas, there was also a dedicated ‘children at work' play area for little ones.

Visitors to the beach enjoyed the paddle boat rides in George's Dock and the most popular events during the two week period were the beach volley ball games and the Brazilian themed night. As well as local residents and those working in the IFSC, the beach attracted a large number of visitors living in and around the city and overseas visitors from France and Spain.

Loretta Lambkin, Director of Marketing, Docklands Authority, said "The Urban Beach at Docklands has been a huge success, with an average of 3,000 visitors each day. We are delighted with the response and enthusiasm from the people of Dublin."