A YELLOW METAL THING BY MICHAEL BULFIN – YELLOW STEEL GEOMETRIC REFLECTIONS
I like both metal sculptures at this location.
There are two prominent sculptures on the site – the yellow steel geometric Reflections (1978) by Michael Bulfin and Red Cardinal (1978) by John Burke.
Michael Bulfin studied environmental science at University College Dublin before attending Yale University. He represented Ireland at the Paris Biennale in 1971. Bulfin served as chairman of the Project Arts Centre from 1972 to 1976, and the Sculptors’ Society of Ireland from 1984 to 1992. Bulfin has won many public sculpture competitions and contributed to several environmental and land art projects, including West Cork Sculpture Trail; Kraakamarken ‘Art in Nature’, Aarhus, Denmark; Castlewellan Forest Park, Northern Ireland and Sculpture in the Parklands, Offaly.
Until a year or two ago I was unaware that the complex where this yellow metal sculpture is located is named “Miesian Plaza”. Miesian – relating to or characteristic of the German-born architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe or his work.
I lived in the Baggot Street area in 1979 after returning from California and knew the buildings at this location as the Baggot Street Branch of Bank Of Ireland and as far as I can remember it is where I had my bank account.
Miesian Plaza comprises a set of five and four storey buildings that acknowledge the scale of Georgian Baggot Street. Set back from this is an eight-storey building, raised on a podium, and entered from a new public plaza. The buildings are designed in a recognisable modern style, utilising solid bronze cladding which clearly echoes Mies Van Der Rohe’s Seagram building in New York.
LAD LANE RUNS AT ABOUT A 30 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE GRAND CANAL
Lad Lane was a short cut from Wilton Terrace to Lower Baggot Street. At the end nearest Baggot Street there is an interesting building dating back to 1836 and it served as a Dublin Metropolitan Police barracks [unfortunately I was unable to photograph it this visit]
Lad Lane could be best described as a back lane at Wilton Place and it consists of “upper”and “lower” sections. The lower section runs behind Linkedin’s new HQ building at Pembroke Row/Lad Lane. Pembroke Row is off Lade Lane and is another connection to Lower Baggot Street.
As already mentioned the whole area is effectively a massive construction site. Construction at Two, Three & Four Wilton Park started last year and the work is targeted for completion in 2023.
Late in 2019 it was announced that LinkedIn was planning the creation of a major campus for its European headquarters in Dublin adding more than 3,000 to its Dublin workforce. The Wilton Park estate includes the former Fitzwilton House [demolished], now One Wilton Park, whose former tenants include the Australian embassy and William Fry solicitors, and Wilton Park House, formerly let to the IDA.
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