Survey Data

Reg No

50030052


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Social, Technical


Original Use

Building misc


In Use As

Building misc


Date

1930 - 1935


Coordinates

321500, 235691


Date Recorded

03/12/2014


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Freestanding pair of reinforced concrete shelters, built 1934, having flat concrete roof with rounded ends, supported on I-plan concrete wall with projections and having concrete benching around walls with rounded corners throughout. Square-headed openings to walls. Set on low concrete plinth, to northeast of path to promenade on Bull Wall.

Appraisal

This pair of shelters situated along the northeast of the North Bull Wall was probably designed by Herbert Simms, Dublin Corporation housing architect from 1932 to 1948. The use of unadorned reinforced concrete and a clear geometric silhouette are typical of mid-twentieth-century functional structures in Ireland. The design of these shelters is characteristic of the International style, with a symmetrical plan and strong horizontal emphasis created by the flat roofs and benches. The construction of these shelters is indicative of the continued popularity of outdoor recreation in the early decades of the twentieth century and represents the importance of Dollymount Strand and the North Bull Wall for recreation. These shelters provide an interesting focal point on the landscape, and contribute to the architectural tone of the area.