Temple Bar

The historic Temple Bar area of Dublin City is bounded on the north by the river Liffey, to the east the old Houses of Parliament, to the west Fishamble Street and to the south Dame Street. During the 1960s and 1970s Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE) acquired much of the area as the site of a major new urban bus centre. This plan was abandoned and the Irish government established Temple Bar Properties with the objective of development within the context of an architectural and cultural framework. A limited competition was held in 1991 for an architectural frame work and this was won by Group 91 Architects (a loose grouping of young architectural practices). As a result of the cultural framework many galleries, archives and exhibition spaces have been built in the area including the Irish Film Centre, a multimedia centre, the National Film Archives, the National Photographic Archives and a Cultural Centre for Children.

1878 – High Altar, SS. Michael & John’s Church, Dublin

Architect: John L. Robinson

The former Church of Saints Michael & John was built in 1813. Although the external fabric of the Church of SS.

2013 – Umbrellas, Meetinghouse Square, Dublin

Architect: Seán Harrington Architects

The umbrellas were designed by Dublin firm Sean Harrington Architects and engineered and manufactured by German/Swiss firm MDT-tex for Temple Bar Cultural Trust in Dublin.

2004 – Camera Obscura, Meetinghouse Square, Dublin

Architect: O’Donnell + Tuomey Architects

Unbuilt proposal for a Camera Obscura on top of the Gallery of Photography in Meetinghouse Square.

1977 – Central Bus Station, Temple Bar, Dublin

Architect: Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP

In the 1970s, Córas Iompair Éireann, the state transport company, bought up many buildings in central Temple Bar with a view to building a large modern central bus station on the site.

1813 – Former Church of St. Michael and John, Essex Quay, Dublin

Architect: John Taylor

The Catholic Church of Saints Michael and John on Exchange Street Lower, built in 1813, was gutted to make way for a tourism “experience”

1994 – Temple Bar Gallery & Studios

Architect: McCullough Mulvin

The original Temple Bar Studios were located in a former clothing factory. This purpose built premises contains thirty artist’s studios in a range of sizes (available for artists to rent) and the gallery.

2000 – Apartments Old City, Cow Lane, Dublin

Architect: de Blacam & Meagher

One of the new apartment developments in the western end of the Temple Bar Area,

1995 – Arthouse, Curved Street, Dublin

Architect: Shay Cleary Architects

The Arthouse building is sited on Dublin’s newest street – the imaginatively named Curved Street.

1999 – Bookend Building, Essex Quay, Dublin

Architect: Arthur Gibney & Partners

The Bookend Building is sited at the end of Essex Quay looking westwards towards the Wood Quay City Council Offices and over a small public space.

1996 – Gallery of Photography, Meetinghouse Square, Dublin

Architect: O’Donnell & Tuomey

The Irish Photography Centre contains three main elements – the Dublin Institute of Photography, the National Photographic Archives and the Gallery of Photography.