48 C O N T E X T 1 0 8 : M A R C H 2 0 0 9 therefore Dublin’s dependence on agriculture and failure to develop a manufacturing economy, together with the particularities of its political, administrative and social structures, led to stagnation. This has largely been responsible for Dublin’s architectural salvation, although the fact was clearly not always appreciated. This is shown by Sir John Summerson referring to the loss of a 122m stretch of Fitzwilliam Street (part of the longest Georgian vista in the city) in the 1960s as ‘simply one damned house after another’. Dublin is a small city by international standards. Large parts of it can easily be explored on foot. It is therefore relatively straightforward to cover in detail in a single volume. This extends geographically to an area defined by the Grand Canal in the south, the Royal Canal in the north and Phoenix Park in the west. As always, the guide commences with a discussion of principal building materials. In this case it is calp, a finegrained carboniferous limestone, brick which ‘strikes the eye with pleasure and appears both strong and light’, according to Charles Smith in 1744, and granite from theWicklow Mountains. An introductory chronology follows, tracing Dublin from its ancient origins through to the economic boom of the 1990s, but with particular concentration on its 18th and early 19th century masterpieces. Many of the key buildings will be familiar to readers whether they have visited the city or not: the Custom House, the Four Courts and Trinity College. Particularly invaluable is Casey’s summary of the glories of Dublin’s domestic architecture, aided by excellent photographs, especially as the majority of interiors are not open to the public. The spatial planning of the city has been important, particularly in three periods. These are the 17th century, the Georgian expansion of the mid 18th century for which the city is so famous, and the urban implications of the rapidly developing Irish economy. This growth saw Dublin’s population double after 1953 and grow much more prosperous after European Union enlargement. This recent phase has seen both damaging redevelopment and the emergence of conservation following periods of disregard or even hostility to its 18th century heritage, in what had unjustly and for political reasons been called ‘colonial’ architecture. Geographically, the guide divides easily into north and south of the Liffey (and concludes with a section on the 16 bridges that span it to unite the two). Although public buildings and institutions are generally located close to the river, the pre-18th century character is more discernable in the market areas on the north bank and around the castle south of the river. The more Georgian squares such as Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square and the much larger St Stephen’s Green provide important green oases among the density of urban terraces that lead from them. Dublin has generally retained its domestic scale, but the consequences have been severe where this appearance has been punctuated by tall modern buildings. The visually intrusive 17-storey Liberty Hall tower block of 1965, ruining the view of The Custom House from the Halfpenny Bridge in a townscape that rarely exceeded five storeys, was perhaps a warning the city was slow to heed. It was a good building not so much in the wrong place as in the wrong city. Unfortunately, this aberration was not the city’s worst. That dubious distinction must go to the Phibsborough shopping centre of 1966. It is a pity the volume does not illustrate it as an object lesson. It is to be hoped that the expensive lessons learned since may now ensure that Dublin cherishes and respects its distinctive townscape. Overall, Christine Casey’s book forms an essential guide for a thorough exploration and highly informative perambulation of this marvellously vibrant city and its wealth of architectural treasures. Bob Kindred MBE London with prawns Brighton and Hove Buildings of England Architectural City Guides, Nicholas Antram and Richard Morrice,Yale University Press, 2008, 244pp, 133 colour illustrations and maps, softback, ISBN 978 0 300 12661 7, £9.99 In these economically straightened times more of us are exchanging explorations abroad for the discoveries and delights of home soil. There is no more reliable guidance than the county series of the Buildings of England, Scotland,Wales and Ireland. These long ago ceased to be the slim books one would slip into a coat pocket for a city break.Yale University Press has identified an emerging market for city guides which are modestly priced and easily portable, yet represent a growing corpus of sound architectural evaluation and critical commentary. Liverpool and Sheffield were covered in 2004, Birmingham in 2006, and Nottingham will have appeared by the time this review is published. Brighton, ‘The Queen of Watering Places’, and Hove have now come under the authoritative scrutiny of two highly respected IHBC members: Nicholas Antram, a resident of Brighton for many years and formerly with English Heritage; and Richard Morrice, the IHBC secretary and valued English Heritage historic buildings inspector.Yale states that this is the first comprehensive guide to the historic heart of Brighton and Hove, but this, a little uncharitably, overlooks the meritorious Guide to the Buildings of Brighton published by Brighton Polytechnic School of Architecture in 1984. Brighton is a city of significant contrasts. Parts have continued to experience deprivation while others display a degree of affluence and opulence best exemplified by the Royal Pavilion.Yet there is far more to Brighton than the outlandishness of the pavilion. The city displays an exotic diversity of buildings which make it England’s pre-eminent seaside resort, assisted by its close association with the capital: Thackeray’s ‘London with prawns and the seaside air’. In the mind’s eye, many will conjure up images of genteel 18th century terraces and squares, and acres of pristine stucco, but there are also substantial Victorian churches and commercial buildings as well as landmarks to 20th century modernism. Many buildings are surprisingly insubstantial. ‘Half of Brighton could be demolished by a well-aimed hose’ is one of the guide’s delightful, amusing but probably accurate statements as an explanation of bungaroosh, a curious Brighton composite mass
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