Massive sculpture planned for Dublin Docklands

A massive human sculpture could tower over a city if planning permission lodged today is granted.

The 151ft (46m) figure – almost half the height of Dublin’s landmark Spire – is to be sited on the River Liffey in the city next to the Sean O’Casey bridge. It was designed by artist Antony Gormley, best known for the Angel Of The North in Gateshead, north-east England.

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) confirmed a planning application was lodged with the city council today and said the final site was chosen because of its prominent location.

DDDA chief executive Paul Maloney said: “It is positioned at a point between the old and new development areas of Dublin city and on a prominent site when viewed along the Liffey Corridor and along one of the main thoroughfares down to the River Liffey.

“It is also at a location where north/south and east/west pedestrian movements intersect.

“In addition, the proposed site allows the sculpture to be viewed against the skyline within an area of Dublin that has low-rise buildings on both sides of the river and it does not interfere with navigation on the River Liffey.”

The sculpture would have a major impact on Dublin’s quickly changing docklands area, where there are already plans for Ireland’s first skyscraper, the U2 Tower.

The 394ft (120m) Dublin Spire came to signify Ireland’s Celtic Tiger economy and towers above the city’s O’Connell Street, near the proposed site of the new Gormley sculpture.

Subject to planning permission, construction is likely to start on the €1.6m project during 2008 and will take around one year.

It will be built in sections off-site and then welded together on-site over a three--month period.

Painted black and unlit, it would be placed on a single pile driven into the river bedrock.

Gormley is regarded as one of the leading artists of his generation.

His 'Angel Of The North', which was completed in 1998, has become one of the best known artistic landmarks in Europe.

He was invited to go ahead with the docklands sculpture after an international competition and a year-long selection process.

Any submissions regarding the sculpture must be made within five weeks to Dublin City Council’s planning office.