A prominent Dublin architect made an unscheduled appearance at the Spencer Dock planning appeal hearing yesterday to speak in support of the proposed scheme's architect, Mr Kevin Roche.
Mr Sam Stephenson described Mr Roche as "one of the greatest living architects" who was "a master of development and design".
Mr Stephenson, whose designs include the Central Bank, the first phase of the Civic Offices and the ESB headquarters in Fitzwilliam Street, said he had been trying for years to get Mr Roche to leave a major landmark building in Dublin.
Paraphrasing Yeats, he added that we would be disgracing ourselves yet again if Mr Roche did not create a major landmark for the city.
Mr Stephenson said the proposed scheme had remarkable features, but acknowledged the "huge disruption" it would bring to some of its neighbours. The reality was that while they would lose some amenities, their properties would become more valuable by being adjacent to such a scheme, he added.
A senior landscape architect representing the developers told the hearing that just over two-thirds of the site area of the proposed scheme would be open space.
Ms Patricia Gilbert, from Ferguson McIlveen, said the development would significantly increase the amount of 24-hour public open space within the city centre. "Spencer Dock will in effect be a new city quarter both in terms of its architecture and open space," she said.
Ms Gilbert said the development would have pedestrian-dominated spaces between its buildings, including private terraces and semi-private enclosed gardens, courtyards and roof gardens which would be secure and safe for families.
The public open space would include the tree-lined linear park along the Royal Canal on one edge of the scheme and the conference square which would be a space for major open-air events.