Temple Bar Music Centre

The Music Centre, on the Curved Street was a significant part of the overall Temple Bar Framework Plan - linking Temple Bar Square to Meeting House Square. It contains an auditorium, music rehearsal rooms, music information facilities and teaching areas for Dublin's rock music industry. The curved form derived from a desire to avoid demolitions - the route a careful line using derelict space to best advantage. The site is essentially urban and boundaries were given elements; one side curved, the rest an irregular edge dictated by existing buildings. The geometry of the plan reflects the juxtaposition of the necessary angles and the inclusion of the two older warehouses on Temple Lane. Exploration of the re-use of backlands between narrow urban blocks was a strong generator of the form; the idea of providing raised external galleries at first floor running between existing buildings.