Hendrons
June 5, 2020Walking down Dominick Street Upper, at some point, a fascinating and unique structure emerges. A four-story, white rendered block with horizontal glazing, flat roof and tall lift tower. It’s Hendrons former Showroom. Then, along the Palmerston Place stretches the further part, workshops.
Hendrons Brothers, founded in 1911, were suppliers of tools, pumps and machines imported from various European countries and US for building industry.
The building, designed by Vaclav Gunzl, a Czechoslovakian engineer and machine manager at Hendrons, is unique in many aspects. Especially front part. Its form clearly refers to the modernist style.
It was also entirely built (1946–59) by Hendrons employees, rather than construction workers, which gives it social significance.
It has changed its purpose in time, housing art workshop, gallery and art studios. Now, empty, it faces an uncertain future, despite the fact that this architecturally important building is also a visual reminder of the industrialization of the early Irish state.
A friend of mine mentioned some time ago that maybe I should stop photographing as almost every building I start to focus on will be sooner or later demolished ;)
Is this what will happen here?
Hopefully not. Here is the link to the document worth reading - proposed addition to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Please click HERE.
I am not sure what the outcome will be (or is). It is, however, good to know that there are so many people in favour of saving architectural gems.
Finally, I would like to thank Jim for pointing it out and for all the stories about the area and how it has changed over the years. That was a good lesson.
Yes, this is another important building that for some reason escaped my attention. Probably not the last one.
Thank you!
Update 06/06/2020: Hendrons is listed as a protected structure. Wonderful!