The Irish arm of US tech giant Google has secured the green light for a large public mural across seven storeys at its European headquarters in Dublin that incorporates interactive and virtual elements through Google’s own modern technology and AI tools.
This follows Dublin City Council granting planning permission to Google Ireland Ltd for the 705 square metre “Urban Growth” mural, at the northern elevation of South Bank House, Barrow Street in Dublin 4.
In granting planning permission to the mural for a five year period, the Council’s planner’s report concluded that the proposed mural “will be a positive addition to the Bolands Mills development and the wider area”.
The planning report states that Google Ireland Ltd has “taken all the concerns raised at pre-planning and have included this in their proposal, including providing details of community involvement, installation and maintenance plans”.
The Council also stated that the applicants “have carefully chosen the design of the mural based on the current context of the site and the maintenance schedule is welcomed to ensure the art piece is maintained over time”.
A planning report by John Spain & Associates lodged with the application stated that the mural “will deliver an attractive and engaging public art installation to the area” and “also contribute positively to the overall vibrancy of the wider Bolands Quay development”.
Mr Spain stated that the proposal will provide an attractive replacement to the conventional exterior of the building but will also establish “a vibrant and collaborative element to the Google campus for the use of all”.
Artist Sean Atmos told the council that “with years of experience in painting some of the largest murals in Ireland, I believe this project will be the most substantial undertaking of its kind in the country to date”.
Mr Spain stated that given the location of the mural on a building within the Google Campus and directly fronting Barrow Street, “the mural is visible to the public at all time”.
Sean Atmos told the council that his mural “will play an important role in place-making for Bolands Mills, making a positive and inspiring contribution to the innovation and community cultivated within the urban environment today”.
He said that the South Bank wall “stands at a point of direct contact between old and new, with its burgeoning community, contemporary developments, and beautifully restored historic buildings”.
In a design booklet lodged with the application, Mr Atmos stated that “the artwork will celebrate the character and iconic legacy of the area while simultaneously acting as a vibrant symbol of its growth”.
The mural will also have an augmented reality (AR) feature where viewers “can point their smartphones at the mural to see our bespoke, sensory friendly digital experience from our tranquil, seated space with plants and wild flowers”.
Some of the ideas that will be explored using AR involve displaying context behind the mural’s elements and animations that bring parts of the mural to life.
A plaque is to be placed on the wall explaining the mural with the proposed wording that “the artwork blends the industrial heritage of the Bolands Mills with the natural beauty of the Irishtown Nature Park, merging two distinct worlds in a harmonious, immersive art experience”.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
