So Bono and the lads have gotten their wish, albeit in a slightly modified form. They've been given approval to tear down the historically significant Clarence Hotel, and the listed buildings that surround it. Only the facades will remain in this Disney-fication of Wellington Quay. Their new complex will be built, rising up into the air, ultra-modern collared by Georgian---as if a space ship is hovering over Dublin, plopped down on the Clarence Hotel. How will this abortion look, once it is constructed and not merely an artist's rendering? Look no further than Chicago's own Soldier Field.
The historical colonnade rims a spaceship, the overall structure bearing a remarkable resemblance to a toilet bowl. The result serves the function of sports stadium with all the modern amenities, while preserving the outer appearance in a jumble of pieces that don't fit together. Before long, Wellington Quay in Dublin will look just as ridiculous, but U2 will be too busy reaping their rich rewards to notice.
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