U2 Tower

The U2 Tower was a skyscraper design for Dublin that was never built. It was planned for the corner of Sir John Rogerson's Quay and Britain Quay in the Southern Docklands. The project grew out of an agreement between the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and the Irish rock band U2, after the authority acquired the site of the group's former studio in 2001. The building was originally meant to serve as a striking landmark tower that, together with another project on the opposite bank of the river, would form a visual gateway to the city. After an international architectural competition that drew more than 500 entries, a design by the Irish architects Burdon Dunne/Craig Henry was initially selected. It envisioned a 130-meter tower with a distinctive twist, housing luxury apartments and a penthouse studio for the band.

In 2007, however, the concept was changed in favor of a new design by Foster + Partners. This proposal presented a tilted triangle about 120 meters tall. The building was to consist mainly of exclusive apartments, with a facade reminiscent of fish scales. The upper section was to include a public observation deck as well as an acoustically isolated, egg-shaped pod for the U2 studio, topped by an energy center with wind turbines and solar panels. Construction would have cost €200 million and was scheduled for 2008 to 2011. Because of the economic crisis, the project was officially canceled in October 2008. Later attempts to revive it also failed.

Today, the site of the planned tower is occupied by Capital Dock, a 22-story building that stands 79 meters tall. The U2 Tower remains a fascinating example of Dublin's urban ambitions in the 2000s, thwarted by financial and structural challenges. Visitors to the Docklands area can now admire the modern architecture of Capital Dock, which stands where the landmark tower was never built.