Manahan Planners were engaged by the the United States Government (USG) to advise them in relation to altering the boundary treatment at their embassy in the Ballsbridge area of Dublin 4.

The Embassy building is a circular modernist building which is a landmark in the area. When built originally in the nineteen sixties there was no boundary around the edge of the site with the public footpath. It was decided to erect a boundary railing over a low wall in the nineteen eighties. The designers at the time thought it appropriate that the railings match the style of railings in the front of Victorian houses in the vicinity.

In the interests of improving security for today's world,  and to match the current standards  for American buildings overseas, it was considered  necessary to increase the height of the railings. Scott MacNeill Architects were engaged to draw up the revised railings  and Manahan Planners were engaged to drive the planning process. Both SMcN and MP worked in consultation with the Department of State and their consultants in Washington DC.

We advised that the new railings should be modern in design to match the building, rather than attempt to replicate designs from a earlier era.

The application was lodged with Dublin City Council who decided to grant permission albeit with the railings reduced in height somewhat. We appealed that condition to An Bord Pleanala.

In addition a number of neighbours objected to both the increase in height and modern design. One objector, the Leeson Street Residents Association,  appealed  to the Board  against the principle of granting permission.

The Board granted permission in the end, for the height originally applied for. They agreed with us that the design should reflect the modernist design of the building and that the boundary be reflective of a building designed and built as an embassy.