Michael Scott's Áras Mhic Dhiarmada and Busáras is one of the most
important modernist buildings in Ireland. Built between 1947 and 1953,
it was intended to be a bus station like no other, providing ordinary
working people with a range of amenities including a roof-top
restaurant, incredible panoramic views of Dublin, a crèche, and a
24-hour newsreel cinema. It was to be a microcosm of the city, providing
dignity, comfort, and convenience to bus users. From its inception the
project was gripped in controversy. Construction ground to a halt for
three years as Government and opposition argued over the merits and uses
of the building. In the end it became home to the Department of Social
Protection and Bus Éireann's provincial bus services. Despite receiving
widespread acclaim for its architectural and design innovations, today
it is a much maligned and misunderstood building. In this exciting
collaboration, writer Eoin Ó Broin and photographer Mal McCann explore
the vision behind Áras Mhic Dhiarmada and Busáras, and celebrate the
energy, creativity, and neglect of this incredible example of Irish
modernist architecture and design.