THREE APARTMENT BLOCKS DESIGNED BY HERBERT SIMMS [PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEX THORNCASTLE STREET]-119054

Located along the Dodder river as it enters the Liffey at Grand Canal Docks. The oldest block is the one closest to Bridge Street and for some reason it is most decorative and attractive. This block was designed by Herbert G. Simms and it has many of the hallmarks of his other blocks built as public housing by Dublin Corporation.

 

Simms designed other blocks in Dublin at Chancery Place, Henrietta Place, Townsend Street and James Street.

 

Herbert Simms was born in London and studied architecture at Liverpool University. He came

to Dublin in 1923 and worked initially in the private sector before joining Dublin Corporation. In 1932 he was appointed to the new post of Housing Architect, established in the office of the City Architect, Horace O’Rourke. Simms recruited temporary staff to assist in his task of addressing the chronic housing shortage of the time. Between 1932 until his untimely death in 1948 he was responsible for the design and construction of an

astonishing 17,000 new dwellings, ranging from schemes of flat blocks in the city centre (Chancery House being one of the earliest) to extensive housing schemes of two-storey

cottages in the emerging suburbs of Crumlin, Cabra and Ballyfermot. It is a credit to his design skills that the majority of these dwellings are fully occupied to this day.

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