Dublin: Bono wants to build a hotel according to Foster's design

Dublin - The frontman of the Irish band U2, Bono Vox, plans a grand renovation of a hotel in the center of Dublin. However, this has significantly angered his fellow countrymen. Traditionalists are protesting sharply against the extravagant design of the glass building resembling a spaceship, but another part of the inhabitants of the Irish capital is excited about the idea from British architect Norman Foster, writes the British newspaper The Independent.
With Foster's help, Bono is preparing to "change the coat" of the Clarence hotel, which is owned by his bandmate, guitarist David Evans, better known by his pseudonym The Edge. The renovation is set to be radical - in addition to the reconstruction of the internal spaces, the hotel will also expand, and the new outer glass structure is expected to transform the currently modest hotel on the banks of the River Liffey beyond recognition.
If the project is approved by the relevant authorities, Dublin will likely gain a new prominent landmark. Foster, who is the creator of the famous London skyscraper nicknamed "the cucumber" due to its shape, does not hide that his intention is to "create something magnificent".
However, Bono's vision already has many opponents. They particularly dislike that the singer wants to expand the hotel into adjacent buildings, leaving practically only the facades after the renovation and demolition of the internal walls. For example, Michael Smith, the former chairman of the An Taisce organization, which deals with cultural and heritage conservation, claims that the new hotel will be a "bastard". According to him, the construction of something like this in the former dock area is "completely unacceptable".
Of course, the author of the design defends himself, but the final word will belong to the Dublin City Council.
The Clarence hotel gained fame primarily because of its owner's name. In the past, it has hosted former U.S. President Bill Clinton as well as models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss.
The seventy-two-year-old Pritzker Prize winner Lord Norman Foster and his firm are building around the world. Among his most famous projects are the reconstruction of the Berlin Reichstag building and the gigantic bridge crossing the valley in Millau, France. Foster's project also recently won a competition for the renovation of the Barcelona football stadium Nou Camp.