Blucaffe

Terraced three-bay four-storey over basement commercial and apartment building, built c.1940, with recent shopfront to front (north) elevation. Flat roof hidden behind cut granite parapet. Carved granite cornice over red brick walls, laid in Flemish bond, to upper floors having granite entablature and cornice to second floor, platband to first floor and brick pilasters dividing bays to first and second floors. Smooth rendered wall to rear (south) elevation. Square-headed window openings with continuous granite sill courses, granite sills to second floor, having six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Recent timber shopfront to west end and recent render shopfront to east end. Located on south side of Aston Quay.

Aston Quay was laid out c.1680 on land reclaimed from the River Liffey and was named after Henry Aston, a Dublin merchant. The original buildings have been replaced over time and little fabric of early date survives. The buildings in this block were demolished in the 1930s and were subsequently rebuilt in a restrained classical style to house a variety of manufacturing and retail uses. The fenestration pattern and continuous granite entablature, cornice and parapet create a strong horizontal emphasis and give the impression of a unified, cohesive composition. Carved granite is used to good effect to articulate and provide a visual contrast to the red brick of the façade.