The Forgotten Frontier: A Critical Appraisal of the Phibsboro Shopping Centre

The Forgotten Frontier is an architectural zine that critically examines the origins, construction and character of the Phibsboro Shopping Centre. This controversial building has divided opinion since its completion in 1969 and recent plans for its development have initiated similarly heated debate. This zine is an attempt to place the building in its proper context and question its value, both to the people of Phibsboro and to the wider city.

The zine is 32 pages long and printed in an edition of 200. The typography is set to reflect the blunt, heavy nature of the building and the textured cover paper relates to its textured concrete exterior. The pronounced binding staples and show-through reflect the building’s brutalist aesthetic by revealing the nature of the design’s construction. It is the first publication by Phibsboro Press.