Perspective September 2023

Perspective

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Contents

The Coronation Garden, Newtownabbey See page 66 for Landscape feature

September 2023 - Volume 32. No. 4

COMMENT

03

CASE STUDY Hill House Michael McGarry

12

Templemore Baths Karen Latimer

26

King's College London Architect's Account

46

Tates Avenue, Belfast Architect's Account

58

Canterbury Christ Church University Architect's Account

74

FEATURES Fourth Dimension and the Space Between

38

Restoration

56

Landscape

66

Alan Barnes Travel Scholarship

82

NI Regional War Room

92

Arts Review

94

Book Review

108

Cover - King's College London by Hall McKnight Photograph: Sam Phillips Published by Ulster Journals Ltd 39 Boucher Road, Belfast BT12 6UT Telephone 028 9066 3311 Email perspective@ulsterjournals.com Web www.rsua.org.uk Managing Editor Christopher Sherry Editorial Assistant Gemma Johnston Contributors Marianne O’Kane Boal, Sebastian Graham, Andrew Molloy, Andrew Bunbury, Paul Harron, Karen Latimer, Michael McGarry, Naoimh Quinn Advertising Sales Lorraine Gill, David Millar Design Tatler Type RSUA Editorial Committee Kari Simpson (Convenor), Dermot MacRandal, Wayne Hazlett, Jayne McFaul, Aidan McGrath, Andrew Molloy. Extended Committee Andrew Bunbury, Marianne O’Kane Boal, Keith McAllister, Paul Clarke.

The Journal of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects, 2 Mount Charles, Belfast BT7 1NZ Telephone 028 9032 3760 Subscriptions Christine McGoldrick Telephone 028 9066 3311 Subscription rates UK £24 Overseas (inc. ROI) £30. Perspective is published bimonthly and distributed freely to all architects in Northern Ireland.

It is also available by subscription. Printed by GPS. Copyright Content Ulster Journals Ltd Title - RSUA. Opinions expressed in Ulster Journals publications are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers.

RE

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90 YEARS IN THE MAKING

COMMENT

In at the Deep End

The recently completed £17 million restoration and expansion

But the project isn’t just about celebrating Templemore’s

of Templemore Baths has breathed new life into one of east

past. A newly built 28,000 square foot extension has more

Belfast’s most iconic buildings.

than doubled the building’s footprint. It includes modern leisure facilities including a 25m six-lane swimming pool

The official opening of the redeveloped building was my first

with spectator seating, an 80-station gym, spa facilities and

engagement as mayor of the city, and it did not disappoint.

changing rooms.

The project, which was made possible thanks to funding by

Templemore is the sixth of seven new centres to be

Belfast City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund,

completed

involved the sympathetic restoration of many of the Victorian

Transformation Programme (LTP). The final LTP project will

building’s original features including the ‘major pool’ which is

see the development of the new Girdwood Indoor Sports

fully operational again, and its old slipper baths.

Facility in north Belfast.

Much of the Templemore’s interior has been repurposed into

LTP demonstrates Belfast City Council’s commitment to

a new interactive visitor centre focusing on the heritage of

getting more people more active, more often. By investing in

the much-loved local landmark. As well as celebrating the

leisure facilities, we’re investing in the health and wellbeing of

history of the building and the importance of public baths

our citizens, one of the key objectives of the Belfast Agenda

in the early twentieth century, it describes the popularity of

- the city’s key strategic document.

as

part

of

Council’s

£105

million

Leisure

the two swimming pools in Templemore and reflects on the social history and industrial heritage of east Belfast and the

If you haven’t visited Templemore since it reopened in June,

wider city.

I strongly recommend that you do so in the near future.

Whether you are interested in checking out the new leisure

Templemore’s former courtyard area has been transformed

and spa facilities, enjoying the free visitor attraction and

into a new public café within an attractive new atrium. It

immersing yourself in the building’s history, or popping in for

features the original Victorian fountain which has been

a coffee in the fantastic café, there are plenty of reasons to

restored as its centrepiece.

stop by. 

To see the transformation of what was very recently a

See Case Study on Templemore Baths on page 26

crumbling, derelict shell of a building into a beautifully restored space for the local community and visitors is just fantastic.

Councillor Ryan Murphy Lord Mayor of Belfast

Perspective 03

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME.

NEWS WORK IN PROGRESS

Woodhall Archery Centre

Doherty Architects were commissioned to design a multifunction sports hall within the existing Woodhall Outdoor Learning Centre setting. The Education Authority manages these associated facilities which are located in the historic village of Kilrea in County Derry/Londonderry, for the development of young people from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds.

The proposed multi-purpose hall is to be nestled among the dense vegetation and trees to the south-eastern side of the site, near to Kathleen’s lake, under a Local Landscape Policy Area with development restrictions. The materiality and form are inspired by the corrugated curved-roof agricultural buildings that characterise the local rural area. The proposal will provide a well-lit, warm and pleasant environment for engaging young people in developmental courses, as well as a learning space and base for day groups. Archery and indoor climbing will be the main activities provided within the hall.

The roof line has been broken by a triple-height glass lantern to necessitate the different indoor climbing heights, and at the same time, provides ample natural lighting to the inside.

06 Perspective

A lean-to entrance lobby also serves as an exterior sheltered seating space for orienteering and outdoor learning. Windows were designed to equally illuminate the space, and their staggered heights aid passive natural ventilation, providing a comfortable environment for activities.  Doherty Architects

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NEWS WORK IN PROGRESS

New Life Teeth Belfast

In Belfast, nestled amidst the historic charm of a conservation area, a transformational project will soon be taking shape at 741 Lisburn Road. This modern extension, carefully integrated into the side and rear of the existing building, aims to usher in a new era of dental care while preserving the architectural heritage of the region. The establishment at the heart of this project is none other than the “New Life Teeth Dental Implant Practice,” a pioneering dental facility that offers state-of-the-art services, including a modern laboratory.

New Life Teeth currently have a purposed built facility on the site and have recently purchased 741 Lisburn Road with the aim of providing a building to house its administration and laboratory requirements. The project provides the regeneration of an existing 1900s dwelling into office space and a new structure to provide a laboratory and auxiliary uses.

The building will also house New Life Teeth Academy to train up the very best, bringing elite dental education to the UK and Ireland.

This new facility will boast a team of highly skilled dental professionals who are experts in their fields. Patients can expect world-class care, from initial consultation to the final implant placement.  InsideOut Architects 08 Perspective

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FEATURE CASE STUDY

Hill House

THE TEAM Client Private Architect McGonigle McGrath Structural Engineer Design ID

Quantity Surveyor SMS Partnership Main Contractor McGrady Contracts Photography Aidan McGrath

FEATURE CASE STUDY

T

he site for this house is perched on the edge of north Down drumlin territory as it fades into the meandering River Lagan. To the site’s immediate north is the Giant’s Ring, a 4,800 year old ring fort on the last prominent drumlin, overseeing the Lagan and Lough, with the Antrim plateau as backdrop. McGonigle McGrath have an extraordinary body of work, built forms deftly placed in landscape, with an enviable level of control over the designing, detailing and delivery of houses specific to their client, site and location - this house being their latest addition.

Access is tight, off a busy and winding country road, then down a narrow lane to a spectacular view opening to the north and the Antrim edge, with the house suddenly revealed in three-quarter view. Arrival is signalled by a low horizontal canopy that links two

14 Perspective

honed brick forms with inclined roof lines, a gable living room window evident but otherwise little given away by fenestration.

Taken as an oeuvre, McGonigle McGrath houses reveal an intelligible design methodology where formal moves are rooted in and devised from the means of design production - meaning the orthogonal projection of the drawing board and latterly the computer, similarly used. The connection with modern art is clear - frontal conditions revealing layered shallow space (Manet, Albers, Egan, Martin et al), with an understatement of spatial depth as conventionally understood; walls tending to be considered as plane with their mass underplayed, and with discrete spaces grained in one direction. The practice’s exquisite photography reflects this interest in visual culture, be it twentieth century art or eighteenth-century landscape

FEATURE CASE STUDY

theory, most typically using frontal shots, echoing the orthogonal drawing techniques that produced the work.

This wonderful house plays a slightly different game, the first tell-tale decision being the orientation of the ancillary (third) block at right angles to the two main blocks and the resultant pinwheel effect at the entrance court is a rare move from McGonigle McGrath; the stratagem provokes the plan set back off the second block (bedroom) relative to the first (living) block. Initial modelmaking revealed a visual dynamic between the three forms so disposed, and just as the model photographs are intriguing so too is the arrangement on site - the building is only understood through circumambulation.

The second move (again somewhat novel within the oeuvre)

16 Perspective

is the spatial layering against the obvious grain of the two main linear forms - i.e. the layering along the long section. The predominant site orientation and change of level fall to the northwest and the spectacular view, but there is also a change of local levels at right angles to the predominant axis. Rather than plinth as mediator of building and site, the two discreet forms (bedroom and living) sit slipped in plan, with different ground levels, but with eaves aligned, cheek by cheek.

The long section starts low and compressed in the main bedroom (northeast end) and concludes in the tall volume of the larger sitting room (southwest end). The first flight of the dogleg stairs connects the two ground levels, the second leg flips back to access the upstairs bedrooms - an artful move with

Location Plan

Site Plan

First Floor Plan

Figure Ground Plan

Elevations

Ground Floor Plan

Sections

Perspective 17

FEATURE CASE STUDY

the relatively simple stairs becoming the pivot of the house.

Counteracting the long (discovered) axis is the obvious one of canopy to entrance, across the recessed sitting area, and out to the view - the recessed sitting area sensuously pushed down into a polished concrete floor. Yet the visual game continues, and the sitting area opens up another visual axis at right angles to that of the entrance sequence - a view parallel with the continuous living room window, the eye drawn by a distant roof light, through the dining area, and through again to the larger sitting area at the southwestern gable.

developed, not capable of being captured by camera. Large, recessed panels fold out of recesses in three locations allowing the house to function as a detached bedroom wing, a quite separate main bedroom suite containing a living area and permutations thereof. Children’s bedrooms have sleeping lofts, further layering familial engagement between the very private and the shared.

The horizontally stretched and continuous living window is the measure of the room with its soffit being the datum of the house. This singular element is counterpointed by an internal spatial layering at right angles to this window (again a surprise from McGonigle McGrath) - a suspended wall panel gives a second reading of spaces, subtly establishing two distinct spatial occasions yet maintaining overall continuity.

The wall panel is open high on both sides where it meets the roof and the flank walls - holding the space but maintaining permeability (recalling equivalent plan moves in the corners of other McGonigle McGrath living rooms).

Michael McGarry Professor of Architecture, QUB

Within the living volume is a mezzanine, L-shaped, accessed from the pivot stairs, its implicit diagonal counterpointed by the directionality of the overhead roof lights, and its sense of enclosure moderated by carefully located glass interruptions in the balustrade allowing key familial connections between upstairs and down. In use, children attend to homework on a long mezzanine desk, within earshot of adults below, somewhat removed but not remote. The living feels like a New York loft spatially generous but complex in its inhabitation with at least five autonomous areas and ways to live in this loft-like space.

The subtle balance between connectivity and privacy is highly

18 Perspective

An exquisitely designed beautifully sited. 

and

delivered

family

house,

Project Description The site comprised a modest single-storey 1960s house in a mature garden on the periphery of a small village located about five kilometres south of Belfast, and within the Lagan Valley Regional Park, a mosaic of countryside, parks and nature reserves. The Giant’s Ring, a neolithic henge monument in state care, lies a short distance due north. The site benefitted from panoramic views of the river valley and the hills beyond, and although the existing house was basic, an extended room had been carefully made with painted brick walls and a dark timber sheeted butterfly roof.

The clients, a couple and their young family, had a requirement for additional space and facilities well beyond the capacity of the existing house, including five bedrooms and a large family space which could be also used for entertaining, and support spaces. There was a further requirement for separate guest facilities, gym and workshop, remote from the main suite of rooms. The client has an interest in midcentury modernist architecture and is an avid art collector, leading to a requirement for some tall or voluminous spaces to accommodate possible large-scale modern paintings.

Following initial studies, it was clear that a replacement dwelling would best serve the client’s spatial requirements.

The new dwelling is carefully placed into the existing garden to allow retention of many mature trees and shrubs, and is expressed as two forms, each rectangular in plan, in a linear arrangement but offset from each other in plan and section to negotiate the sloping topography and to respond to the views. The larger form, to the south and to the entrance side, contains the main entrance and the living/entertaining spaces in a single volume, complete with a mezzanine play/

study area and a sunken ‘conversation pit’ underneath, whilst the smaller form to the north and in the private garden contains vertical circulation with snug, study and parents’ suite on the lower floor, and children’s bedrooms on the upper floor; each floor level a half-storey down or up from the main living level. A third form is positioned at right angles to the main house and contains the ancillary accommodation. Extending walls define the public arrival courtyard space from the private garden beyond.

The forms are constructed in grey brick (natural outside, painted inside), the roofs of the main house forming a low gull-wing along their length, reflecting both the spirit of the previous dwelling and creating a profile to reference the surrounding rolling landscape and distant hills. Walls are thickened to accommodate the steel frame construction and high levels of insulation. Externally, the elevations are carefully composed, employing deep reveals, perforated brick and large areas of walls without windows, to assist the monolithic brick-form expression and to create privacy within the house. Windows are dark stained hardwood (another nod to the previous house), floors are mainly polished concrete, and a zinc roof with large flush mounted roof lights helps flood the interior with light.

AWARDS • RIBA Regional Award / RSUA Design Award 2023 • RSUA House of the Year Award 2023 • The Liam McCormick Prize (RSUA overall building of the year) 2023 • RIBA National Award 2023

Perspective 19

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REVIEW

Routes to Zero Carbon On 31 May 2023, The Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) hosted the RSUA Sustainability Conference: Routes to Net Zero Carbon at the Ulster University Belfast Campus.

The conference was held at Ulster University’s new Belfast Campus.

The event brought together over 120 architects, industry experts and professionals passionate about sustainable design. The conference, which was held following the release of RSUA’s Climate Action Paper in February 2023, proved to be a thoughtprovoking event, providing attendees with valuable insights and solutions to tackle sustainability issues.

The conference featured 17 expert speakers, with talks happening in the morning and late afternoon as well as a choice of workshops before and after lunch. During the main talks of the day attendees heard from six speakers on a variety of topics including: the UK’s first Passivhaus Leisure Centre including a passivpool, from Emma Osmundsen, Exeter City Living; Sam Tyler from FCBS Studios presented on the sustainability agenda of the brief and design response in delivering Ulster University’s Belfast Campus; Tómas O’Leary from MosArt discussed Ireland’s first office building to the Certified Passivhaus standard.

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22 Perspective

During the workshop sessions attendees had the opportunity to choose from a wide selection of sessions to attend. Topics included: how a typical Irish bungalow was retrofitted to the world-leading passive house standard; how the NI Housing Executive plan to tackle the challenge of retrofitting its housing stock; the Erne Campus project for South West College – the first educational building in the world to achieve Passive House Premium certification; the trials and tribulations from the largest developer-led Passive House project in UK and Ireland, plus many more!

Many thanks to our headline sponsor Unilin Insulation as well as our other sponsors Nilan Green and Gateley Legal for playing a key role in making this event happen as well as to the following members of the RSUA Climate Emergency Committee for their involvement: Paul McAlister, Dominic Morris, Dr Barry McCarron, Martin Marshall and Donal MacRandal.

RSUA President Paul McAlister.

Conference Speaker Emma Osmundsen.

A Reflection on the Conference by ciaran mackel

places, and to the pursuit of architecture, requires us to act now.

‘Questions of how the spaces of experience, human and non-human, relate to real space, whether they can always be expressed as colorations, tensions, deformations or indexings of it, and whether real space itself is a perpetual creativity beyond comprehension in terms of conceptual spaces of geometry, have always intrigued me, and I am far from answers to such problems.’

Tim Robinson, My Time in Space, The Lilliput Press, Dublin, 2001

When Tim Robinson wrote of his time in the west of Ireland, he was acutely aware of the environmental and ecological damage, but also aware of ‘cultural loss, loss of history, loss of echo …’ That for me is the profound path that others have well-articulated and is the depth of an architectural presence that was missing from the conference agenda, and, indeed, the impetus of most of the speakers, many of whom were very fine, knowledgeable and engaging contributors.

That question, I suppose, lay at the heart of my inner tension before attending the conference, which was the RSUA’s first for many years, and which was the reason that my planned postconference weekend reading was O’Donnell + Tuomey’s ‘More Space for Architecture’. Their poetic pursuit of architecture, I considered, would be balanced and counter to what I anticipated as a day of tightly packed and detailed presentations. Niggling at the back of my mind was Wittgenstein’s ‘On Certainty’, which, as text, has always intrigued me, and given urge to be cautious, to challenge ‘motherhood and apple pie’, and the tropes that always seem sensible and righteous.

My peers and other graduates will remember the old adage of our construction technology tutor, Eric McDonald, who offered many aphorisms including ‘long-life, loose-fit, low-energy’ which became a mantra for students and architects alike, and was undoubtedly part of Max Fordham’s thinking to which one of the speakers, Sam Tyler from FCBS, referred as he grappled to see a path towards architecture after a long day of too much emphasis on technologies, facts and figures.

That said, the path to net zero is undoubtedly urgent, and in Clare Bailey’s words, ‘humanity is on code red’. Whether her description of a ‘Just Transition’ is enough? Or whether a regulatory and monitoring option is all that is left to us? Our ethical, professional, and moral duty to our clients, our fellow citizens, to our built

It did feel odd that the conference wasn’t apparently grounded in the ‘Findings of the RIBA Ethics and Sustainable Development Commission’, that references the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals providing the clear policy framework, the task of which, for us, is to translate underlying targets into practice in each of our areas of work. And, oddly, no reference was explicitly made to the ‘RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge’ that focusses on the nine of those development goals related to buildings.

Perspective 23

REVIEW

off by a tightly packed second panel of speakers, made for a busy day, and although there was some time for conversation and engagement and opportunity for hardware companies to exhibit their wares, there was, unfortunately, a missed opportunity for the RSUA itself to promote /sell /display the wealth of recently published papers and books that might have stretched the sharing ambitions of the conference into spaces beyond the floor of the conference room.

Climate Action Paper 2023.

Mina Hasman writing the ‘RIBA Climate Guide’ challenges us all to ‘acquire the requisite skills and knowledge to design buildings that deliver holistic sustainable outcomes, meeting the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge and mandatory competence in climate literacy’, and lists six core topics: human factors; circular economy; energy and carbon; water; ecology and biodiversity, connectivity and transport that are explored, including case studies, clear diagrams, and concise strategies for action.

What is explicit in Hasman’s book and was referenced by numerous speakers and contributors during the conference, and, indeed, noted in the RSUA’s Climate Action Paper, is the importance of use of multiple case studies at urban-scale and building-scale, dissemination of reliable data, and an understanding of post-occupancy studies and evaluations, that include user experience and occupant behaviour.

The demand for a sustainable and healthy growth in cities and experience in buildings, is shaped by policy and legislative requirements, but is expected by our fellow citizens, many of whom are increasingly aware of the interconnectedness of human rights and wellbeing with climate crisis.

The format of the conference of key speakers to set the tone and agenda for the day, followed by workshops and rounded

24 Perspective

Emma Osmundsen spoke passionately about Exeter Council’s Passivhaus Leisure Centre and there were certainly valuable lessons about procurement processes and engagement with the construction market using pre-tender workshops to build better understanding of Passivhaus Standards. She added timely reminders that more sophisticated data is required to assuage the disproportionate allocation of risk on such projects.

Professor Aoife Houlihan Wiberg declared the urgent need for a paradigm shift to climate resilience and to a regenerative, sustainable design, including carbon neutrality and biodiversity.

Using examples of work by Snøhetta and their pilot and living lab projects gave hope that serious architects are engaging and leading the debate and do recognise the urgency of disseminating information and sharing lessons learnt. And, of course, Passivhaus is but one of a series of rating systems.

In my view, Sam Tyler was caught between his brief, that is being asked to reflect on the strategies and lessons of the recently completed Ulster University Belfast Campus, and the necessary and entirely appropriate need to counter the trend of the day’s presentations. He was absolutely correct to reflect on the implications of a twenty-minute city, and the expression of buildings and the parallel urgency to make beautiful spaces that we can all share. He just didn’t have enough time to give space to the important issues he wished to share.

I suspect that the conference was a testing ground, not just for the theme, but for future events, seminars and workshops, intended to build debate and engagement. My hope is that such events will inform and elucidate, but also extend the task of architecture and the reach of our shared conversations.  ciaran mackel

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FEATURE CASE STUDY

Templemore Baths

THE TEAM Client Belfast City Council

M& E Engineer Tetratech

Architect McAdam

Quantity Surveyor BSND

Conservation Architect Consarc Design Group

Main Contractor Heron Bros

Project Manager AECOM

Photography Donal McCann

Structural and Civil Tetratech

FEATURE CASE STUDY

T

he restoration and reuse of Templemore Baths is a resounding success on many fronts. A building of significant architectural interest (one of only two Victorian baths remaining in the city) has been retained and with most of the original architectural detailing, including the eye-catching tall redbrick chimney, intact. Historically, an important building locally and nationally as the only functioning Victorian baths in Ireland and one of only a handful in the UK, continues to play an important part in the continuing story of the area. (Baths complexes have been restored elsewhere but rarely for their original purpose). And on a social and economic front, a local landmark and much-loved building has found a viable, relevant new use ensuring its continued place in the community with old and new facilities complementing each other and together providing much needed services.

28 Perspective

Good schemes are the result of strong supportive partnerships, and this was very much the case with this project. The lead architects, McAdam, worked productively and harmoniously with conservation experts, Consarc Conservation; the clients, Belfast City Council, understood the issues and worked with the architects to achieve the right solution in often challenging circumstances; the end users ensure that the leisure facilities run by the social enterprise Better, the heritage centre managed by the East Belfast Partnership and the café combine effectively to provide a much-valued service to the community; and the visitors to the baths, the gym and the heritage centre animate the whole project with their stories and memories. Partnership is encapsulated through heritage and social enterprise bodies working together and with the sustainable credentials of retaining, not demolishing, underpinning the whole project. This surely is the best approach to maximising the benefits of heritage for communities and the environment.

FEATURE CASE STUDY

The history of public baths and wash-houses, in the UK and Ireland at least, has its origin largely in the Industrial Revolution when washing and sanitary arrangements were virtually non-existent in most buildings. The need for washing facilities in urban areas increased in importance as a protection measure against the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera. The Public Baths and Wash House Act of 1846 empowered local authorities to build such facilities and a considerable number were built around the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the late 19th century Belfast was expanding quickly thanks to the cotton and linen industries, shipbuilding, ropemaking and other related activities. Ballymacarrett was a busy industrial area and the need for public baths was soon apparent. What is now known as the Templemore Baths was built between 1891 and 1893 as the 30 Perspective

Ballymacarrett Baths and the building and the services it offers have played an important part in the local community despite ups and downs ever since.

The architect for the original baths was Scottish-born Robert Watt who was responsible for many well-known Victorian buildings in Belfast including Templemore’s sister building, the Ormeau Baths, built a little earlier in 1887-89 as well as the Gasworks office block and tower and its elegant domed Meter House. Listed B+, Templemore Baths is a fairly plain but crisply detailed, very pleasing redbrick Victorian complex echoing the Renaissance style. The façade is given a decorative twist with pilaster strips and blind arcades. Originally, the central two-storey administration block contained a ground-floor ticket office and

Ground Floor Plan

Perspective 31

FEATURE CASE STUDY

was flanked by a ladies’ and a gentlemen’s entrance which led to the slipper baths and the 1st and 2nd class (or main and minor) swimming pools. Upstairs there was a boardroom which also served as a Coroner’s Court which dealt with many cases from the Harland and Wolff shipyards. The construction contract noted, “the tender of WJ Campbell & Sons of £8,300 was accepted also that of Riddels & Co for engineering, plumbing, gasfitting &c”.1 Economics and fashion both impact on public buildings such as swimming pools and by the 1970s and 80s the Council was turning its attention to building more modern leisure facilities and, of course, the need for public washing facilities had declined with the provision of modern housing. In 1983 the decision was taken to close Templemore Baths and until recently it was on the Heritage at Risk Register.2 There was, however, much local opposition to the closure which eventually led to the formation of the Templemore Users Trust which ensured the building survived and in 2017 it was taken over again by Belfast City Council leading to this new chapter in its history as a splendidly restored and extended leisure and heritage centre.

The restored baths complex has a strong presence on the street and is appropriately scaled for its location in the residential context of Templemore Avenue, as indeed was the case when 32 Perspective

the original baths were constructed in what was then also an area of Victorian housing. The new building sits alongside the original baths, clearly asserting itself as a 21st century building but deferring respectfully to its older neighbour by virtue of an elegant glass link, which sits neatly under the eaves level of the old building, and also through the sympathetic use of appropriate materials. On entering the building, what was an external courtyard is now a café and reception space from which one immediately gets a glimpse of one of the original pools behind the welcome desk. The other Victorian pool has been cleverly and imaginatively restored as an exhibition area for the heritage centre. Light floods the space and the experience is enhanced by thoughtful touches such as glazing around the edge of the display area revealing, below floor level, the former pool and details of its tiling and depth markers. The old slipper baths have also been retained and skilfully reused as exhibition space, telling the story of that part of the community’s history. The original ticket office is also part of the exhibition, and the old boardroom is now a much in demand meeting room.

Moving into the new building through the glass link, it is obvious that careful thought has also gone into the design of this space with changing levels and the need to make the best use of the space, and the budget available, presenting considerable

The restoration of an old building is not just about bricks and mortar – although of course that is important as is the energy gain of retaining the embodied carbon in such buildings. Equally important, however, are the embedded memories and stories. Many remember learning to swim at the baths and those stories and others are told in the excellent new interactive visitor centre. Indeed one architect, who shall be nameless, told me the story of his ritual humiliation in learning to swim at Watt’s Ormeau Baths. He recalled climbing in

to the less than flattering, and in his case ill-fitting, regulation red swimming trunks. These self-same (well perhaps not exactly the same ones) are proudly on display in the refurbished ticket office exhibition space at the Templemore Baths!

The success of this project is based on excellent working relationships between all concerned. It demonstrates the importance of a joint heritage and social enterprise approach where architectural and historical significance go hand in hand with the provision of facilities and services that are really needed and wanted by the local people. In 1984 Paul Larmour, in an article on both the Ormeau and the Templemore Baths, noted that, “The future of Ormeau Baths seems safe for the present but there is some uncertainty about Templemore. It seems a pity that the future of such a handsome piece of Victorian functionalism should be in doubt.” 3 It is in doubt no longer and hats off to all concerned - architects, clients, end users and feisty supporters – who have ensured that Templemore Baths has a new lease of life as a thriving concern. 

Karen Latimer References 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects www.dia.ie 2. Gerrow, C. Buildings at Risk: Templemore Baths, Templemore Avenue, Belfast. Perspective, 26 (2), March/April 2017. pp.28-32.

3. Larmour,P. Belfast Corporation Baths – an endangered species? Ulster Architect, September 1984. pp. 10-11.

Images by Elyse Kennedy

challenges, but ones that have been overcome. There is much to admire here. On the first floor, the old pool links through a new archway to the new pool; the space is suffused with light from above and the blind arcades of Watt’s building add interest and delight. New changing facilities serve both pools. The gym on the first floor is cantilevered over additional parking below.

It looks out over the pool on one side and to the street on the other, providing distraction for the fitness fanatics and animating the street, particularly at night. The design of modern swimming pools could be an article in itself. Here attention has been paid to the need to provide a competition pool which, thanks to the ability to change depths, can also be used for teaching. DDA regulations have been adhered to throughout and light is brought in from above which provides privacy from outside and is a safety feature as there is no refracted light hindering underwater visibility. After much debate, a compromise was reached on the amount of seating required with the need for raked seating conceded in order to gain additional space and indeed reduce costs.

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Tetra Tech are proud to have been involved in this signature project for Ulster University, and for Belfast.

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34 Perspective

TEMPLEMORE BATHS, BELFAST

C a r l a nt o L u x u r y Ti l e & B a t h r o o m S how r o om 5 - 7 G l e n m a ch a n P l a c e , B o u ch e r Ro a d , B e l f a s t , BT1 2 6 Q H T. 0 2 8 9 0 23 0433 E . i n f o @ c a r l a n t o . c o m w w w.c a r l a nt o.com

P O H S K O O B A RIB

FULLY BOOKED The Bookshop at the RSUA offers a greater than ever range of books, contracts and forms on all aspects of architecture, design and construction. The layout and design has given us the opportunity to hold and display more stock, all controlled by a computer system which is directly linked to the RIBA Bookshop network. We also provide a mail order service for customers who wish to order their goods by telephone, fax or email and our bookshop team will help with any queries you may have on locating and ordering publications.

New accounts welcome.

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2 Mount Charles, Belfast BT7 1NZ Tel: 028 9032 3760 Email:

julia@rsua.org.uk

NEWS WORK IN PROGRESS

Enniskillen Rugby Club

Over the past five years, Enniskillen Rugby Club has seen an explosion in minis, youth, female and all-ability playing memberships, which has rendered its 1980s changing rooms and clubhouse virtually obsolete. Following a feasibility study

by Keys and Monaghan Architects, and a public consultation process, the Club is developing the preferred option, for a new facility, to be built to Passive House standards, with accessible changing rooms, each with its own showers and toilets, so they can operate autonomously.

The development will allow the Club to grow as a Community Hub, with meeting rooms and facilities available to other clubs, schools, and organisations, working towards better physical and mental health for all in the area.  Keys and Monaghan Architects

Following a successful summer programme of rugby for children with additional needs, the Club is working with Disability Sport NI to gain its ‘Inclusive Sports Facility‘ accreditation.

Responding to the topography and ground conditions, a split-level section is proposed, with the changing rooms, large gym, exercise and physio rooms on the lower floor and a hospitality suite and meeting rooms on the upper level, with a large terrace wrapping around the building, overlooking the pitches.

A covered all-weather training area is also part of the Master Plan.

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FEATURE

Fourth Dimension and the Space Between A Conversation with Peter Hutchinson As part of a series Dr Andrew Molloy chats to leading figures in Northern Irish architecture about their careers and influences. In this issue he talks to multi-award-winning landscape architect Peter Hutchinson.

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“While I’m known for a number of landscape design schemes, I don’t think my career has been defined by them. I have such a wide range of projects.”

I was sitting in a coffee shop at the lower end of Dungannon’s Market Square with renowned landscape architect Peter Hutchinson. Out of the window, the Square rose dramatically towards Ranfurly House, beyond which lies a beautifully landscaped and historically vital park. It was the second and final site visit of the day looking at two of the projects Peter was alluding to: the RUC Geroge Cross Memorial Garden and Dungannon’s Hill of the O’Neill. Over the course of a number of conversations, it was clear that Peter was proud of them and – as I had not experienced them in person – I decided I needed to see them. Peter was kind enough to offer me the day to act as a guide.

“I have been involved in some four hundred projects over the course of my career, and neither the RUC Garden nor Hill of the O’Neill could have happened without each and every one of them; I just wouldn’t have been able to design them without those experiences.”

Weeks before this Dungannon denouement (to which we shall return) we were seated at Peter’s dining table in his unusually linear first-floor apartment in south Belfast. I started the conversation with my usual broad opening question of beginnings.

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“I studied geography and economic history at Queen’s, and then I worked in the ‘Realisation and Implementation’ section of Belfast City Planning Department as a town planning assistant; this would have been 1969. I then went back to study Town Planning before returning to the Belfast Planning Office Design Section. I worked with John McCammon, Harry Orr, Mike Murray and Alwyn Riddel and it was a crazy office. At the time design was an open book of contemporary modern redevelopment, so there were some wacky plans.”

In the Belfast Planning Department, amongst other projects, Peter worked on the pedestrianisation concept plan for Ann Street, Arthur Street and Corn Market in Belfast, the first one in Ireland. These were heady days to be involved in the Planning profession, which was very much an emerging discipline in Northern Ireland at the time. The initiation point locally was the publication of the Matthew Plan in 1962, rising through Travers Morgan’s motorway plans and BDP’s Belfast Urban Area Plan in 1967, cresting with the establishment of the Craigavon Development Commission in 1966.

“I moved to the Craigavon Development Commission as a landscape architectural assistant in 1972. The beauty of the Commission was that we had a landscape section, a plant nursery, and a workforce; you could develop a design in the morning, go down and pick plants from the nursery and have it built in the afternoon. The principle was that it was multi-

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disciplinary and all-inclusive, with architects, engineers, planners, landscape architects, and model makers. It was exciting times and we had buckets of dough, but it dissipated in the early seventies and was absorbed into the Department of the Environment.”

Through the crucible of the late sixties, Peter had found his calling and left Northern Ireland to study for a post-graduate degree in Landscape Architecture at Edinburgh University before spending a year working with Eikos Environmental Design based in Vancouver working on a series of pedestrian precincts, residential developments and public spaces. In 1976 – now as a chartered member of the Institute of Landscape Architects – he brought this thinking back to Northern Ireland, just as landscape architecture was entering a new phase in the Province.

“There were three landscape offices: Belfast, Derry and Craigavon. Belfast obviously looked after the city and County Antrim, Derry looked after Londonderry, Fermanagh and Tyrone, and Craigavon looked after Armagh and Down, under the Department of the Environment Planning Department.

We got a relatively free reign. We were doing anything from area plans right through to detailed design.”

In his position as Deputy Principal under the then DOE Planning Service, Peter was involved in another pedestrianisation scheme ten years after his work on Ann Street, this time

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for Lisburn’s Bow Street, the first one in Northern Ireland outside Belfast.

“This was 1981 or ’82. There had been a lot of bombing, a lot of decimation of town centres. Bow Street had gaps and spaces; businesses had closed. It was in a sorry state.

There was a whole host of security concerns. The idea was to establish areas with planters to create safety zones. It took account of pedestrians, seating areas, safety and security. It became the most successful shopping street outside Belfast.

It was really successful, really lively.”

The above account of Peter’s description of the Bow Street scheme falls somewhat short compared with my own experience in the room. As he began discussing the project he reached for a blank page and a pen, making a series of expressive marks as he explained the layout and topography of the site and the implications behind the primary design decisions. Peter’s travelogues - often featured within these pages - are highly visual, and any articles about his designs are always accompanied by beautifully expressive sketches.

Peter’s thought process is highly visual.

“It’s the way I think; I live on drawings. I think better in pictures. It is looking, seeing, and observing. A computer doesn’t give you that contact… [TAPS PEN ON SURFACE OF PAGE] …between the tip of the pencil and a piece of paper.

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FEATURE

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Whether it’s travelogues or teaching, I’m telling stories; it’s a journey from start to finish. I have a visual library in my mind; I can draw a fence… [DRAWING AS HE SPEAKS] …and I can click through my brain; is it a picket fence, is it a post and wire fence, is it a vertical boarded timber fence? And then I can ask, how is that constructed? … [THE PEN HAS NOT STOPPED MOVING] …I’ve got all those little pictures – a visual library – in my head, millions of them.”

Pulling out a fresh page, Peter began explaining how he uses drawing and sketching in the design process while the pen danced across the page in front of him.

“I still go through the old-fashioned process of ‘survey, analysis, design.’ You have the base information and synthesise that into a drawing. The most difficult thing is getting the initial sketch design right. I start off with small sketches; it might only be a thumbnail. Then I take that bit there… [HIGHLIGHTING SMALL AREA ON SKETCH IN FRONT OF HIM] …and then I make that into an A4, but I might then take that bit there… [SELECTING SMALLER AREA AGAIN] …and make that into an A3. It’s the way you would on a computer, enlarging it on your screen, but you always have the same amount of detail at any scale. With a drawing, you cannot cheat. You go from that initial thought into construction details, junctions and corners.”

40 Perspective

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Returning to the account of his career, Peter established his own practice in the early 1980s, a time that marked a significant shift in many of the built environment professions away from the public sector. The heightening intensity of the Troubles in the early seventies led to a number of Acts of Parliament, initially proroguing the Northern Ireland Assembly before dissolving it entirely. The political shake-up resulted in a dramatic reduction of the powers of the local councils.

As described above, the planning wave had crested with the work of the Commission, before it all came crashing down and receding over the course of the 1970s as budgets dwindled and society fractured.

“The early eighties was when the shift happened from the public sector to the opening up of private offices. There was no training locally, so you either went to Edinburgh – where I went – or Leeds, Manchester or even the USA. But the Housing Executive and the DoE landscape offices were seedbeds for landscape architects. Seven or eight new landscape architecture offices opened, and I started my practice in 1983.”

At the time, one of the largest employers of landscape architects outside the civil service was Ferguson McIlveen (later to be absorbed by the Scott Wilson group, and then by AECOM), who established itself as an engineering firm in the early twenties before diversifying into a multi-disciplinary practice

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in the 1960s when Robert Carson joined, adding landscape architecture, with WD & RT Taggarts being a close competitor, and very few others. Therefore, there was a virtually empty marketplace for private practitioners in Northern Ireland at the time that lent itself well to small practices.

“Commissions came from different government bodies; whether you were in favour with a particular department, you might have got a park or you might have got an industrial estate; government offices turned the tap on and off. But there were developers and private work as well, and because I was self-employed and didn’t know when the next job was coming, I would have taken on anything. Your ear was always open.”

Asking about his approach to landscape design and what shapes his approach to design, Peter references two seminal books; Elizabeth Beazley’s ‘Design and Detail of Space Between Buildings’1 and Gordon Cullen’s ‘The Concise Townscape.’2 Discussing the impact these publications have had on his practice, Peter once again turned his attention to the pen and paper on the table between us.

“I think you could describe landscape architecture as the design of the space between buildings. The buildings could be urban… [DRAWING DENSELY PACKED SHAPES] …and you’re designing the junctions and connections… [SKETCHES

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OUT TREELINED STREETSCAPE] …but the buildings could be… [DRAWING TALL DISPERSED BLOCKS] …and you’ve roads, hills, vegetation, and lakes… [SKETCHES OUT OPEN LANDSCAPE, REMINSCENT OF CORBUSIER’S PLAN VOISIN] … Either way, the buildings just happen to be part of the landscape. Architects try to get the landscape to fit their buildings, whereas I would tend to make the building fit the landscape. It’s in how architects are taught. There’s very little focus on relating buildings and landscape in architectural teaching and practice. If it is an afterthought there tends to be a disconnection between the building and the landscape.

“The other thing that landscape architects consider is the fourth dimension of time. You have to deal with the diurnal, seasonal changes and annual changes of weather and climate, but also the fact that plants actually grow; the acorn eventually becomes an oak. There is a transience; it evolves.”

This concept of the fourth dimension of time loomed large on the day of our site visits, which took place on a pleasantly sunny day in an otherwise dismal Northern Irish August. The two projects were celebrating notable anniversaries: ten years in the case of the Hill of the O’Neill and twenty years in the case of the George Cross RUC Garden.

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The idea of the George Cross RUC Garden arose from the reorganisation of policing in Northern Ireland following the publication of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 and the Patten Report in 1999 which caused the RUC to be superseded by the PSNI. Prior to the official dissolution of the RUC in 2000, the Constabulary was awarded the George Cross for Bravery, the second of three times the medal had been awarded collectively (awarded in 1942 to the Island of Malta following the Siege of Malta, and subsequently in 2021 to the NHS following the coronavirus pandemic). The dissolution of the RUC was a controversial move at the time, and the creation of a memorial garden, along with a tranche of funding, was offered to reassure retired officers that their service would not be forgotten and nor would the sacrifices of their fallen comrades. In 1999 Peter won the competition for the design of the garden.3 “All I was given was a non-specific brief, the most awkward site rife with security issues and only one point of access, and a fixed budget; I think it was three-quarters of a million.

For what they wanted that was tight, to say the least. I was taken into a room with all the senior police constables, and they showed me a model; it had a picket fence, some plastic flowers, and two police officers – one male, one female – on a plinth. And they said ‘We’re thinking of this…’ ”

42 Perspective

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Feeling that the complex and contentious history of the RUC deserved more than the traditional form of memorial, Peter undertook research into different kinds of memorials, citing the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC, the Omaha Beach Memorial in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, France and Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe’s Kennedy Memorial in Surrey.

“I had great fun looking at all these memorials and picking out elements. They were tending to go for more abstract, cerebral, and emotional responses. From that I started to produce concept drawings. The objective was to keep as much of the features of the existing site as possible and work with them. My concept was a journey.”

I won’t go into too much detail on the layout of the garden – I would encourage you to delve into past editions of Perspective or, even better, book a visit there yourself – but there are three distinct phases within the garden: the slowly curved history trail which is all about sequential facts, a steeply sloped public garden providing a moment to catch your breath, and the deeply reflective memorial garden which is all about the emotion and the intangible. The materiality and colour palette throughout is subtle and evocative.

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“The concept started off with trees and hedges, it was this soft and vegetated landscape. The design didn’t change but throughout the design process and during construction I played around with materiality. It went very much more stainless steel, granite and concrete; rigid mesh boxes and poured concrete to reflect the sangars. I kept changing it as I went along, I kept adding harder and more brutalist materials. The client was very tolerant. The colours were black, dark green and red; the leather boots, the uniform and the red insignia.”

Once you get beyond the initial impression of the garden created by the material and colour palette, you notice the details; the cut curved paving, the subtle peaked cap motif on the benches, signage and even the bins; and the distinct deco-style detailing, perhaps a reference to the decade of the founding of the RUC; and indeed, the Northern Irish state.

Every inch has been thought through with every item bespoke, a true labour of love for its designer.4 “When you’re doing a job like this, this is personal. I put my heart and soul into it and when it finished at the end of 2003, I was so involved I was actually bereft; I felt lost.”

Our follow-up visit was to a project with an equally rich context, albeit for different reasons. The Hill of the O’Neill is the site of a

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number of fortifications initially owned by the O’Neill dynasty, the high kings of Ireland in the 13th and 14th centuries, then

by Sir Arthur Chichester following the Elizabethan conquest of Ireland and the flight of the earls, and most recently by the army up until 2007. The site is a scheduled ancient monument and has been subject to numerous archaeological digs, including coming to the attention of Tony Robinson and the Time Team crew following the withdrawal of the army.

Consarc won the RSUA design competition for the redevelopment of Ranfurly House and Castlehill (later rebranded as the Hill of the O’Neill), with Peter as the landscape architect for the now vacant former army barracks.5 In a reference to one of our earlier conversations, Peter explained that the landscaping was, unfortunately, an ‘afterthought’ to the architectural commission. Despite this, Peter once again put his heart and soul into the scheme. Based again on a journey, the design plays with notions of enclosure and fortification and their opposition in openness and views.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t a landscape commission, it was an architectural commission with a landscape element. It was an awkward site that had some of the army fortifications still there. Unfortunately, some of them were taken away. I kept as much of the army remains as I could, because I felt that was important, and people couldn’t understand it. We’re not

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very good at keeping our recent past, washing away anything to do with the Troubles.”

designer, for which he has won numerous awards and been featured in a wide array of publications and exhibitions.

A slowly rising path deals deftly with the steep topography while referencing defensive ramparts, with bastions allowing visitors to step out and take advantage of sweeping views. The site rises to an elevated public square, sections of which are supported on the brutalist remains of army fortifications. Additionally, the iconic twin towers of the ruined Knox Hannyngton House form a magnificent proscenium arch to what must be the most dramatic stage in the entire country. Beyond this, dramatically steep banks are formed into stepped terraces broken up by wildflower planting, with grand zig-zagging ramps – oversized versions of that from the RUC Garden – that are about both moving through the landscape and experiencing it.6

Throughout our conversations, Peter referred frequently to the idea of the fourth dimension of time and the ‘space between’. His attitude towards his two iconic projects begins to outline these two concepts as an approach to a career. Not only does the landscape exist through time and space, but the same also applies to the designer; they are not static, and each experience enriches their thought process.

Returning to that moment in the coffee shop, Peter realises that the RUC Garden and the Hill of the O’Neill are two of his most recognisable and noteworthy projects, but they do not stand alone. They are deeply personal realisations dependent on his considerable experience. Looking at Peter’s CV and portfolio of projects, the number and range of projects are staggering.

Commercial, medical and industrial landscaping, housing, outof-town shopping centres (despite Peter’s aversion to them), industrial landscaping, civic plazas and pedestrian precincts, private gardens, motorway by-passes, burial grounds and – wherever possible – bespoke street furniture. We only briefly touched upon his work as an illustrator artist and product

1 Elisabeth Beazley. Design and Detail of the Space between Buildings. The London Architectural Press, 1960.

2 Gordon Cullen. The Concise Townscape. Routledge, 1961.

3 Peter Hutchinson, ’RUC George Cross Foundation Garden’ in RSUA Perspective, May / June 2002.

4 Andrew Haley, ‘Turning a Concept Into Reality’ in RSUA Perspective, November / December 2003.

5 Andrew Bunbury, ‘Castlehill and Ranfurly House’ in RSUA Perspective, July / August 2011.

6 Andrew Bunbury, ‘Hill of the O’Neill: Castlehill’ in RSUA Perspective, September / October 2013.

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The iconic projects do not exist in isolation but within a topography of smaller projects; their contribution to the more noteworthy schemes as vital as they are so often unnoticed.  Dr Andrew Molloy

Exhibition of ‘Heart of the Matter’ sketches from article in Perspective (January/February 2023). Displayed in Belfast City Hospital Tower Block (September and October 2023). Afterwards in Connswater Shopping centre then travelling to other city hospital units - Royal Victoria, Mater and Ulster Hospitals. Exhibition is free and funded by Arts Care - their objective is to provide quality arts engagement that supports health and wellbeing.

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PROJECT MILESTONES, ILLUSTRATIONS AND SKETCHES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Bow Street Pedestrian Precinct, Lisburn NI, 1981. Photo of model, birds eye view.

Bow Street Pedestrian Precinct, Lisburn NI, 1981. Bespoke square modular concrete planters.

Bow Street Lisburn Pedestrian Precinct, Lisburn NI, 1981. Street photo from Antrim Street.

Cedar Court elderly frail/dementia unit, Downpatrick NI, 2013. Bespoke pergola/planter/guardrail.

Pen & ink sketch of the Turning Torso by Spanish architect Calatrava, Malmo, Sweden, 2003. Under Construction.

The Diamond, Enniskillen NI Civic Square/Precinct, 1993. Bespoke prefabricated bandstand.

Harbour Gateway, concept proposal, Larne NI, 2004. Aerial sketch view of scheme.

Northern Ireland Prisoners Officers Memorial Garden, East Belfast NI, 2006. Concept birds eye view.

Bomb Memorial Competition, Omagh NI, 2006. Internal sketches of Remembrance Garden.

Royal Mall concept design, London UK, 1999. Competition entry, multifunctional light units.

Waterside House, Oxford Island, Craigavon NI, 1979. Overall layout plan - pool/bespoke seating/planter.

QFT 50th Anniversary Poster, 2016. Kenneth Brannagh and Mayfair Cinema (series of 16).

Crescent Arts Centre, Bill Gates’ life drawing class, 2011. A3 female nude sketch (brown pencil/cartridge paper).

Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Garden, East Belfast NI, 2001. Garden mood concept sketch.

Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Garden, East Belfast NI, 2003. Aerial photo overview on completion.

Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Garden, East Belfast NI, 2003. View up garden of peace.

M5 Foreshore Residential Complex, Newtownabbey NI, 2006. Overall concept aerial visual.

Lenadoon Peace Wall interface, West Belfast NI, 1987. Wall/railing, planting and arch entrance.

Pedestrian Precinct, Anne Street/Arthur Street/Corn Market, Belfast NI, 1972. Public order leaflet.

Hill of the O’Neill, Dungannon NI, 2013. Main entrance bespoke signage panel on galvanised steel frame.

Hill of the O’Neill, Dungannon NI, 2013. Bespoke giant’s seat in faced stone, gabon and stainless steel bench.

Giant’s park, Dargan Estate Fortwilliam NI, 2005. Sketch of Giant (Gulliver) - Lottery Fund competition.

Private residence garden, Malone, South Belfast NI, 1990. Detail of planting and sculpture.

Council offices competition, Navan/Meath Councils ROI, 2006. Birds-eye view offices and park.

Laneways Improvement Scheme, Enniskillen NI, 1997. Fabrication of modular bespoke metal arch.

School of Architecture teaching, QUB Belfast NI, 2000-07. Sheet from landscape module course.

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CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

King’s College London

Sam Phillips ©

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n the autumn of 2012, Hall McKnight won the RIBA international design contest for the redevelopment of the Quadrangle Building at King’s College London. The other shortlisted teams were Henley Halebrown, Barozzi Viega, Zaha Hadid, Eric Parry and Carme Pinos.

The site is layered with history and is located within the area of the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Ludenwic, which developed following the vacating of Londinium by the Romans during the 5th Century. The Strand developed as a commercial route between The City of London and Westminster, and during the mediaeval period the south of the Strand was developed as a series of narrow burgage plots running down to the Thames. In succeeding years, a number of large mansions were developed within the land between this commercial street of narrowfronted houses and the Thames. These grand houses, including

46 Perspective

the mediaeval ‘Somerset House’ (for some years the home of Charles I’s bereaved wife Henrietta Maria), enjoyed the benefits of river frontage, and therefore convenient barge access to Westminster and the south of the river.

The remnants of this pattern of development are still in evidence, with narrow-fronted commercial property on the Strand, and the Georgian complex of Somerset House occupying the space to the south. At times this complex seems carved out of the back of the linear frontage of the Strand, leaving a very thin crust between the linear order of the Strand as a route, and the static equilibrium of the Georgian formality of Somerset House.

King’s College developed as part of the Somerset House complex planned by Sir William Chambers at the end of the eighteenth century. The establishment of King’s was championed by

THE TEAM Client King’s College London Architect Hall McKnight Project Management 3PM Quantity Surveyor Turner and Townsend

M&E AECOM Structural Elliott Wood Partnership Main Contractor Shell and Core Farrans Construction Ltd Fit Out Overbury Photography Johan Dehlin / Sam Phillips

Johan Dehlin ©

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

the Duke of Wellington to address a need for a non-secular college in London, following the institution of what later became UCL, a secular institution. It involved the completion of the formal elevation of the Somerset House complex to the Thames - the eastern end of the terrace that now looks over the Embankment, and a college building, designed by Robert Smirke. All of this was built to a plan which, with the exception

of the terrace, amended aspects of the original plan of the Somerset House complex. The long quadrangle between The College and the rear elevation of the west wing of Somerset House was supported on a series of vaults and incorporated a coach ramp to provide access for coaches to a jetty on the Thames. After The Quadrangle was bombed during WWII, these vaults were cleared away and the space was occupied by a 2 -storey building, built between 1948 and 1950, its thinly built roof forming an asphalted ‘Quadrangle’. Within this building in 1952, Rosalind Franklin captured ‘Photograph 51’, which was the first evidence for the double helix structure of DNA. The entire site is Grade I listed, and this, combined with several other technical constraints and very limited site access defined a complex and challenging project.

Our design contest proposal emanated from a studied and careful understanding of the site’s history and added architectural interventions to recover aspects of the historical development. During the past decade we have been involved in several projects associated with The Quadrangle itself and neighbouring sites. In 2015, following the securing of a lease for the huge Aldwych Quarter complex of buildings immediately to the north, the KCL estates strategy for their campus on the Strand went through significant change, and KCL took the decision to cease the project that had been developed to RIBA Stage 3. We were then engaged to complete a revised proposal for the building which was to extend, refurbish and thermally upgrade the existing building for unspecified learning and teaching use.

Sam Phillips ©

48 Perspective

Our approach involved the placing of a lift and stair, top-lit with a circular glazed oculus, in the middle of the plan, creating four new flexible learning and teaching spaces. This strategy was largely driven by recognition that the proportion of the resulting spaces were as linear as might be practical for the collaborative teaching environment envisaged. The spaces are accessed from the 1st basement level of the main King’s building corridor through a new student commons area carved out of the original King’s archive, a series of barrel vaults that run under the main entrance hall of the college. The brief sought spaces that would support a new way of learning and teaching engineering, by

Johan Dehlin ©

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

practical work, collaborative problem-solving, and the use of design related to making. Workshops and maker spaces are provided with access to the full range of tools for analogue and digital techniques.

The vertical circulation, toilets and maker spaces are new built interventions, using in-situ concrete with differing degrees of geometric expression, drawing upon the recurring theme of contemporary expression of historic forms. The simplicity of the fit-out is driven by a desire to expose the layering of history in this subterranean territory; the result is the uncovering of a series of structural planes of differing ages where the building meets the façade of the original King’s building. The maker spaces and WC lightwells connect strongly with the façade of the building at basement level, with roof glazing providing an unusual engagement with the stone façade as one looks upwards. The project takes its place as a contemporary intervention in the timeline of this richly layered environment.

Functional diagram Basement Level 1.

Functional diagram basement Level 2.

The quadrangle surface has become a new external commons popular with staff and students. Services built into the new balustrade plinth that runs along the west side (power, data, water) support its use for events. The quad surface is finished in two light-reflecting tones of resin-bonded gravel; a mundane and ubiquitous low-cost finish, not selected for reasons of economy, but because site levels and the load-bearing capacity Aerial view of Quadrangle showing historic axis.

King’s Building

Strand Building

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50 Perspective

Key 1 Teaching and Learning Space 2 Maker Space 3 Learning Commons (Vaults) 4 Learning Commons (Quad) 5 Accommodation stair and lift

6 Research Space 7 WC block 8 Plant space 9 Circulation 10 Access to King’s Building / Strand Building

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Location Plan

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Key 1 Quadrangle (KCL) 2 King’s Building (KCL) 3 Strand Building (KCL) 4 Somerset House East Wing (KCL) 5 Somerset House

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6 Courtauld Institute 7 Aldwich Quarter (KCL) 8 St Mary Le Strand Church 9 152-158 Strand (KCL)

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Section B-B

Somerset House East Wing

King’s Building

Key 1 Oculus Rooflight 2 Precast concrete surround / bench 3 Resin Bound Gravel Quadrangle Deck 4 Precast concrete bench 5 Shot Peened stainless steel balstrade 6 Double glazed steel windows 7 Cast in situ helical stair 8 Curved handrail / integrated LED fitting 9 Oak joinery and glazed screen 10 Lift 11 Through coloured MDF radiator recess 12 Existing external wall waterproofed and thermally lined

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Section A-A

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Key 1 Teaching and Learning Space 2 Maker Space 3 Quadrangle Deck 4 SHEW Lightwell

King’s Vault Detail Section

Perspective 51

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

(L-R) 18th century view of the Strand showing the Somerset House proposal in context. Pre-war view of the Quadrangle looking south showing the cart ramp that accessed the Thames. View looking north showing WWII bomb damage in the Quadrangle.

of the deck limited the potential range of options. We sought to enhance the use of this finish to a level appropriate to the sensitive heritage context through developing a grid of metal inlays, the same shot-blasted stainless steel material was used in the new balustrade. In conjunction with the oculus, the inlay pattern and tonal shift of the resin subtly identify aspects of the original Chambers plan that included a secondary axis of symmetry within the Quad which was lost in the setting out of the College building by Smirke during 1826-1828.

The status of the roof of the building as a shared external space, accessing several Grade I listed buildings, meant that the improvement of the thermal performance to the walls and roof had to be handled internally, a technically demanding task in consideration of condensation risk, cold bridging and fixing of new services. Our project carefully retains and re-uses the existing structure, a steel frame with a mix of concrete and clay-pot floor construction. As is typical of buildings constructed during the austere post-war years, it is not particularly robust, and care was taken to survey and remediate structural damage, largely due to water ingress. There were also limitations on the ability of the soffits to support services, and so a complex sequence of fixing to the primary and secondary beams in advance of the application of the insulation was developed. We addressed the lack of available daylight by ensuring that it is always possible to see top-lit spaces across the open spaces of the interior, and by designing bespoke large-surface area light fittings which allow the spaces to be lit with as diffuse a light source as possible.

The bespoke fittings deliver a range of colour temperatures of white light through the daily cycle, set to respond to the external light levels; whilst all of the spaces are entirely dependent upon artificial light this is not the impression among those who use the building. The lighting strategy is co-ordinated with a ventilation system based upon chilled beams, an approach that supports flexibility, comfort and energy efficiency.

Overall, the scheme is expected to achieve a 70% reduction in energy use; post-occupancy monitoring is ongoing to ensure that the building management derives the maximum 52 Perspective

energy benefits. The complete retention of the substructure, superstructure and external walls means that the project involves very low embodied carbon. It is a strong example of how retrofit can deliver significant carbon benefits.

It was not until after the shell and core project was under construction that the client confirmed the fit-out contract should provide facilities for a new department of engineering.

The project was constructed using three separate contracts; enabling works, shell and core and fit-out – the latter two projects overlapped, with different contractors, and with both being commissioned as 2-stage Design and Build contracts.

This complex procurement process contained significant risks, especially as the project started on site the summer before the C19 pandemic; however, it was necessary to allow the shell and core project to progress while we progressed the detailed brief development with the newly appointed Head of Engineering to inform the fit-out. Hall McKnight were the client-side designers from Stage 1-4 and acted as client advisers through to completion for all contracts and were also retained as the contractor’s architects for the fit-out.

The realisation of The Quadrangle Project faced many challenges of statutory approval, procurement and construction. The deck itself could not support a lifting load any greater than one tonne, the only delivery point was through a 3.5m wide archway on the Embankment – with limited space or means of moving spoil and materials between the site and archway. These added constraints speak to a hard-won project that, to be worthwhile, needed to deliver longevity and longterm quality outcomes. As client feedback attests, the facilities provided by the project have met all of the demands of the client and provide a series of robust spaces which anticipate and support adaptability that should serve the institution well for many decades to come. 

Hall McKnight Architects

Johan Dehlin ©

Sam Phillips ©

Johan Dehlin ©

Johan Dehlin ©

Johan Dehlin ©

Sam Phillips ©

Johan Dehlin ©

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Photograph Copyright Sam Philips Photography

Engineering a new carbon precedent for King’s College London

Further Information The Quadrangle Project matthew.grout@aecom.com AECOM Ireland sam.mcdowell@aecom.com

Refurbishing the disused Quadrangle Building at King’s College London was a unique and challenging project in itself, add in a tightly constrained subterranean site, a live student environment and iconic Grade I Listed buildings and the solution required exemplary expertise and exceptional collaboration.

Located within Westminster’s Strand Conservation Area, the Quadrangle refurbishment and new Engineering Faculty is a highly creative project providing premium undergraduate learning and teaching spaces that focus on interaction.

An immersive educational environment where theory, collaboration and practical experimentation are practiced within an accessible facility at the heart of the colleges Humanities, Arts and Science Campus.

The Quadrangle itself connects four separate buildings, including the east wing of Somerset House and The King’s Building. The redesigned public space reestablishes the lost axis of the original plan for the site. Detailed engineering analysis was instrumental in assessing the viability of the retrofit scheme over demolition, which would have resulted in air contamination, increased campus disruption and vehicle congestion.

Designed by Hall McKnight, the 3,000 square metre development reintegrates a post war steel framed building, constructed following bomb damage to an original vaulted boat ramp which connected the Strand to the River Thames. A series of new lightwells between the Quadrangle and the King’s building bring natural light deep into the educational spaces. ‘Organic growth’ to the existing central water and heating systems required exploration to determine their extent, purpose and locations, prior to delivering an upgraded, rationalised solution.

Providing a controlled climatic environment within the new teaching spaces focused primarily on upgrading the existing fabric to deliver a solution that is not only sustainable in its energy demands, but coupled with an adaptable services layout, provides flexibility for future changes in learning requirements. The reduced demand for active temperature control systems, also rationalised the plant equipment and new interventions within the Listed Quadrangle have been minimised and discreetly located.

King’s College London and AECOM have a long engineering relationship, and the delivery of Hall McKnight’s Quadrangle scheme is a testament to engineering innovation and collaboration, delivering a complex retrofit solution at a third of the embodied carbon of exemplar new builds, and delivering a 70% CO2 emissions improvement.

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NEWS RESTORATION

Royal Reuse

Image credits – Bicycle Face

Royal Hillsborough has had a busy number of years. In 2019 Hillsborough Castle and Gardens were reopened to the public, including the magnificent walled garden, state rooms and garden trails by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP). It was then given the “Royal” prefix in 2021, due to it being the official Royal residence. Then with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, Hillsborough was Northern Ireland’s destination for mourners to pay their respects. A total of 50,000 people visited in eleven days it is reckoned! The coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 also saw crowds flocking to the village to celebrate the occasion. Added to this in March, Hillsborough was awarded £20million through the ‘Belfast Region City Deal’ to make the village a world-class heritage attraction. Whilst all this excitement and change has been occurring, on the ground there have been projects to realise the potential of the built heritage in the village.

Heritage at Risk knows no boundaries and indeed there have been, and are, heritage at risk structures within the village. The fantastic and transformative work in 2021 to 1 Arthur Street/21 Ballynahinch Street saw a long-term vacant and shell of a building transformed back into commercial and private use. It is now well poised to take advantage of the tourism potential.

Another property restored to its former glory recently is 4-6 Main Street, Hillsborough.

56 Perspective

4-6 Main Street Hillsborough is a three-bay, two-storey-withattic former townhouse and shop. The basement can be traced back to the late 1700s and its outline appears on a map of Hillsborough in 1800 and 1803. Griffiths Valuation in 1861 notes the property valued at £8 with a single-storey rear return and a coach house. Then in 1872 a new owner, Henry McDowell, seems to have improved the building as its valuation increased to £13.

NEWS RESTORATION

The building was rebuilt in 1904 by the Johnston family, giving its current Edwardian appearance with two dormers flanking a central gable. The building is smooth-rendered and the central gable has lively moulded volutes, making the building stand out from its mainly Georgian neighbours. It was originally a drapery and stationary shop with the family home above. It was later a hardware shop, general merchant, funeral parlour and even had petrol pumps to the front. More recently it was a ladies’ clothes shop.

Jonathan and Lynne McCabe bought the property in 2018 and were instantly drawn to the location and the building itself.

Lynne saw the immediate need to save the building while giving it a new and productive use. The building was added to Heritage at Risk in 2020 when the owner, knowing of its condition, alerted UAH that it should be included on the register. With experience in another such building, the B1listed Ralph’s 65 Main Street in Moira, Lynne saw the potential that 4-6 Main Street had for a similar purpose.

To just redecorate and reopen the building as a shop would not have been economically viable. The building required a full restoration due to the water ingress and the roof condition, while the land and parking to the rear had already been developed. Judging by the media attention that Hillsborough has been receiving over the years, funding in place to make it a known tourist centre and historical importance of the village, there is going to be a need to accommodate tourists.

Additionally, finding that there was a gap in the market for boutique accommodation, it seems that the stars had aligned, the right owner had found the right building.

Jonathan and Lynne drafted in Emily Warwick of Warwick Architects and Barwood Construction as contractors for the project. The building had some notable challenges including water ingress from the roof where slates had cracked and slipped in some cases, woodworm to timber work inside and no reliable heating system in place. It also had to be fully rewired, and services installed. As a result, extensive work was required to remedy these issues. The benefit of reusing the building as guest accommodation is that it did not require changes to the layout of the rooms. One difficulty arose however, with the original staircase, it did not meet building control standards, so a new staircase was installed to the 1980s return allowing for the original staircase to be retained. Cornicing detail was also retained, and the shop front improved, sympathetically in keeping with the Conservation Area. The Edwardian shop front is unique in Hillsborough and a reminder of the building’s past. The owners maintained close communication with both Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and Historic Environment Division throughout the planning process.

In January 2023 Arthur’s officially opened, Arthur has been the name of eight out of nine Marquesses of Downshire.

Glenanne Gatelodge, Co. Armagh.

Arthur’s consists of a ground-floor coffee shop while the lower ground floor, first and second-floor contain twelve guest accommodation suites. Commonly, when I ask owners would they consider rescuing a listed building again, they are generally quite silent on the issue, but Lynne was adamant in the importance of the buildings, noting they are themselves a selling point, they are unique and finite. Tourists want to stay somewhere special with links to the surrounding area and Arthur’s provides just that. The rooms boast high ceilings, cornicing, ceiling rose and are tastefully redecorated. The views to the rear provide a look to Hillsborough Forest and St Malachy’s Church, while the front shows the hustle and bustle of Hillsborough’s Georgian streets.

Royal Hillsborough looks set to grow as a tourist destination in the coming years. There are currently two other structures on the at-risk register in the village, one an unlisted house on Lisburn Street and the other the grade A listed Marquis of Downshire Monument which overlooks the village. 4-6 Main Street now has an economically sustainable future and will hopefully continue to welcome guests to this beautiful village. 

Sebastian Graham Heritage Projects Officer, Ulster Architectural Heritage

Perspective 57

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

Tates Avenue, Belfast

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cursory study of Belfast’s historic maps confirms the presence of Tates Avenue as far back as 1832 – where it is identified as a modest track extending northwest from the Lisburn Road (the major turnpike road from Belfast to Dublin at that time). Tates Avenue was later improved and a level crossing provided at its northern end when the Great Northern Railways Belfast to Dublin line was constructed. The natural rise in the topography along the length of Tates Avenue is emphasised by the rows of terrace houses flanking this route, which doggedly climb to meet the junction with Lisburn Road. It is at this prominent intersection that a new mixed-use residential development has been recently completed. A key corner site along Lisburn Road, it was formerly occupied by the Ulster Bank – a three-storey edifice which had lain derelict for over a decade.

The site’s recent development incorporates three ground-floor retail spaces which will activate the primary street frontages and includes 23 apartments for Choice Housing Association from first to fifth-floor level. A mix of one and two-bedroom units has been provided, catering for the varied needs of the local community and delivering on Choice’s social housing requirements. Access to the upper floors is provided via a central staircore and lift, which not only creates the most efficient and compact circulation space but also optimises the available street frontage for residential activity.

The development has been designed to pick up on cues within the surrounding terraced buildings – analysis of plot widths in the vicinity has informed the elevations, resulting in solidto-void relationships that mirror the neighbouring plot ratios.

58 Perspective

THE TEAM Client Clear Property (Lisburn Road) Limited

Quantity Surveyor Naylor & Devlin Ltd

Design and Build Partner Choice Housing (Ireland) Ltd

Project Management McAdam Design

Architect Like Architects

M&E Consultants Stephen Clarke Consulting Ltd

Landscape Architects Park Hood

Structural Engineer Doran Consulting Main Contractor MSM Contractors Photography Paul Lindsay

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

This, coupled with the scaling down of building forms from the corner, responds to the adjacent buildings along Tates Avenue and Lisburn Road. The selection of cladding materials, including ‘Belfast’ redbrick and glass, is a nod to the site’s immediate context. The arrangement and proportion of windows correspond to the living spaces and bedrooms within each apartment, creating a distinctly residential external aesthetic when viewed from the street. More subtle detailing of soldier coursing, polyester powder-coated aluminium curtain walling with projecting vertical face caps, and the pared-back guardings to balconies, constructed in painted mild steel flats, collectively achieve a high quality that is less commonly associated with social housing developments. The design not only respects the

60 Perspective

Perspective 61

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

historical context but also aspires to address the significance of this junction in the city. The introduction of a glazed form which rises from first-floor level in aluminium curtain walling creates a new landmark to this prominent corner site, setting it apart from the surrounding buildings.

Finally, the penthouse apartments within the development offer breathtaking panoramic views stretching from Belfast City Centre to the Belfast Hills, Stormont, and beyond, connecting residents to the broader cityscape, and celebrating the experience of urban living.

Like Architects recognise the importance of communal spaces in fostering a sense of community and promoting well-being for residents. The provision of recessed private external terraces for each apartment is generous by social housing standards, and the stepping of building forms created the opportunity to accommodate a series of shared roof terraces which benefit from the site’s elevated aspect and views. These measures will encourage social interaction and cohesion amongst neighbours which in turn will enhance the overall quality of living.

The transformation of this derelict corner site into a dynamic mixed-use development is a testament to the client and design team. By carefully blending the historical context within a contemporary architectural response, the project positively contributes to the local community and the revitalising of derelict urban sites. The combination of retail, residential and communal spaces is a prime example of sustainable urban renewal that addresses the needs of both residents and the city as a whole. 

Like Architects 62 Perspective

Project Managers & Quantity Surveyors www.naylordevlin.com

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64 Perspective

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LANDSCAPE

The Coronation Garden Newtownabbey

A

ntrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council recently launched its first five-year Local Biodiversity Action Plan. Amongst the broader objectives and aims to address climate change and the associated challenges is the intent to create a ‘a botanical borough’ or a giant botanical garden that would significantly green up this part of the city.

A major new landmark that signals the commencement of this plan is the new Coronation Garden at Hazelbank Park. The park is undergoing a major overhaul (with allocated funding of £3.6m) by the Council as part of the wider landscape and open spaces enhancement driven by several factors including amenity, psychological and social health, environment/ nature/ecology and, not least, recovery from the Covid

66 Perspective

LANDSCAPE

THE TEAM Client Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Designer and Lead Contractor Diarmuid Gavin Design Team Diarmuid Gavin, Bernie Kinsella, Dave Thomas, Steve Simpson, Barry McCann

Landscape Contractor Convrey Sports Turf Ltd (Brendan and John Convrey) Engineering BMC Engineering, Topframe Engineering Photography Richard Hatch Photography

pandemic. Within this scope, the Council commissioned landscape designer Diarmuid Gavin to produce a “Coronation Pleasure Garden” in honour of King Charles on the site of a former bowling green (to be relocated within the park). Mr Gavin – who previously worked on the Clockwork Garden at Antrim Castle Gardens (that opened in 2022) - also initiated and developed the Botanical Borough concept so there was a natural symbiosis in terms of the plans, council objectives and client/design team.

annotated on 19th and 20th century ordinance survey maps.

It also became Newtownabbey Town Hall for a period of time but was ultimately demolished in 1972. While the buildings have gone, the specimen trees and woodlands remain and the collective and shoreline location gives the area an appreciable aesthetic quality and sense of place. In essence, the legacy of an arboretum planted in the 19th century is most appreciable now, with main beneficiaries being the public who avail of the park’s amenities and uses.

The site is just off the Shore Road on the north-western shoreline of Belfast Lough from where notable and panoramic views are afforded across the city and the surrounding hills.

The setting clearly made this a desirable place to live and a mansion “Hazelbank House” along with a conservatory is

In the case of the site selected for this garden, it had the baseline benefit of already being bound by mature trees and the space had almost designed itself as the plinth that was looking out for some form of focal landmark or feature.

While the site was agreed and the team was in place, the

Perspective 67

LANDSCAPE

from a team of designers, including Barry Kinsella and Steve Simpson, to get the proportions right so it read appropriately in terms of scale, balance and heights to the site as well as being fit for the purpose envisaged. This concluded with a design for a 16-metre high, three-floor metalwork pavilion topped by a crown.

most appreciable issue was probably a very tight design and construction process. The concept for a garden to celebrate the coronation was conceived in November 2022 but it ultimately required delivery in time for the coronation on the 6th May 2023. The brief was essentially for concept, design, build, install and completion in less than six months for both a landmark feature and associated landscape works.

Mr Gavin’s concept was for some form of landmark pavilion which was something he had considered for another project a few years back that never made it off the drawing board. So the broad idea was in place but assistance was now needed

68 Perspective

At design stage, BMC Engineering were engaged to actually build out the metalwork and work with the team in terms of delivering the decorative elements, panels, crests and crown.

The resulting pavilion is certainly of classical architecture basis but, being topped with a crown and a glitter ball, has certain contemporary twists and eccentric elements. Nothing like this has been built in the city for decades and it presents Hazelbank Park with a quirky landmark that adds to the park’s quality and value.

While this was the focal point, the wider landscape in and around the new regal pavilion was also treated to a overhaul in terms of design and planting. Indeed, the scope of work broadened as the project progressed as it was clear the pavilion’s sense of place and this part of Hazelbank Park would benefit from widening the landscape scope to include additional areas. The garden includes mechanical and musical elements with rotating topiary trees, glitter balls and the music of Morecambe & Wise grabbing the visitor’s attention, enhancing the theatrical nature of the setting. The planting includes floral tapestries,

LANDSCAPE

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LANDSCAPE

Sketches

herbaceous borders, shrubs and trees and a flowering meadow which includes both Irish annuals and perennials. The collective offer a striking mix of sustainable and decorative planting that would not be something that would be considered conventional or typical of “council” planting but will undoubtably contribute to biodiversity comparative to the former situation.

Ultimately, there are two takeaways. The first is what was achieved in what was in reality a very short design and construction period. This would have required major commitment, time and resource from all team members. It

70 Perspective

is no surprise that the project was only finished at 1:30am the night before the royal couple arrived for its opening ceremony in May 2023. But finished it was, and the second is its success in terms of public visitors and estimates the pavilion has so far attracted over 100,000 visitors within a couple of months. It has also very quickly become the visual backdrop for numerous wedding photographs and symbolises the commencement of a new era in landscape and open-space development in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. 

Andrew Bunbury

Convery Sportsturf & Landscape Contractors are a family run business with almost 50yrs experience in all aspects of private and commercial landscape projects.

It was a privilege to work with award winning garden designer, Diarmuid Gavin in 2022 on the construction of the Jubilee Garden in Antrim Castle Gardens and again in 2023 to deliver the Coronation Garden Project in Newtownabbey.

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ENGINEERING

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Perspective 71

ADVERTISING FEATURE

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Be it the inspiration for or the finishing touches on a project, the right planting scheme can change everything.

It seems people appreciate, more than ever, the benefits of investing in their outdoor spaces.

And not only in the residential context; greening of urban spaces has become key policy for many county councils for good reasons like the creation of social spaces, the cooling of concrete areas, attracting wildlife and generally just being good for our wellbeing. The leaves, the blooms, the everchanging growth invite us to slow down and give a well-deserved nod to nature.

Gardenworld Nurseries, a wholesale nursery located in Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow, plays a key role in helping us green up our spaces. They grow and supply plants of all shapes and sizes to the trade – from perennials, grasses, standard

72 Perspective

trees and shrubs to mammoth-sized tree ferns, ancient olives and mature trees that can only be described as stunning pieces of living art.

Growing and sourcing specimens has been their passion for years and their thoughtfully curated offering of unique, shaped, natural, architectural or one-off solitary trees can be used for any kind of project. A mature tree can add instant impact, nestle into its setting and give the impression that it has always been there.

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By walking the nursery you can see that the scale and variety of our year-round stock is unrivalled.” They welcome all members of the trade to come see for themselves.

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Perspective

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Perspective 73

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

Canterbury Christ Church University

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Landscape Hamilton Architects Acoustics Peter Lloyd Archaeology Canterbury Archaeological Trust Main Contractor Gilbert Ash Photography CCCU

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

T

he Verena Holmes Building, Canterbury Christ Church University’s new £65m, 17,000m2 STEHM complex, is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the UK and is named after a pioneering female engineer.

A profound sense of place lies at the heart of the design inspiration for the four-storey science, technology, engineering, health and medicine building, which is situated on the old HM Canterbury Prison site.

The location provides a vista over the world heritage sites of St Martin’s Church (recognised as having the longest continuous history as a parish church in the English-speaking world), the ancient ruins of St Augustine’s Abbey, and Canterbury Cathedral.

A new public plaza, Abbey Square, changes the centre of gravity within the CCCU North Holmes Campus, becoming its nucleus.

Hamilton Architects worked collaboratively with CCCU Estates Masterplan Team and principal contractor Gilbert Ash to deliver the project, which received funding from the South East Local

76 Perspective

Enterprise Partnership, the former Higher Education Funding Council for England, and Garfield Weston Foundation.

The complex layering of the building’s façade expresses strong appreciation for the nearby historic sites, with large glazed sections to the south-west section maximising stunning views of the Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral and further strengthening the building’s direct relationship with its surroundings.

Overall, the structural concept is one of honesty: an in situ concrete frame with a flat slab left exposed wherever possible, and a contemporary brick façade which echoes the adjoining prison and, indeed, the 1960 Christ Church campus buildings.

One of the challenges was the complexity of the brief, both internally and externally, requiring continuous co-ordination between the design team, end users and contractor throughout the project.

Delivering on the complex layering of the facade, with its

CASE STUDY ARCHITECT’S ACCOUNT

The building is also home to the first Kent and Medway Medical School, a joint venture between CCCU and the University of Kent, and boasts a fully functioning Anatomy Skills Lab for medical science.

MEP servicing of the building was necessarily complex and bespoke to meet the unique range of needs for each faculty.

For example, an extensive ventilation strategy for the Anatomy Lab included downdraft extract, and storage and distribution of gases.

Other requirements included ventilation services for the mechanical workshop and maker space servicing areas, and smoke extraction systems for the expansive range of collaborative learning AV installations.

vertical brick piers and soffits, and expansive glazed areas, was technically demanding. Working collaboratively with specialist suppliers and the wider design team, we brought the concept to life through an expansive design of SFS steel infill, secondary steel framing, masonry support systems, underslung brick soffits, and aluminium curtain walling featuring solar control glazing.

The internal design has a functional aesthetic, with exposed services, exposed concrete walls and so on, meaning that the engineering for the building is very much part of the design.

The innovative nature of the teaching and learning accommodation means there are very few ‘standard’ rooms and very little use of corridors. The accommodation provides specialist teaching areas such as the Sport Science Bio Mechanics Lab (where movement is captured and data analysed through specialist cameras and force plates), psychology suites, collaborative lecture theatres, and mechanical engineering spaces.

A ‘Super Lab’ for computer science accommodates 160 students, while Law and Crisis Simulation suites were created to provide mock hospital wards, and fully functional X-Ray, hydra and custody suites.

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While virtually every space in the building is purpose-designed, flexible areas scattered throughout the structure offer the potential for bespoke teaching areas situated around large-scale social learning spaces.

Atriums to both the northern and southern sections are the epicentre of social learning and recreational areas. The best example of this, perhaps, would be the first-floor Maker Space within the Engineering area. A triple-height top-lit space sits at the heart of this space, with the aim of encouraging sharing of group projects in all subjects.

Ultimately, the design and implementation of this innovative teaching and learning facility flowed from an intensive collaborative process involving end users and the various departments.

The success of the process should therefore be measured by the reaction of staff and students, not just to the functionality of the accommodation, but in the joy of experiencing those spaces. 

Mark Haslett - Project Partner-in-Charge Hamilton Architects

Third Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

South Elevation

Long Building Section

Perspective 79

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TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP

From the Four Corners There were two recipients of the Alan Barnes Travel Scholarship in 2022. We featured the first one in the last issue. In this issue, Queen’s architecture student Orren McLaughlin travelled to Philadelphia and New York to study urban parks.

Elevations

Site Model

I was delighted to win this award for my proposal to travel to

New York’s Paley Park is a pocket park located at 3 East 53rd Street

Philadelphia and New York to study urban parks. Urban parks are

between Madison and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, NY. It is

important spaces that add value to inner cities; they allow residents

on the former site of the infamous Stork Club where the engagement

and workers to dwell within their city and are important for tourism

of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier was made public to the world. The

and for supporting regeneration. Neighbourhood parks not only

club was purchased by the owner of CBS network and philanthropist

add diversity to a city, they also give something back to their

William Paley and turned into an urban park for the local residents,

surroundings and the environment. How big a role an urban park

workers and tourists to enjoy. It opened May 23rd, 1967.

can play depends on the quality of the park and how many people use it.

From my research in Philadelphia and New York I have presented a proposal for a new urban park in a central but deprived area of

The parks I studied to inform my proposal were in Philadelphia

Belfast city centre between lower Donegal Street and lower North

(Logan Circle, Franklin Square, Washington Square and Rittenhouse

Street. It is currently a car park on waste ground but has historical

Square) and New York’s Paley Park. Belfast is similar in many ways

and geographical significance. An urban park at this location could

to these two great cities in terms of having a wealth of history and

potentially act as a catalyst and springboard for positive change in

culture, facing social and economic challenges and in many ways,

line with planning policy to increase the number of people living in

they are all trying hard to re-invent themselves.

Belfast city centre. It could transform this area, encourage footfall, encourage tourists and enhance a deprived area. It could support

The four parks in Philadelphia were part of Pennsylvannia’s founding

current and long-term regeneration projects within the city. The

father William Penn’s great plan for the city. He can, to this day, be

Tribeca proposals for Belfast would really benefit from this type of

seen clutching the plan in his hand in his statue on top of Philadelphia

urban park with a small luxury boutique hotel (including its extension

City Hall. Penn specified that the parks were to remain open for

on one side (The Assembly Building) and dual-purpose apartments

the recreation of the residents. The four parks have evolved with

overlooking the park with ground-floor office and retail units on the

the neighbourhoods around them but play an important role for

side (these are currently in the Tribeca planning proposals).

residents, workers and tourists.

82 Perspective

TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP

Four Corners Park

Model Plan

Waterfall

All mile markers out of Belfast were once measured from this

of what used to be on the surrounding streets. The main feature of

location. It’s beside the old Assembly Building, the site of the Belfast

the park will be a huge water feature to create atmosphere; it will also

Harp Festival and the trial and execution of Henry Joy McCracken.

have strategic lighting. The water feature will have all the quarters

The site was once surrounded by mills and warehouses. The River

of Belfast carved onto a low wall around the water feature which

Farset, which gives Belfast its name, runs underground near the site.

I would call the Farset Fall to remind people of the river that gave

The area was popular with writers and most of the major newspapers

Belfast its name. The water feature is designed to be intentionally

in Belfast. The Marquess of Donegall (Arthur Chichester) paid for the

loud but not overpowering.

cathedral to be built which was named after his wife Anne. I have endeavoured to bring all this history and culture into the park while

I have included a small catering venue within the park for street food

at the same time adhering to the three elements that make an urban

to be served. People will be encouraged to eat their own packed

park - ‘water, stone and vegetation’ (Ray Hughes – Manager of Paley

lunch in the park or to purchase a meal on the site. Tables and chairs

Park, New York).

are similar to those in Paley Park and MOMA; they are practical, giving users the freedom of space to sit where they would prefer

I have called the park in my proposal ‘Four Corners Park’ as a nod to

(The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces – The Moveable Chair). I have

the site’s previous importance. The park has been designed with a

included steel plates around the walls with the name of current and

curved glass feature roof with LED lighting attached to add character

past newspapers carved into them. These touches have all been

at night. The glass roof was important in the design to allow light

added deliberately to make the park a tourist attraction. Visitors to

within the park which will be important for the strategically placed

the park are likely to ‘splash cash’ in nearby businesses.

ash trees. It would also act as shelter from Belfast’s inclement weather and allow the park to be used for longer periods.

Importantly the Four Corners Park proposal can be accessed from both Donegall and North Street. The water feature is visible from

The Donegal Street entrance has an arch that will include the name

both sides and is deliberated 

of the park with ‘Belfast’ deliberately placed to encourage tourists to take photos. The ground in the park will be cobblestones as a reminder

Orren McLaughlin

Perspective 83

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84 Perspective

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THE RSUA BOOKSHOP

New Publications

The RSUA online shop contains items inspired by Northern Ireland’s built environment. We have a selection of products: models, ceramics, cards, gifts, decorations, textiles, prints, magazines and books. We continue to add new titles and have a good selection of books on sale at 50% discount.

H Blocks - An Architecture of the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, by the writer and activist Dr Louise Purbrick.

Based on a long-standing site-specific investigation, and drawing on a range of sources from architectural plans to photographs of street protests, H Blocks explores the material relationship between the prison as a built articulation of power and its inhabitants, highlighting the ethical and political roles that architecture can play in situations of conflict. It also addresses the afterlife of such sites after the end of conflict and how they can adapt to the changing cultural meanings of their space.

The book demonstrates how the conflicted histories of the prison are configured in its design and destruction, and the inhabitation and attempted preservation of the site itself, revealing how its architecture is bound up with questions of power and resistance, embodiment and attachment, witnessing and remembering, the materiality of history and its commodification.

The RSUA Shop is available at http://www.rsua.org.uk/shop The RSUA shop is currently processing and posting orders Monday to Thursday, items are posted Royal Mail second class delivery.

EXTERNAL ARCHITECTURE

In Focus

External Architecture involves making changes to a space, for example through plants or structures such as patio covers, fences, decks and walls, in order to enhance it. Aesthetics and functionality can be at the centre, aiming to make the area comfortable and practical for gatherings and everyday activities. Alternatively, sustainability can be at the forefront by designing to save water and create a haven for wildlife.

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88 Perspective

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FEATURE

NI Regional War Room:

South Belfast’s hidden Cold War nuclear bunker

Images © Crown Historic Environment Division

Nestled in a secluded site within a residential area off Malone Road in south Belfast, is a plain, unassuming structure – a nuclear bunker dating from the Cold War period. Constructed in 1952-53, the ‘NI Regional War Room’ was one of only 13 of its type established across the UK. Built to specifications by the Working Party on Civil Defence War Rooms, and designed to a standard plan, these structures were perhaps the most visible architectural manifestation of the government’s response to the perceived threat of nuclear attack during the Cold War period. As such, the building is a defence heritage asset of national interest, as well as one of the bestpreserved examples of this plan type, now protected as a Grade B1 listed building.

92 Perspective

Architecturally, the building form follows the intended function.

Utilitarian in appearance, the bunker is comprised of a rectangular single storey over basement flat roof structure, devoid of openings, except for two external blast doors (now replaced) on either side. The special interest, however, lies beneath the blank façade, in its practical robust construction, the carefully considered plan form and the ventilation infrastructure.

Constructed of mass in-situ concrete, the external walls are 1.5m thick with a reinforced concrete roof, designed to withstand a direct hit by a 500lb capacity bomb. Internally, aligned with the standard template, lies a central double-height map room with smaller rooms clustered around the void, accessed via a perimeter corridor. The original self-contained mechanical

ventilation system, generator and associated controls and switches which remain in the building are of particular interest.

In the event of a nuclear attack, it was intended that the bunker could accommodate approximately 45 local government staff who would take control of the region and coordinate civil defence. The dawning realisation of what nuclear war and its aftermath would actually entail, however, meant that it was quickly understood that the regional war rooms network would not be suitable for a long-drawn-out recovery period. Thus, in 1958-59 under a revised scheme involving much larger facilities acting as ‘Regional Seats of Government’, the building’s role was transferred to Gough Barracks, Armagh. Subsequently, the bunker was assigned a more localised function as the Belfast

Corporation Control. It was mothballed in the late 1960s, but following another defence reorganisation in the early 1980s was reactivated as a ‘Regional Government Headquarters’, until superseded in 1990 by a new RGHQ at Ballymena. In recent decades it has been used as records store for the Courts Service.

Now vacant once again, the Department for Communities is currently exploring options for the sustainable reuse of this important and resilient relic of Northern Ireland’s Cold War heritage. A new chapter in the narrative of the south Belfast nuclear bunker awaits.  Naoimh Quinn, Senior Architect Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities

Perspective 93

ART REVIEW FEATURE

When Life gives you lemons, from the Future Fossils Series. 2023 All images courtesy of the artist and Artlink at Fort Dunree.

ART REVIEW FEATURE

Fiona Mulholland – In Search of Pearls & Future Fossils Artlink, Saldanha Gallery, Fort Dunree, Donegal

Recent exhibitions in Ireland have demonstrated the importance of increased consideration for nature and the environment, challenging today’s throwaway culture and emphasising the necessity to focus on using natural materials sustainably. For example, Laura Wilson’s exhibition SEAMS at CCA featured in the last issue of Perspective, where the artist hand-dyes linen to create twelve suits for performers in ‘Deepening’ (2020), and the work of Siobhán McDonald at the Model in Sligo, where the artist features Irish boglands as living, breathing entities using the exhibition as a sensory means of exploring these landscapes.

This art review examines ‘In Search of Pearls & Future Fossils’

by Fiona Mulholland, an interdisciplinary artist who lives and works between Dublin and Donegal. She is a graduate of NCAD and the RCA in London. The artist has produced a meditation on her surroundings and the maritime environment through photography and sculptural artworks. She incorporates natural materials and handcrafts to propose a more sustainable alternative to the littered debris of human-generated waste on our shores and coastlines. Joanne Laws has observed that ‘as an artist, Mulholland has displayed a durational curiosity about the ephemera of modern life, combining found objects with construction materials, producing a sculptural ‘bricolage’ aesthetic’ (VAN, Jan/Feb, 2012). Where her exhibition at Leitrim Sculpture Centre ‘Reflections on things yet to come’ in 2012 probed the future through an industrial aesthetic of sculptural objects; this exhibition ‘In Search of Pearls and Future Fossils’ integrates reconfigurations of manmade materials and their detrimental impact on nature.

Throughout art history there has been a focus on the connection between people and nature. As this relationship developed artists began to question human means of interaction with the environment. ‘Today, more than ever, there is a need for channels of communication to address the major environmental and sustainability problems of our time’ (Meade, 2008). Art has been acknowledged as a possible avenue for addressing these problems as it prompts a tangential perspective from practitioners and viewers alike and it is one that elicits a sensory and often more meaningful response.

‘Artists use their work to shine light on issues of environmental justice, raise awareness to environmental insecurities and risks, and imagine more sustainable futures’ (Jean, 2019). It has been

highlighted that the experience of making and viewing art shares common ground with inhabiting the natural world, in that ‘both experiences call upon sense perception, embodiment, the imagination, the emotions, as well as a sense of beauty and the spiritual implications it can bring’ (Vasko, 2016). In other words, without art it is unlikely that the arguments of scientists on global warming and climate change will be heard.

As McElwain, head of the School of Botany, Trinity College Dublin has observed; ‘artists communicate complex science in a visual way — reaching out to people with their heartstrings’ (Thompson, 2023).

It is exactly this alternative perspective and sensory experience that is captured in Mulholland’s work. According to the artist: ‘This exhibition maps delicately bound embodied experiences, natural entropies and activates exchanges between subject and viewer. The artworks act as visual cues both aesthetically and conceptually encapsulating the story of place and time’.

The artist adopts a narrative viewpoint where she examines the past, present and possible future of her family space of retreat in Donegal. She presents potential artefacts or ‘future fossils’ which she refers to as ‘nuggets of disruption’, and she has reimagined women’s domestic waste: tampon casings, as something precious in 18ct gold-plated copper, powder-coated copper and gold thread. Does this item of waste become more

In Search of Pearls & Future Fossils - Installation view. Saldanha Gallery. Fort Dunree. Donegal.

Perspective 95

ART REVIEW FEATURE

Fiona Mulholland, Storm-blown Honesty (Lunaria) 2023, from the Future Fossils Series.

Fiona Mulholland, Souvenirs: Memory reboot 2023.

valuable if it occupies a more expensive shell or is its purpose as single-use sanitary item too strong to be overcome?

In Search of Pearls & Future Fossils - Installation view. Saldanha Gallery. Fort Dunree. Donegal.

Fiona Mulholland, Pearls Of Wisdom (detail) 2023.

96 Perspective

The exhibition is displayed across three spaces at Fort Dunree, beginning with a series of seventeen small photographs entitled ‘Land and Sea Essence | Sites Unseen’ in the Mezzanine Gallery that are the equivalent to the artist’s sketchbook where she carefully documents her surroundings to highlight aspects that would otherwise be ignored. This space leads to a glass corridor where there are a suspended set of eight pieces from the Donegal Ringfort Series; these hang within embroidery hoops and feature individual ringforts that have been digitally embroidered on tweed and linen. They reference handcrafting but twist this somewhat through the fact that these works are machine made.

The main gallery contains wall-based photographs, silk hangings, freestanding sculptural pieces, shelf-based works and a vitrine of cast objects. There is a subtle maritime atmosphere within the space that is accentuated by its architectural detailing; thin grey metal roof beams of the space overhead and dark wooden floorboards. The artist has placed beautiful tweed lifejackets within the space, one of which is on a vintage rocking chair.

These are modelled on early twentieth century lifejackets and emphasise the comfort of the material where the viewer feels they must touch, lift and wear these reimagined lifesavers.

The main piece within the space is ‘Pearls of Wisdom, Repair and Renewal’ 2023, consisting of a large threaded needle

ART REVIEW FEATURE

Fiona Mulholland, Donegal Ringfort Series 2023.

Fiona Mulholland, Nuggets Of Disruption, (Artefacts for a future time) 2022.

balls, false pearls or detritus, rather than the precious commodity that it references. The gesture of the held bowl suggests a meal within, but one of inedible polystyrene. It could further be seen as an offering to another and we must then ask: what is this material of mass consumerism that we are sharing with future generations and how can they respond? 

Marianne O’Kane Boal

Fiona Mulholland, Donegal Ringfort Series, (Detail) 2023.

made of powder coated mild and stainless steel, extending at an angle from a Perspex and mild steel base. The thread through the needle is fishing rope with two large buoys or ‘pearls’ at the base and a map-like arrangement of threaded Styrofoam balls on the base; a string of artificial pearls. This sculpture captures the essence of the exhibition’s premise on the consequences of human activity and what might be done to renew and repair our natural environment.

Further linked to the theme of pearls, the photograph that has been used to represent the overall exhibition features a wooden bowl held in cupped hands. It is full of Styrofoam

References Jean, H. (2019) ‘Connecting Art and Science: An Artist’s Perspective on Environmental Sustainability’, undergraduate thesis, University of Vermont.

Laws, Joanne (2012) ‘Reflections on things yet to come’, LSC, Visual Artists Newssheet Jan/Feb, 2012.

Meade, M. (2008) ‘Creative Ecology: Art’s Role in Addressing Environmental and Sustainability Issues in Australia’, thesis, Australia: Sustainability and the Environment, SIT Study Abroad, Connecticut College, Autumn 2008.

Mullholland, F. (2023) Exhibition press release, Artlink, Fort Dunree, Donegal.

O’Kane Boal, M (2023) ‘Interview conducted with the artist’, Fort Dunree, 8 July 2023.

Thompson, S. (2023) ‘A meditation on memory and time: Siobhán McDonald captures landscapes at tipping points’, Irish Times, 25 May 2023.

Vasko, Z. (2016) ‘Connections between Artistic Practice and Experiences in Nature: Considerations for how Art Education Can Engender Ecological Awareness’, DOI:10.26443/CRAE.V42I2.8.

Perspective 97

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98 Perspective

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COMMERCIAL INTERIORS

In Focus

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For further information visit: alphayourspace.com or get in touch via email at hello.belfast@alphayourspace. com or phone our Belfast office on 028 9078 1531.

We believe that employee well-being is at the core of a thriving workplace. This belief underpins every aspect of our design philosophy. From ergonomic considerations to promoting health and happiness, we prioritise the holistic well-being of employees. An office is no longer just a place to work; it is a sanctuary for productivity and personal growth.

Perspective 101

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Transforming Workplace Collaboration: 10 Reasons Why Acoustic Meeting Pods are Essential for Progressive Companies In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the importance of effective communication and collaboration within an organization cannot be overstated. Companies worldwide are continuously searching for innovative solutions to enhance productivity, streamline meetings, and create conducive environments for team discussions. Acoustic meeting pods have emerged as a gameͲchanger in this regard. From small telephone booths to spacious 8Ͳperson meeting pods, these purposeͲbuilt spaces offer a host of benefits that can drive business success. In this article, we will explore ten compelling reasons why progressive companies should consider integrating acoustic meeting pods into their workplaces.

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• Incline’s John Wallace, (centre) pictured with John Adgey and Greg Henry from McConnell Property, Belfast.

RAISING THE STANDARDS IN OFFICE FITOUTS

Leading specialist commercial interior fit-out company, showcasing world class commercial interior products.

John Wallace and his team at Incline recently completed the office refurbishment at McConnell Property, Belfast (pictured).

INCLINE – REDEFINING SPACES

Tell us a bit about Incline.

Incline provides office interior fit-out services to refurbish and rejuvenate your office space.

What started as an office furniture company has developed into a business that provides full turnkey spaces, encompassing building, interior design and furniture supply – it really is the full package.

How does the process work, what would your client expect when they book your services?

If a client is interested in refurbishing their offices we come out and take a scan of the space. We are a technology-focussed company, so we will come up with a design scheme which will then be presented to the client through virtual reality. It gives them a real insight as to what it will look like. We don’t charge for this initial consultation, it is all part of the service we offer. Once we have agreed on how we will recreate the space it is then just a matter of agreeing the budget.

What sets Incline apart and makes you unique?

We also have to be concious of and consider

We are with our clients right from concept

budgets. Companies don’t have a lot of money

through to completion. We cover all aspects

to spend, so my job is to make sure we give

from sales, to design, to build – so I will be

them the very best design and be creative in

with them through every step of the journey.

what we do, but within a reasonable price.

I work side-by-side with the client, whether it

We are known for offering real value within

is giving them advice on design ideas or doing

the marketplace.

my best to keep it cost effective within their budget. At Incline we want what is best for

What do you love most about your job?

the client.

I really enjoy what I do, it is a very creative and rewarding job. As well as taking spaces that

What are the emerging trends in

are old and uplifting them, we are uplifting

office spaces?

the staff at the same time. The feedback we

People are reimagining their spaces to make

get from the clients is amazing. It is a journey

them more social – gone are the days of having

for our clients and we go on that journey with

rows of desks. Employees have more freedom

them. Projects last from as little as two weeks

over when and where they work, so there has to

up to as long as one year. In that time we build

be an incentive to come into the office. They have

relationships with our clients, so it is great to

become hubs for collaboration, with open spaces,

see a happy handover, with new life breathed

lounges, larger kitchen areas and coffee bars.

into buildings.

What are they key things you consider in a project?

A key aspect to design is function. We have to consider what the space is being used for and once the function is taken care of the aesthetics comes after. You also need to consider the people who are using the offices,

TESTIMONIALS

so we ask the staff and managers for their opinion. For example, in a project we did last year we took a kitchen that was in the office from 50sq ft and transformed it into a 250sq ft bistro-style kitchen, it revived the whole space.

“John’s hands-on approach and eye for the detail was invaluable throughout. We were kept informed through the whole process in regards to timing and delivery of furniture (often by 7am texts!) and we literally moved in on date.”

John Adgey – McConnell Property

“John was able to work with our initial design brief that included creating a client experience and enthusiasm amongst the team for the journey ahead. The office is an engaging destination which supports the team’s continued growth plans and creates an engaging and impactful impression on both clients and staff.”

Greg Henry – McConnell Property

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19 Arthur Street, Belfast, Ireland BT1 4GA 02890123130 hello@inclinespace.com

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Forbo Flooring Systems - Marmoleum Achieves Climate Positivity

Forbo Flooring Systems, a renowned leader in sustainable flooring solutions, proudly announces a groundbreaking milestone that sets Marmoleum apart from competitors and solidifies its position as an industry leader in sustainable flooring. Marmoleum has successfully achieved climate positivity from Cradle-to-Gate without relying on offsetting measures. Climate positive Marmoleum means that the every square meter of Marmoleum removes 446 grams of carbon dioxide from the air! This means going beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions and creating an environmental benefit by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, more than is emitted during the production phase. This accomplishment is independently validated by a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

In an era where climate change poses significant challenges, Marmoleum’s achievement of becoming climate positive represents a revolutionary breakthrough. What sets Marmoleum apart is its holistic approach to sustainability across the offer of 2.0 and 2.5 mm Marmoleum, ensuring that every stage of its product’s life cycle contributes to a positive impact on the climate.

Marmoleum’s claim of climate positivity is backed by an independently reviewed LCA based EPD, providing a rigorous and transparent assessment of its environmental performance.

The LCA process meticulously analyzes the environmental impact of Marmoleum’s flooring, considering factors such as raw material

extraction, manufacturing processes, energy consumption, transportation, and waste management. This thorough evaluation confirms that Forbo Flooring Marmoleum operations in stages Cradle-to-Gate (A1-A3) result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

And this all without offsetting strategies.

Waste Reduction and Recycling: With commitment to the circular economy Marmoleum is made with robust waste management systems. By prioritizing recycling and responsible disposal, Forbo minimizes waste sent to landfills, reducing emissions and promoting sustainable resource utilization.

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Marmoleum’s achievement of being climate positive from Cradle-to-Gate, is validated by an independent LCA based EPD, and underscores Forbo’s commitment to transparency and accountability, ensuring that customers can make informed choices aligned with their sustainability goals.

Sustainable Raw Materials: Marmoleum being made from up to 98% renewable raw materials and being sourced from suppliers that are committed to sustainable practices. Marmoleum ensures that the extraction and production processes have minimal ecological impact.

Energy-Efficient Production: Marmoleum’s stateof-the-art manufacturing facilities prioritize energy efficiency and employ cutting-edge technologies to minimize energy consumption during production. By embracing renewable energy sources and continuously improving operational efficiency, Marmoleum significantly reduces its carbon footprint.

Responsible Transportation: Forbo Flooring has implemented strategic measures to optimize transportation logistics, reducing emissions associated with the delivery of both its raw materials and its products to customers. By embracing low-emission vehicles, route optimization and collaborating with environmentally conscious transportation partners, Forbo minimizes its transport-related carbon impact.

“We are incredibly proud to have achieved Marmoleum being climate positive from Cradle-toGate and the independent validation through the LCA based EPD adds credibility to our claim”.said the Marketing Director at Forbo Flooring Systems.

“This accomplishment further solidifies Marmoleum’s role as an industry pioneer and inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of sustainable practices,” says the Product manager Linoleum at Forbo Flooring Systems.

By choosing Marmoleum, customers can be confident that their flooring choice contributes positively to the fight against climate change while maintaining the highest standards of quality and innovation.”

Please visit our website for more information: www.forbo-flooring.com or email Paul Carney, Managing Director, Ireland, at paul.carney@forbo.com

Perspective 107

BOOK REVIEW

An Architectural History of the Church of Ireland

by Michael O’Neill

St Patrick’s Church, Jordanstown..

Churches are an intrinsic feature of the architectural landscape across the Western world, whether in towns and cities or dotted across the countryside, and of course Ireland – with its historically parochially organised geography – is no exception.

They are nearly always of architectural and historic interest as well as significant to the social fabric of communities. More often than not, they yield layers of intrigue and storytelling, their forms alluding to the search for finding appropriate ways to express the spiritual dimensions of life and landmark moments (such as christenings, marriages and funerals) and to house

108 Perspective

collective worship of God. The Church of Ireland – the Anglican Church in Ireland – has contributed a rich seam of interest here and its buildings go back to some of the medieval foundations and continue to the erection of new places of worship in the current century.

Architectural Historian Dr Michael O’Neill, who has undertaken, amongst other things, very considerable work for the Church of Ireland’s Representative Church Body (RCB) as a digital archivist of its collection of architectural drawings, has recently

authored a fine volume on the denomination’s churches and glebe buildings, taking a thematic approach and mining the archival material which exists in the RCB Library in Dublin. It is a beautifully designed book (by Wendy Dunbar), featuring numerous photographs and reproductions of drawings, as well as maps and graphics which will appeal to those with an eye for statistics and charts.

While the book is detailed and the product of a great deal of original research, it does (and could) not claim to be completely comprehensive; rather, O’Neill aims to provide

an ‘outline of the architectural and art inheritance’ of the Church of Ireland. He sets the scene with an in-depth look at the distinctive Church of St Mary’s, Youghal, Co. Cork, before taking the medieval world as his starting point in a chapter which includes St Nicholas’s Carrickfergus. This is followed by a chapter tracing the period from the Reformation to the Glorious Revolution, noting that the Tudor Reformations failed in Ireland. By 1628-1633, the Church was building again in the form of ‘undoubtedly the most impressive Late Gothic church in Ireland’, namely St Columb’s Cathedral in Derry, financed by the Irish Society of London.

St Matthew’s Church, Shankill Road.

Perspective 109

BOOK REVIEW

Chapter 3 deals with the ‘short eighteenth century’ from 1690 to 1770, which the author proffers was a ‘second Reformation’ period for the Church of Ireland – the time of the Ascendency when many Classical-style churches were built, especially in Dublin. Plans and photos of several of the most outstanding in the city are included in discussions of (the former) St Mary’s; St Werburgh’s; St Ann’s and St Michan’s. Beyond Dublin, St Olaf’s, Waterford; St Peter’s, Drogheda; Knockbreda Parish, Belfast and Holy Trinity, Ballycastle all put in notable appearances.

and St Patrick’s, Ballyclog, Co. Tyrone. Other High Victorian architects are included such as Lanyon, Lynn & Lanyon (as at St Patrick’s Jordanstown), TH Wyatt (as at St Bartholomew’s, Clyde Road, Dublin) and Edward McAllister (as at St Paul’s, Moyglare – a very pretty composition, the drawing of the south elevation of which graces the front cover of the book).

(Slightly surprisingly, WJ Barre’s remarkable St Anne’s Dungannon does not feature although the RCB holds the drawings of it.)

The period of the Board of First Fruits, with its remit to fund church building, led to a lively resurgence in the erection of new churches. O’Neill rightly lays emphasis on the designs of Thomas Cooley, drawing on the resource of the collection of his drawings held in the Robinson Library in Armagh, and reproduced here – forming ‘a pattern book with didactic or normative elements’ which was commissioned by Archbishop Richard Robinson. A pupil of Cooley, Francis Johnston (17601829), succeeded him in working for Robinson in Armagh but he branched out in his own style, winning the competition to design the magnificent (former) St George’s, Hardwicke Place, Dublin, with its tower and spire reminiscent of St Martin-in-the Fields, London. O’Neill then covers the work of the Board of First Fruits architects Bowden, Farrell, Semple, Pain and Welland admirably. The highly individual Gothic work of John Semple was pleasingly idiosyncratic – as at The Black Church in Dublin.

The final big chapter of the book focuses on the period after Disestablishment of the Church in 1871. There was still much new church architecture to enjoy, such as St Michael & All Angels, Clane, Co. Kildare, and the huge St Saviour’s, Arklow, and the author draws particular attention to James Franklin Fuller and Sir Thomas Drew. Buildings in the northern dioceses of the church tend to feature in the twentieth century coverage, notable among them the Church of the Good Shepherd, Sion Mills; St Patrick’s, Saul and St Molua’s, Stormont.

The study progresses to cover Early Victorian churches under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners established in 1833.

During the 1830s and 1840s simple ‘bell-cote or lancet Gothic’ church designs emerged without towers. O’Neill notes that these ‘proved to be a limited enough palette’ and so as the century progressed architects sought out more adventurous designs, with the influence of Bishop Richard Mant, author Church Architecture in 1843, significant. Also at this time Joseph Welland became sole architect to the Commissioners.

O’Neill draws on the 289 sets of Welland’s drawings in the RCB Library to trace this period of Anglican church building in Ireland. The parish church of Drumcree, Co. Armagh, known to many from the period when the Garvaghy Road march proved so contentious, is to Welland’s design and an elevation is included in the volume. The work of William Welland & William Gillespie, who followed Joseph Welland as architects to the Commissioners, then features, including their lively designs for, amongst others, St Matthew’s, Belfast,

This is a most engaging book for anyone interested in ecclesiastical architecture – scholarly yet completely accessible, bursting with well-researched information and delightfully generous in its reproduction of drawings and photographs. 

110 Perspective

Additional chapters discuss church interiors including furnishings and stained glass (drawing on the RCB’s superb Gloine resource), glebe houses and a short chapter on cathedrals, replete with several interesting drawings, the author signposting readers to the various existing studies on these landmark buildings by different authors. There are helpful appendices and a good glossary of terms.

Dr Paul Harron An Architectural History of the Church of Ireland

by Michael O’Neill

Church of Ireland Publishing

Hardback, 394pp ISBN 978-904884-89-7

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