ULSTER UNIVERSITY BELFAST CAMPUS, NORTHERN IRELAND 15
such as the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, teaching kitchens, catering outlets, small shops, classrooms, gallery displays and engineering workshops, all showcase the campus’s diverse educational opportunities. The campus’s central location also meant that the project faced several height restrictions and density challenges, with the planners being initially worried about changes in scale being proposed by the project. But thanks to FCBStudios’ “careful manipulation” of its form, the building refl ects various existing height datums in its four volumes, while going beyond them in other areas.
The architects established a “vertical campus” concept with the client to promote “natural interaction” between its various faculties. Height has, however, been very contentious in the city over recent decades. The architects promoted the concept that the campus could “stitch” into datums in historically sensitive locations while also celebrating its height. This allows the civic institution to take its “rightful place” on the skyline as a
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signifi cant piece of the cityscape, refl ecting its importance to Belfast. As well as the building’s form deriving from the local context and building height, its largely glazed facades prioritise natural light. Deep-planned areas, punctuated by glazed atria, were adopted – creating good form factor in order to reduce thermal losses. The “sculptural articulation” of the
project’s mass has also been infl uenced by the surrounding Antrim Hills and the Belfast Lough which can be viewed from the north facade. The lough is “one of the great natural features in Ireland” according to Tyler, yet its presence next to the city is often overlooked. FCBStudios were determined to connect the occupants of the building to this “spectacular natural environment.” The glazing frames views of the landscape, Tyler adds, creating “one of the great pleasures of the campus’s experience”.
The campus’ facades use white brick and red multi as their primary cladding material, refl ecting the historic buildings found on York Street – clad in masonry of
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The campus’s major circulation routes act as a connecting spine, facilitating easy movement throughout the building
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