ULSTER UNIVERSITY BELFAST CAMPUS, NORTHERN IRELAND 21
sustainability, according to the architects. The roof is equipped with a combination of planted green roofing and photovoltaic cells, which not only provides sustainable energy but also provides a habitat for insects and birds.
Conclusion
FCBStudios has been instrumental in easing the transition of the campus to create a centrepiece for the regeneration of this historically challenged area of Belfast. While the building itself is significant, Tyler explains how the most “critical aspect” of the scheme is how the brief reflected the university’s drive to support research excellence, learning and engagement with local communities. The design from the outset has been about integrating the campus into the city, promoting these ambitions and “fostering inclusive regeneration.” Post-WW2, industrial decline, social upheaval and the dominance of the private car led to universities which were once embedded in cities moving away from key central locations, to more suburban
ADF MAY 2023
areas. While this offered a measure of control and even a “respite” for challenged areas such as what is now the Cathedral Quarter, the universities were unable to benefit from the vibrancy a capital city like Belfast could offer.
Acutely aware of this important need, FCBStudios developed a design that sought to benefit from and contribute to the bustling central area of a rejuvenated Belfast, while boosting the local economy and expanding access to higher education. A visible sign of this connection is the inclusion of entrances onto every surrounding street and lane; the principal entrance expanding the current city core to encourage people to navigate the entire district and populate the city. The facilities face the city streets, and lend their activity to them. To mark the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement in April, the President of the United States Joe Biden visited the campus to give a keynote speech. Speaking about the project, he says: “Where barbed wire once sliced up the city, today we find a cathedral of learning.” g
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The influx of students is “already having a dramatic impact on the local economy”
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