TITANIC Architecture for a New Age

“In the lives of cities, boldness and vision rarely follow catastrophe,” wrote architectural critic Paul Goldberger. The city of Belfast may be the exception that proves the rule. After a generation of Troubles, the citizens of the great port city have grown accustomed to peace and economic growth. Innovation is surging.

Belfast rises as one of Europe’s largest waterfront structures. TURLOUGH MC CONNELL examines the complex legacy of RMS Titanic and the impact of its compelling maritime heritage on a citizenry poised for economic and cultural success.

A Special Supplement to Irish America Magazine in cooperation with Titanic Foundation. Produced by Turlough McConnell and Kate Overbeck.

“ will be s recently as last December, Belfast will attract around 400,000 visitors annu- amid a faltering world econ- ally, of whom between 130,000 and 165,000 will a flagship destination. omy, supporters of Titanic be from outside .” Iconic in design and A Foundation wondered how the Titanic Foundation is a company limited by ambitious mixed-use water- guarantee with charitable objectives to educate home to a world-class front project centered on the signature structure people on Belfast’s social, historical, industrial and exhibition on the site of Titanic Belfast would be completed. Many ques- maritime heritage through the story of the Titanic. the Belfast shipyard tioned whether the ambitious visitor attraction The goal is to communicate through extensive would be ready in 2012 to mark the 100th outreach programs that the innovation, engineer- where the great ocean anniversary of the sinking of RMS Titanic. ing and craftsmanship that flourished in Belfast liner was built. It will Plans for building Titanic Belfast, and for rede- one hundred years ago continues today. veloping the historic shipyards, have stayed afloat The Foundation plans to create a one-of-a- inform, inspire and thanks to the unflagging commitment of public kind, “must-see” visitor attraction. Jonathan entertain the thou- and private stakeholders. In late 2008 Tourism Hegan, Chairman of the Titanic Foundation, Minister Arlene Foster announced that the $140 points to the scale of the project and its capacity sands of visitors every million package needed to fund the building for delivering an inspirational learning experi- year who walk through would be shared equally by the Government, ence. “Titanic Belfast will be a flagship destina- through the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, 50% tion,” says Hegan. “Iconic in design and home to a its doors.” and 50% from their partners in the private sector, world-class exhibition on the site of the Belfast Ltd and Commis- shipyard where the great was built. It sioners. Belfast City Council contributed the bal- will inform, inspire and entertain the thousands of ancing $15 million. Overall this unique funding visitors every year who walk through its doors.” partnership has but one single objective: to com- plete and open the main attraction to visitors in he aim of the Foundation is to time for the 2012 centennial. restore the pride associated with Today, the pace of construction is brisk. Activ- the building of the Titanic. The Cover page: A nighttime rendering of the ity around the site conjures the tumultuous project will honor the technolog- exterior of Titanic Belfast designed by T the American-born architect Eric Kuhne. images of 19th century Belfast, of workmen, vehi- ical capability that produced Left, top: Titanic Quarter, with Titanic cles and objects moving swiftly in all directions. Titanic a century ago as an inspiration for estab- Belfast at the center, is the most impor- Minister Foster recently confirmed that work lishing Belfast and Northern Ireland as a lead- tant regeneration opportunity in North- ing tourism destination, building on the global ern Ireland for a generation. is advancing well. “Good progress is being Left, below: Shipyard workers swarm made to create a world-class tourist attraction recognition of the Titanic brand. down Queen’s Road in May 1911. At this for Northern Ireland. We have a proud industrial Strategic Investment Board, Northern Ireland period about 14,000 men were employed and maritime heritage, and only Belfast can tell Ltd (SIB) is one of several groups supporting the by Harland & Wolff at Queen’s Island. Photograph by Peter Lavery. the complete story of the world famous RMS goals of the Foundation. Dr. Bryan Gregory, Top: RMS Titanic, made in Belfast, sets sail Titanic. This project will give potential tourists a SIB’s Strategic Advisor and Interim CEO of the to , England for her tragic compelling reason to visit.” Foundation, speaks of the need to maintain maiden voyage. (Heritage photographs supplied by The Ulster Folk and Transport “The social and economic benefits will also authenticity. “The overall design of the building Museum Photographic Archive.) be very significant. We estimate that Titanic has been influenced by the shipbuilding her- itage of Belfast. The building in its line and form Chairman of Belfast Harbour. “Creating a focal incorporates elements of the Titanic bow, the point for the only authentic Titanic heritage in insignia and the gantries used to the world, just miles from where passengers build the Titanic.” arrive today, will be a major attraction that will “Titanic Belfast will be over five stories enhance Belfast’s growing popularity as a high,” adds Hegan. “It will house a range of tourist destination.” themed exhibition galleries capable of han- Just how significant is a great building to the dling around 900,000 visitors annually. Visitors revival of a city? Rarely can a single building be will learn about the construction of RMS judged a transformational work. But one major “Titanic Belfast will Titanic and the wide and rich story of Northern precedent inspires all charged with that mis- be over five stories Ireland’s industrial and maritime heritage.” sion – Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Bilbao. high. It will house a As he sees it, “The mission of the Founda- The latest issue of Vanity Fair reports on a tion is to educate the public about Belfast’s survey of 90 of the world’s leading architects, range of themed exhi- maritime heritage through the story of RMS teachers, and critics, who were asked to name bition galleries capa- Titanic. This will be done mainly through the most significant structure built in recent Titanic Belfast and outreach programs that will memory. The majority of the 52 experts who ble of handling inspire a new generation to become truly ultimately participated in the poll – including 11 around 900,000 visi- ‘titanic’ thinkers.” Pritzker Prize winners and the deans of eight “As one of the cornerstones of Titanic Belfast major architecture schools – cited Gehry’s tors annually. Visi- and a symbol of the Northern Ireland’s vitality,” Guggenheim Bilbao. tors will learn about says Gregory, “we plan to promote an under- What Bilbao was in the 20th century for standing, appreciation, and enjoyment of mar- Spain, Titanic Belfast plans to be in the 21st cen- the construction of itime history and heritage and its values in this tury for Northern Ireland. The city of Bilbao – RMS Titanic and the authentic setting.” today one of Europe’s top tourist destinations – The Titanic Belfast concept began to emerge was such a backwater in the 1990s that, accord- wide and rich story of in 2005 as part of a revitalization plan for the city ing to Gehry, the 265,000-square-foot museum Northern Ireland’s docklands. Angus Waddinton, Project Manager went up almost unnoticed by the press. for Todd Architects, says with pride, “As soon as industrial and mar- Titanic Belfast opens its doors it will earn its n 2005 Eric Kuhne and Associates (also itime heritage.” place as Northern Ireland’s centerpiece of mod- known as Civic Arts) were appointed by ern architecture. We are all very proud to be Titanic Quarter Ltd as lead concept Jonathan Hegan working to make this happen.” architects and Master Planners for Chairman, Titanic Foundation I Howard Hastings, Chairman of the Northern Titanic Quarter. Civic Arts began creat- Ireland Tourist Board, says: “Titanic Belfast was ing the Development Framework, originally identified as one of five Signature Projects to designed by Turley Associates, into a Master showcase what is unique about Northern Ire- Plan for Titanic Quarter. The Master Plan created land. This project will bring the story of RMS a blueprint for the Titanic Quarter into a $5 bil- Titanic back home to Belfast, where she and her lion waterfront development expected to create sister ships were designed and built. It will also at least 25,000 new jobs over the next 15 years. act as a massive pull for visitors to the rest of As envisioned by Kuhne and his associates, Northern Ireland.” Titanic Belfast will be a spectacularly visible Mike Smith, CEO of Titanic Quarter Ltd, structure serving as a sculptural backdrop for added: “Progress on the main building will Queens Island, the Port of Belfast, the Lagan enable us to develop related plans for hotels, River and the hills surrounding Belfast. Kuhne Right, top: Titanic Belfast holds the retail units and additional leisure space, includ- describes the rationale for the design. “Other record for the largest concrete pour in ing the development of Slipway Park – one of cities’ waterfronts have nowhere near the legacy the history of modern construction on the island of Ireland. (Photograph by the largest public spaces to be created in Belfast of this site. During the latter stages of the Indus- Chris Hill.) in the past 50 years.” trial Revolution, Belfast attracted some of the Right, bottom: In 1911 the twin slip- “Belfast Harbor already attracts 60,000 cruise world’s best engineers, designers and artisans. ways show actual side-by-side construction of White Star passenger passengers and crew every year and over 1.2 The city was the center of innovative naval ships, RMS Titanic and RMS Olympic. million ferry passengers,” says Len O’Hagan, architecture and single-handedly invented lux-

“Bringing Titanic ury ocean travel. We have already seen the suc- century ago Belfast was a hub cess of the Northern Ireland Science Park at the of the Industrial Revolution, Belfast to life isn’t docklands in attracting major investors like thriving on heavy engineering just about bricks and Microsoft and Citigroup. That is only the start of A and shipbuilding, and the Port mortar,” says Chair- the growth that will be achieved here.” of Belfast was one of the Historic precedents have driven the design world’s greatest docklands. When work began man Hegan. “It’s process. The final form of Titanic Belfast will on the RMS Titanic in1909, Belfast was at its about fostering a reflect the industrial legacy of Harland & Wolff peak, but by 2000 shipbuilding was down to a and the impact of shipbuilding and the sea on trickle and the Belfast docks lay almost idle. sense of community Belfast’s development. The prow of the build- Now, after more than a decade of peace and in and ensuring that ing’s glass-walled atrium plots a course down response to the demise of the great shipbuild- the centre of the listed Titanic and Olympic slip- ing days of yore, a new vision is taking hold on existing communi- ways towards the lapping waters of the River the docklands within walking distance of ties can benefit from Lagan. The project’s close proximity to the site Belfast’s city center. Titanic Quarter is one of where these two ships were forged lends excep- Europe’s largest urban waterfront develop- and be part of the tional authenticity and immediacy. ments – more than twice the size of London’s structure. The Foun- The building’s form evokes a host of maritime Canary Wharf. “This will become a major sym- metaphors; its four projecting segments suggest bol of the economic regeneration of Belfast and dation’s integrated ships’ prows ploughing through the North Northern Ireland,” says Hegan. approach recognizes Atlantic swell. Almost the entire façade will be “Bringing Titanic Belfast to life isn’t just clad in faceted, three-dimensional zinc plates in a about bricks and mortar,” he explains. “It’s the importance of the pattern resembling the construction of the great about fostering a sense of community and economic, social and ocean liners. The reflection pools that spread out ensuring that existing communities can benefit regional aspects of from its base multiply the nocturnal illuminations. from and be part of the structure. The Founda- The lower portions of the four wedges tell the tion’s integrated approach recognizes the regeneration. Our evolution of shipbuilding technology with a series importance of the economic, social and key responsibility is of materials, including lapped timber planking, regional aspects of regeneration.” Hegan con- riveted iron, welded steel, and finally, aluminum. tinues, “Our key responsibility is to the commu- to the community.” nity.” Although Titanic Quarter is creating a ithin, the project pro- new urban centre in the heart of Belfast, it is vides over 12,000 sqm also establishing a community that will be part of space on 5 floors of day-to-day life in the city. W whose combined height “We are committed to engaging with the is equivalent to that of a people of Belfast, particularly those from 10-storey building. Every element of the con- socially disadvantaged communities, and struction and design has been executed with encouraging them to avail of opportunities in close attention to detail. The generous ceiling Titanic Quarter.” says Hegan. “To this end, we heights allow for large-scale exhibits, while the work with the public, private, and community lower levels are controlled environments suit- sector organizations. We are working closely

Left, top: Far left, Wallace Lawson, able for installations evocative of heavy indus- with relevant organizations throughout Belfast, Interim COO of Titanic Foundation. (At try or the depths of a ship’s hull. Directly under especially those in neighboring East Belfast.” rear) Noel Molloy, Project Director, Har- the sweeping roof will lie a banquet hall to seat As Belfast’s Lord Mayor Pat Convery sees it, court Construction. Far right, Dr. Bryan 750, the largest in Belfast. Panoramic views can “Titanic Quarter, with the exhibition structure at Gregory, Interim CEO of Titanic Foun- dation with workmen William Bennett, be had from various entertaining areas. Strips of the center, will bring new life to a part of the city Aiden McGarry and John Duffin. under-lit glass will radiate from a compass rose that is rich in both history and potential. It will Left, bottom: The oldest section of the laid into the atrium floor to create a dramatic become a major social and business meeting former Harland & Wolff headquarters, located next to Titanic Belfast, will be “carpet” of light across the square. Like the lines place with galleries, theatres, parklands and refurbished. This includes the Draw- of antique nautical charts, these lines allow water sports all easily connected to Belfast's ing Offices where construction plans pedestrians to navigate to other local landmarks thriving city centre.” for Titanic were made. (Photograph by Peter Lavery, courtesy of Titanic through connections between the exhibition's “In the lives of cities, boldness and vision Quarter Ltd) displays and the topography of the site. rarely follow catastrophe,” wrote architectural Top: Titanic Belfast, at the center of Titanic Quarter, will be home to a world-class exhibition designed by renowned creative com- pany Event Communications. Middle: The new headquarters of the Public Records of Northern Ireland, recently completed by Todd Architects. Bottom: Rendering of Belfast Metropolitan College, one of the largest Further & Higher Education Colleges in the UK or Ireland. The new campus will have direct links with businesses located throughout Titanic Quarter.

critic Paul Goldberger. The city of Belfast may be the exception that proves the rule. Innova- tion is surging. Titanic Belfast rises as one of Europe’s largest waterfront developments. Architecture can play a major civic role in creat- ing symbols of local, regional or national pride. Buildings have regenerated and energized cities worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was expanded in 1967 by the architect Kevin Roche. Other examples include architect Jorn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House in Australia and I.M. Pei’s remarkable project at the Louvre in Paris. Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron redesigned the Tate Modern in the Bankside Power Station on the Thames River. The original Tate Modern was designed for 1.8 million visitors a year. Ten years later, 45 million have visited the galleries, more than twice the number predicted. Iconic structures do connect visitors with the culture and the history of cities worldwide. Titanic Foundation holds as its central mission to develop educational programs that will help inspire the next generation of leadership and innovation. With the best visionary leaders, urban planners, architects, builders, creative designers, educators and community activists at the helm of Titanic Foundation and Titanic Belfast, Northern Ireland is poised to show how the architecture of hope and the architecture of history are bound together as never before.

We’ll be ready for you in 2012 We’d love to be part of your next vacation For further information visit: www.titanic-foundation.org www.gotobelfast.com www.discovernorthernireland.com