New Ulster University Belfast Campus Named NI Building Of The Year

Ulster University's new Belfast Campus has received the Liam McCormick prize for Northern Ireland's Building of the Year from the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA).

Belfast's £364 million campus, rising 14 floors high, was designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, McAdam Design, Scott Tallon Walker and White Ink Architects. It also received the prestigious Living Places Award for its outstanding contribution to creating vibrant communities.

The judges noted how "the complex, expansive brief has been accommodated on a challenging, irregular site through the architects' intelligence and skill' and how the project is 'socially, economically, and culturally important both to Belfast itself and to the very idea of 'city'."

Northern Ireland's House of the Year award was scooped by House on Redbrae Farm, by McGonigle McGrath architects, with Alice Nickell named Project Architect of the Year for her work on this rural Co Down project. McGonigle McGrath also won a second design award for Longhurst, a private house in south Belfast.

Hall Black Douglas Architects secured two awards for their conservation projects. Firstly, they transformed the derelict St Comgall's School in West Belfast into a community hub, earning the Falls Community Council the Client of the Year accolade. Secondly, in collaboration with JCA Architects, they spearheaded the £100m restoration of Primark’s Bank Buildings after a destructive fire in 2018, clinching the Conservation Award.

Architect Patrick Bradley secured the Sustainability Award with his shipping container home, Barney's Ruins, which he built floating above the ruins of his family’s 200-year-old farmstead near Maghera.


Ciarán Fox, RSUA Director, said: "Belfast, as with many city centres, is facing multiple challenges with depopulation, working from home, online shopping and limited public investment. It is bold projects like the new Ulster University campus and the rebuilding of Bank Buildings by Primark that help bring life and energy to the city centre. One, an exceptional example of the conservation of our built heritage, and the other an embodiment of the city’s future aspirations.

"The quality of the architecture in a city has a direct bearing on its success. I hope these two projects can act as an encouragement to our political, business and civic leaders to work even harder to create the conditions that allow architecture to flourish in Belfast and across Northern Ireland.

"On the housing front, hats off to McGonigle McGrath who have completed a hattrick, winning Northern Ireland’s House of Year for the third year running. Every year we change our judging panel of experts from across Britain and Ireland but time after time each new panel reaches the same conclusion – that McGonigle McGrath’s work is outstanding."

At the ceremony, guest of honour Infrastructure Minister, John O'Dowd, said: "Architects, clients and built environment professionals have a critical role in designing and creating an environment in which diverse and sustainable communities can thrive – a positive environment in which people live, work, study and relax.

"I am very aware of the critical role that my Department plays upon the lives and well-being of every person, every hour of every day. Whether it’s roads and greenways; waterways; drainage and flood defences, or by the provision of public transport, if we get our infrastructure and strategic policies right, and if we invest in them appropriately, it can be a real game changer.

"We all know that they can create the foundations for a more productive and prosperous economy. They can also lay the foundations for future growth for our businesses – and for the great architecture that enriches our lives. The RSUA awards allow us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate those great works of architecture and I want to congratulate all the teams involved in delivering the varied projects that were shortlisted this year."

The RSUA Design Award Gala Dinner was hosted at The MAC Belfast, created by Hackett Hall McKnight. This iconic venue received recognition with a distinguished RIBA National Award in 2012 and was also a nominee for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.

All entries for the RSUA Awards were required to have been in use for at least one year so that the judging panel could better evaluate the sustainability and real-life performance of the projects. The six winning projects are now in the running for a RIBA national award, celebrating the best of architecture across the whole of the UK.

The awards were sponsored by JP Corry and Metal Technologies, the Department of Infrastructure, the Department for Communities, and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.