Belfast Metropolitan College, Titanic Quarter, Belfast

Belfast Metropolitan College is Northern Ireland’s largest Higher Education facility. It’s campus in Titanic Quarter campus amalgamates two of its outdated facilities and was delivered under a PPP contract.

The design concept was founded on creating a strong campus identity, conveying its civic role. It responds to best practice educational principles, aimed to create a vibrant living community for those who work there, study or visit.

The building mass comprises a pair of linear branches or arms embracing a landscaped courtyard. Vertical circulation, services and sanitary facilities have been clustered around the interconnecting blocks. The arms contain four storeys of training and teaching accommodation, linked at the southern end of the site by a series of bridges contained within a six storey triangular atrium. The glazed areas contain the main student support facilities.

The accommodation has been graded vertically in terms of the degree of speciality. The vocational training and commercial spaces at ground floor are purpose built facilities containing highly specialised equipment. Science and technology based disciplines are located in the middle zone, with generic classroom-based departments located at the top in the most inherently flexible part of the building. The central courtyard accommodates recreation activities with seating and a potential space for outdoor lectures or seminars.

The low energy and low carbon emissions design was a fundamental part of the integrated solution for the building and utilises natural daylight and natural ventilation. The scheme achieved BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and established a new standard for H.E. facilities in the province.