The Paper Exchange, Belfast

The Paper Exchange is a major, 11 storey, speculative Grade A office development located on Chichester Street.

The practice was introduced to the scheme by developer Wirefox after it had secured planning permission and were issues had arisen with commercial viability, that were preventing the project proceeding.

A thorough design review was undertaken, resulting in a reconfiguration and rationalisation of the disparate office cores into a single centralised arrangement, thereby greatly increasing the lettable area (to 150,000sqt) and allowing detail design and the tender process to progress.

The building’s long, principal façade to Chichester Street, is broken up into two identifiable elements, separated by a set-back element that identifies the building’s entrance.

Two storey high glazed screens, sitting behind a colonnade, provide an appropriately scaled base to the building, with the office accommodation above finished in a staggered arrangement of aluminium panels, powder coated to look like corten steel and glazed screens, with a set-back fully glazed two storey penthouse above.

Construction commenced on site in 2021.