Belfast Stories Revealed: £100M Project Expected to Open by 2030

Concept designs for a transformational £100 million project in Belfast city centre have been released for the first time. Belfast Stories, which will be a public space, visitor attraction and creative hub, is expected to open by 2030 at the Art Deco former Bank of Ireland building and a surrounding 5,000-square metre site in the city’s Royal Avenue.

The multi-purpose city centre destination will aim to attract more than 700,000 visitors per year, with up to 1,200 jobs supported during the construction and launch phases. Belfast Stories is a flagship project of the £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) programme of investment, designed to contribute to the BRCD vision of driving inclusive economic growth, making a positive impact on some of the region’s most deprived communities, and contributing to a balanced spread of benefits across the city, region, and Northern Ireland.

Belfast Stories is all about sharing stories from people who have lived in and visited Belfast – past and present.  People will take their own journey through stories that are told in many different ways – interactive, audio-visual, musical, printed and in ways that are yet to be imagined. The creative hub will feature a story gathering initiative designed to deliver an ever-developing programme of activities both inside and outside the building – where stories gathered and made are shaped, stored and shared.

Eimear Henry, Creative and Strategic Lead at Belfast Stories advised:

“This story gathering element is a work in progress that is being influenced and shaped by our ongoing engagement with the people of Belfast. The gathering of these stories, or the ‘story engine’ as we call it, is the project’s cornerstone, and our work here has already started.  The concept is driven by the belief that by telling these authentic stories of the people of Belfast we will tell the story of the city – in the richest possible detail.  These stories will show the world how much we value our city and our people.”

The design team supporting Belfast Stories includes a partnership between Oslo-based architects Snøhetta, the firm responsible for designing the Oslo Opera House and the 9/11 Memorial Pavilion in New York, and Belfast-based TODD Architects, who are leading on the architectural and structural design.

Daniel Berlin, Senior Architect at Snøhetta stated:

“Our aim is for Belfast Stories to become a familiar and loved feature of Belfast’s cityscape, creating an orientation point for everyone in the city. The project will regenerate this part of Belfast city centre, and we believe it has the potential to change how both residents and visitors interact with and navigate the city.  It is a genuine privilege to be a working on such a transformational project and collectively we all have the opportunity to create a calling card for the city internationally.”

Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) are engaged to design the visitor experience with Barker Langham in the role of Curator and Interpretation Planner. RAA was appointed earlier this year based on its international experience designing museum and narrative environments including the Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. Property and construction consultancy, Gleeds, are overseeing project management.

John Blanchard, Principal & Director of Ralph Appelbaum Associates, London said:

“Belfast Stories has the potential to revitalise the city centre and enhance the local economy through tourism led regeneration and support for the creative economy.  It will also be a public space for the people of Belfast, who are central to its delivery.  Our role as interpretive designers is to listen to and share the stories of the people of Belfast in a way that tells the unique story of this place.  The lifeblood of this project are the stories of the people of this city – and by interpreting these, we will be sharing the story of Belfast both locally and with visitors from around the world. It’s a fantastic, complex and invigorating project that is unique in so many ways – much like the city of Belfast.”

The project is currently progressing through RIBA Stage 2 – Concept design, a crucial milestone in the definitive eight-stage ‘Plan of Work’ model pioneered by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Engagement is a significant part of this stage and, following an initial Public Consultation in 2022, Belfast City Council’s Belfast Stories team is now hosting a second Public Consultation to ensure everyone can have their say on the transformational project.

The Belfast Stories Public Consultation will run for 14 weeks until February 23, 2025. Attendees will be able to find out more about the ambitions for Belfast Stories and how it aspires to bring people together, boost tourism, enhance the city’s international reputation and grow the local creative economy.