Big thank you from Lisburn.com

Lisburn man helps Titanic sail back to life


Paul Crowe, MD of Todd Architects

A LISBURN man has led the team of architects which has successfully hand over Titanic Belfast, the world's largest Titanic visitor attraction.

Paul Crowe is MD of Todd Architects which was the lead consultant/architect on the project which opened to a wave of applause at the weekend.

The striking £97m building was designed in conjunction with concept architects CivicArts and Todd Architects worked closely with a range of partners to ensure the successful completion.

Titanic Belfast's six-floors feature nine interpretive and interactive galleries that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of the world's most famous ship, as well as the city and people which made her. The building will also house temporary exhibits, a 1,000-seat banqueting suite, education and community facilities, catering and retail space and a basement car park.

Commissioned to begin work on the project in August 2008, Todd Architects has overseen work on the 14,000 sq m building which took three years to complete — the same length of time as Titanic itself — and is designed with the potential capacity to accommodate up to lm visitors annually.

Mr Crowe said: "Todd Architects has invested almost four years of work into this truly global project delivering a building which has changed Belfast's skyline and will help transform international perceptions of the city itself.

"Developing a building that reflected the ingenuity, ambition and scale of Titanic has been an
immense professional challenge — one we are delighted to have met."

The firm's roles in Titanic Belfast were wide ranging, from chairing design team meetings liaising with independent technical advisor teams to co-ordinating specialist lighting designers, fire engineers and acousticians. The project has required 900 Production Information Drawings from Todd, excluding sketches, some of which have been issued with over thirty revisions.

"This is a landmark development for Northern Ireland which we believe will demonstrate the ability of iconic architecture to shape internal and external perceptions.

Belfast has come far in the past 15-years and a statement building such as Titanic Belfast reflects and reinforces the city's renewed sense of civic pride and cohesion."

Ulster Star
06/04/2012