University’s Development Plan
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Overview of the University
Context for Development Plans
The Design Process
The Implications for the City
The Challenge
Overview of the University
History
• Founded in 1984, two years after a British Government review of
higher education in Northern Ireland.
• A merger of New University of Ulster in Coleraine, Ulster Polytechnic
in Jordanstown, Belfast College of Art and Magee College in DerryLondonderry.
• Immediately successful in terms of student demand.
Overview of the University
Facts and Figures
• Has grown from 11,000 students over 27 years to 25,000 full and
part-time students across all four campuses.
• Employs over 3,000 staff with an annual turnover of $327 million
(£200 million).
• Has six faculties across its campuses – Life and Health Sciences,
Arts, Computing and Engineering, Social Sciences, Art, Design and
Built Environment, Ulster Business School.
• Is a major contributor to the Research and Development capacity
within Northern Ireland, with 16 Research Institutes supporting local
business and industry.
Overview of the University
Facts and Figures
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Proved its research excellence in the 2008 Research Assessment
Exercise – 45th out of 132 institutions with Biomedical Sciences,
Nursing and Celtic Studies finishing in the top three UK-wide in the
respective subject areas.
Prepares its graduates for work with professionally accredited courses
– Chartered Institute for Management Accountants, National Council for
the Training of Journalists.
Promotes technology and knowledge transfer and the commercial
exploitation of ideas through its Office of Innovation
Has shown a real commitment to widening access to higher education –
leading the way with lifelong learning, eLearning and schools initiatives.
Boasts 140,000 alumni in 121 countries.
Hosts students from 80 countries.
Chancellor of the University
Honorary Doctors
Honorary Doctors
Honorary Doctors
Honorary Doctors
Context of Development Plans
Two Principal Driving Forces:
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The University’s Corporate Plan (2006/7 to 2010/11)
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The 2006 DEL-commissioned Independent Review of the
Physical Estate across the whole higher education sector
Context of Development Plans
Greater Belfast Development Plan
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Independent Review of Physical Estate conducted by JM
Consulting identified main Jordanstown building was reaching end
of economic life and would be difficult to renovate.
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Report also commissioned by the university reinforced this finding
and the university began to focus on expansion of Belfast campus,
purchasing a number of sites in York Street.
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Greater Belfast Development Plan envisages a rebalancing of
student numbers between Jordanstown and Belfast – with most of
the existing activity in Jordanstown moving to York Street and
Jordanstown developing further into Ireland’s leading sports
campus.
Context of Development Plans
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Context of Development Plans
Context of Development Plans
Context of Development Plans
Context of Development Plans
Context of Development Plans
The Design Process
• After design competition, University appointed London and Bath
based firm FieldenCleggBradley to work on the concept of the new
campus.
• University acquired buildings around the existing city centre campus
– footprint equivalent to the Victoria Square development in the city.
• Vice Chancellor, Professor Richard Barnett wanted a campus which
reflected the University’s philosophy of an institution open to all,
without iron gates or walls.
• FieldenCleggBradley team, led by Sam Tyler, has focussed on
creating a development which draws upon the dramatic landscape
of Belfast and the surrounding countryside and the historic streets of
Belfast.
The Design Process
Royal Avenue
Donegall St
The two main city grids intersect at the GBD Site
Belfast City Grids
The Georgian Grid & Victorian Grid
Heading
Concept Diagram connecting city grid to landscape
Belfast - Landscape & City
Concept Sketches
Sketch Building Section ( North / South ) – Showing key circulation & main internal /external spaces
Greater Belfast Development
Concept Sketches
Sketch Building Section – ( East / West )
Greater Belfast Development
The Implications for the City
• The University is relocating the bulk of the activity on its largest
campus, Jordanstown to Belfast city centre.
• During the course of a full day that will mean 14,000 people –
12,500 students and 1,500 staff – will be using the facility every day.
• They will be studying in a world class 21st century educational
facility.
• The new Belfast campus will offer an opportunity to reconnect the
city centre with communities to the north, west, east and south.
• Linking in with other developments in the Cathedral Quarter,
Harbour and Titanic Quarter, the development offers an opportunity
to regenerate, reshape and re-imagine the city in terms of the way it
does business, its cultural and tourism offering, its transport links.
The Challenge
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Working with Regional and City Government
Developing and marketing the Learning City
Nurturing talent
Reaching out to and including Communities
Maximising Commercial and Cultural Opportunities
Delivering the Right Transport Links
Reclaiming the Streets, Open Space and Going Back to
the Future
• Connecting with the world