Perspectives on Design in Cathedral Quarter

Cathedral Quarter Steering Group, in conjunction with PLACE, are coordinating this forum to debate design issues as they pertain to Cathedral Quarter, and to look at best practice in other cities familiar with culture led regeneration. The format will include presentations on relevant work elsewhere followed by a panel discussion. We would be pleased if you could join us for the debate.
9th March 2010, 11am – 2pm
Belfast Exposed Gallery, 23 Donegall St, Belfast
Admission: Free
Enquiries – email: p.freedman@belfastcentre.com

Chair: Michael Hegarty, Architect & PLACE Director

Panelists:
Liza Fior – Architect, muf architecture + art, London
Barrie Todd – Architect, Belfast & Chair of Ministerial Advisory Group
Liz Davidson – Director Glasgow Townscape Heritage Initiative and Glasgow Merchant City
Peter Hunter – Architect, London, advisor to DSD

The narrow streets and idiosyncratic buildings of Cathedral Quarter hark back to the birth of Belfast and the subsequent history of its emergence as a centre of commerce and industry. Just as it did in earlier stages of the city’s growth, Cathedral Quarter today hosts some of Belfast’s most exciting new developments. What current and emerging policies will protect the creativity, history and heritage of the area while at the same time allowing for new developments and contemporary architecture?

About the panel
Liza Fior, Architect and founding director of muf architecture/art plp – a collaborative of artists, architects and urban designers based in London, specialising in the design of urban public realm to facilitate appropriation by users. In 2008, muf was awarded the 5th European Prize for Urban Public Space for their town square project in Barking. In 2001, muf received an RSA Art & Architecture Award for their Camden Arts Centre project. Liza and muf will represent the UK at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2010. Her work is focussed on culture-led regeneration and the interface between the arts and the city.

Prof. Barrie Todd MBE is a retired architect who established his own practice in 1976 with offices in Belfast, London and Dublin. He was one of the original group of people who saw potential for the creative regeneration of Cathedral Quarter and supported that by relocating his practice. His work includes a number of award winning buildings. He is a past president of the RSUA and was founding chairperson of PLACE. He is the Chair of the N.Ireland Ministerial Advisory Group on Architecture and the Built Environment (DCAL).

Liz Davidson is currently the Project Director of the Merchant City Townscape Heritage Initiative – a multi-agency urban regeneration programme which seeks to address the issues of declining physical, economic and environmental performance in the historic heart of the City of Glasgow.

Peter Hunter is an architect based in London. Peter initiated the Laganside project in 1985 and has been involved in other waterside development schemes throughout the UK.

Michael Hegarty, Director of PLACE, is an architect who established his practice Hegarty Architects in Derry in 1997 and received an RSA Art & Architecture Award in 2001. His work has explored urban repair, collaboration across disciplines and community participation. PLACE is the Architecture & Built Environment Centre for Northern Ireland.