Hamilton Architects have submitted a planning application for the refurbishment of Leslie Morrell House on May Street, Belfast.
Situated adjacent to the practice’s Belfast office and located within the Linen conservation area, the site comprises approximately 2,200sqm of internal space.
The project will transform and amalgamate the existing office space and the disused adjoining corner building into a new consolidated headquarters for Choice Housing Ireland Ltd.
The design concept supports this vision by introducing natural materials and muted tones to create a warm, welcoming environment to ensure staff, tenants and visitors feel at ease.
A key design element is the new atrium that has been ‘excavated’ within the three-storey corner building and will serve as a central hub. A contorted feature staircase supports natural movement vertically within the building, open sightlines and encourage interaction and collaboration among staff.
The project has high sustainability aspirations, targeting BREEAM Excellent accreditation for refurbishment and fit-out. Emphasis has been placed on the reduction of demolition, reuse and the introduction of low embodied carbon materials. The external envelope will be thermally upgraded with a new contemporary roof system installed and onsite low carbon energy generation has been considered.
