The
Waterfront Hall is a concert hall and exhibition centre in Belfast
, Northern
Ireland
, designed by local architects' firm Robinson
McIlwaine. Practice partner Peter McGukin was the project
architect.
The hall is located in Lanyon Place, the flagship development of
the
Laganside Corporation. The
development is named after the architect
Charles Lanyon. Planning for the building
began 1989, with the hall being completed in 1997 for the sum of
£32 million.
The main circular Auditorium seats 2,241 and
is based on the Berlin Philharmonic Hall
designed by Hans
Scharoun. However the flexible design of the Auditorium
allows the stalls seating to be moved to create a larger arena. The
smaller adjoining Studio seats 380. The dome of the building is
coated in copper.
This is so the exterior will eventually turn
green and reflect the dome of Belfast City Hall
and other Victorian buildings in the city
centre
. The building also contains bars and a
restaurant.
In 2002, the hall was voted the second best conference centre in
the world in the Apex Awards.
A 2006 socio-economic impact study
commissioned by Belfast City Council
found that the hall had generated £10 for the city
for every £1 spent on operational costs.
Notable events
During their 2002 tour in promotion of their album
Right Now, famous pop
trio
Atomic Kitten recorded their
Right Here, Right
Now DVD in the auditorium The hall is a key venue for the
Belfast Festival at
Queen's and for concerts given by the
Ulster Orchestra. Other acts to appear at
the venue include
Girls Aloud,
Sophie Ellis-Bextor,
Sugababes,
James
Morrison,
Status Quo,
Mel C,
Dannii Minogue
and
Charlie Landsborough.
Paolo Nutini,
The
Script,
Charley Pride,
Paul Potts and
Will
Young are also scheduled to give concerts there in 2009. Mika
is also scheduled to give concerts there in Feb 2010. Many plays
take place every year in the 350 seated capacity studio, including
Operas and Pantomimes.
External links
Wikis
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