The Bar Library
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Portland Basebed, Whitbed, Roach & Blue
Natural Stone Awards 2004: New Build (Traditional), Commended Interiors, Highly Commended
- Architect/Designer: Robinson McIlwaine
- Client: The Bar Council
- Main Contractor: Gilbert Ash NI
- Stone Contractor: S McConnell & Sons
- Material: Portland Basebed, Whitbed, Roach & Blue
Judge's Comments: "The exterior of this building has an excellent array of stone cladding, beautifully but simply detailed. The 'L' shape corner blocks, for example, give a strength to the return ends and there is an attractive Roach bed Portland Stone panel, the obverse of which is visible internally. The principle staircase has been made into a beautiful feature by carefully polishing the Portland Blue Stone. All the work has been executed to a high standard...."
This is a new development on the site of the old teriety Market of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The selection of stone was made simple by the desire to pay respect to the adjacent Royal Courts of Justice (completed in 1932 in Portland Limestone).
Adapting the scale and proportions of the adjacent building, the new Bar Library Headquarters uses contrasting planes of Portland Stone, blue engineering brick and glass to create a sculptural form that complements and contrasts with its neighbour. The entire form is capped by a shallow pitched roof that oversails the parapet.
A visit to the Quarry resulted in a palette of Portland Stone being, used throughout the building - Basebed for the solid planes of white contrasting with Roach and Whitbed for more detailed work.
The interior was treated as an extension of the exterior with the planes of Portland Limestone returning into the building where possible, creating an illusion that the building was created from a series of boxes, There is a feature wall occupying the corner to the adjacent courts building. It is constructed from Portland Roach with a design based on Leonardo da Vinci's Vitnivian Man.
Polished Portland Blue has been used for floors and, with Portland Whitbed stairs, as a feature that 'unpeels' as wall lining ascending the stairs. The creamy veins in the blue stone made it an ideal complement to the other Portland Stones used.