Buildings at 'Pilot Construction Ltd.'

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Collection of three varied single storey builder’s yard Belfast Truss roofed buildings, probably of differing dates stretching possibly from c.1920 to c.1940. The yard is set on the N side of Candahar Street, off Ormeau Road, to the S of Belfast city centre.

Building 1
Building 1 is a long single storey rectangular building measuring roughly 24m x 9. The building backs on to the yard walls of houses to the E side and to the N and S it is abutted by other buildings within the yard, so only the long W elevation is exposed. This elevation consists of a full length row of steel framed windows, with a concrete block base and an area of corrugated metal and corrugated Perspex above window level and timber piers interspersed along the whole length. The curved roof appears to be covered in corrugated metal with several central roof lights. This building is used as a joiners’ workshop.

Building 2
This building lies directly to the N of Building 1 and measures roughly 19m x 9.7. It also backs on to the yard walls of house to the E. To the W the building is open to the left hand side with a timber door and large metal-framed window to the right hand side. The N gable (which could not be seen in its entirety) appears to be in render with the uppermost third in corrugated metal. The curved roof is covered in corrugated metal also.

Building 3
This building lies to the W side of the yard. It is the largest of the three in terms of height and width, but was originally somewhat longer, a portion to the N side having been demolished at some point. The building now measures roughly 11.8m x 11.5.

The N gable is clad in an untidy patchwork of corrugated metal and is devoid of openings. A Belfast Truss is exposed on the this gable (due to the fact that it was to this side that part of the building was demolished). To the E the building backs on to a neighbouring structure. The W elevation (which could only be seen from a distance) has a series of very tall mullioned and transomed windows to left and centre with a large full-height vehicle opening to right. The S gable backs on to a wall with only its corrugated metal clad uppermost portion exposed.

The curved roof is covered in corrugated metal. This building is in very poor condition.

Historical information

The buildings in this yard appear to be of varying date. Building 3 may be the earliest, perhaps dating from c.1920, however Buildings 1 and 2 have the appearance of being more recent, perhaps c.1930s-40s.

The Belfast truss was developed in the mid-nineteenth century to meet the demand for efficient, lightweight and long span roofs brought about by the industrial revolution. A detailed description of the historical development of the Belfast truss is included in the record for HB18/08/139. In brief, the first known reference to a curved wooden felted roof structure supported by bowstring girders is in an advertisement in the Dublin Builder for 1866 by the Belfast firm of felt-makers, McTear & Co. McTear’s continued making trusses until they went out of business in 1908.

A second Belfast felt supplier, Anderson & Co., began to produce trusses, to a slightly different design, in 1886. In 1896, Anderson’s launched their Mk II version; promoted as maximising long spans whilst maintaining light weight. This model was subsequently used by other companies, and is referred to by historians as the Belfast truss, although this term is widely used to apply to all timber bowstring trusses where the internal bracing members meet not on the bottom of the truss as was the convention but on the top curved member.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Collection of three varied single storey builder’s yard Belfast Truss roofed buildings, probably of differing dates stretching possibly from c.1920 to c.1940. Unremarkable examples of the Belfast Roof genre at best the largest of these three buildings has been partly demolished.

General comments

Surveyed as part of the Belfast Roof Truss survey.