Offices beside Building Dock at

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The building is orientated west north west to east south east. For the purposes of this report the west north west façade will be referred to as the west façade and all others named accordingly.

A long rectangular two storey administration, constructed in red brick in c.1900. This building, although considerably smaller it is designed in a style similar to that of the main administration building on Queens Road.

To the right of the west façade is the main entrance door. The original door opening has been partly bricked up and a modern timber door with a glazed panel added. To the right are four segmental arch-headed window openings with prominent red sandstone keystone and each with a one over one sash timber frame. The window second from right has had the lower sash removed and a hatch added. To the first floor are a further five evenly spaced windows. The south façade has doors and windows arranged door, five windows, door and seven windows while to the first floor there are fifteen evenly spaced windows as before. The north façade is similar however the ground floor east side of this face has been substantially rebuilt.

The writers were not given access to the east face.

The façade is constructed in dark red brick with a slightly projecting base course, Ground and first floor windows rest on a sill course and there is a similar projecting course between the two floors. Heads to the first floor windows are in red sandstone these extend around the building in a smooth band. The roof is finished with natural slate and has cast iron rainwater goods.

Historical information

Evolving from a small shipbuilding company owner by Robert Hickson, Harland and Wolff officially came into being on the 11th of April 1861 with the signing of a formal partnership between Edward Harland and Gustav Wolff. . The company steadily rose in size and strength to the mid 20th century when it employed some 65,000 men in plants throughout the UK; at the time it was known as ‘Shipbuilders to the World’.
In the later half of the 20th century the focus of shipbuilding steadily moved to the away from the UK. In an attempt to remain competitive, in the late 1960s Harland and Wolff undertook a bold redevelopment programme which included the construction of two large bridge cranes, a huge dry dock and two large industrial workshops.
The cranes were designed and constructed by Krupp a German heavy engineering manufacturer. It is ironic to note that during WWII Krupp manufactured munitions for the war German effort. A small part of those efforts were directed against the Belfast ship yards during a number of air raids. Some 25 years after the end of the conflict Krupp came to Belfast to build these magnificent new cranes.

This building was constructed in c.1900 as an administration building in the centre of the construction area.. Its original function is unclear.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey brick built administration building, with little architectural interest.