Sheds beside Hamilton Road

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.

This is a large rectangular metal clad industrial shed constructed in the 1980s.

To the north façade is a large centrally placed sliding door. Walls are clad in a composite metal cladding with clear ‘window’ panels. The roof is also metal clad is formed with a series of ‘northlights.

The writers were not given access to the east face.

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 the 1980s.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large late twentieth century industrial shed of little architectural interest..