By Richard Kennedy
This article is featured in Volume 34. Issue 5 of Perspective magazine, to purchase a copy click here.
Arriving into Belfast’s Grand Central after two long-haul flights, I had completed 20+ hours of travelling back from Tokyo. I rushed, bleary-eyed, through town and across the Lagan Weir Footbridge towards the Queen’s Quay Kiosk, better known to most as the home of Native Coffee. Luckily it was still open and I was helped out of my jet-lagged state by one of their beautifully crafted caffeinated beverages. Luckier still, I was just on time for my meeting with Chris Upson, who along with Dr. Rachel O’Grady (both of OGU Architects) and Fearghal Murray and Garreth McMahon (MMAS), designed and delivered the structure that we now stood under. Or is it within? I’m not sure which, perhaps a bit of both.
I first noticed the kiosk from the bottom of High Street, just past Custom House Square, its five pitched yellow canopies piercing the grey horizontal band of the M3 flyover. The canopies step subtly, their deliberate misalignment helping to break the perceived scale of the kiosk. Further into the distance one of the Harland & Wolff cranes perfectly frames the kiosk below, its famously yellow hue looking slightly dull by comparison.
Crossing the bridge and making a left turn, the opacity of the kiosk changes. Approaching from the gable end, you are invited through six reddish/brown corten steel frames forming a three by five bay grid. The cruciform profiling of the structure creates a slender edge detail, giving it a beautifully crafted feel. Structural engineers, Design ID, deserve credit for this. Two solid forms neatly slot into the left and right bays, leaving the centre free as a route through. One, housing everything that Native’s cafe requires to function, the other, more flexible, hosting a range of functions as and when required. These solid forms make up 20% of the footprint (at most), the remainder is essentially a continuation of the public realm.
Although the kiosk sits so comfortably here, the initial site was Castle Place in Belfast’s city centre. The River Farset, from which Beal Feirste got its name, allowed ships to deliver goods into the city via what we now recognise as High Street. In 1848 the river was buried underground and has remained out of sight. This formed the initial inspiration for the large canopies, akin to ships’ sails once docked along High Street. Planning objections from a nearby retail store meant the site was relocated to Queen’s Quay, or downstream to where the Farset meets the Lagan. The maritime-inspired canopies are just as relevant here.
Queen’s Quay is the site of an old east Belfast railway terminal that served stations across County Down until 1976. The kiosk’s intricate corten steel framing pays homage to the steel trusses of the old terminal. Where rail once met maritime, the kiosk remembers and celebrates two forgotten parts of life in Belfast. Unfortunately, the sharp whirring sounds of cars on the M3 above does not allow the mind to ponder this for long.
Architects have always had to grapple with a lack of control over their masterpieces once they are handed over post-completion. This is not the case here and Native should be praised for their part in the success of the project. The space continues to blend with the public realm seamlessly; you do not need to be clutching a latte to stop at Native. They work hard to fulfil the potential for flexibility provided by the adaptability of the architecture. On any given day the space could be hosting a DJ, an acoustic set, a run club, or an art exhibition. When Bakari’s Cathedral Quarter bakery suddenly burnt down earlier this year, Native gave them a space to sell their produce and get back on their feet. The lines of ownership are as blurred as the physical boundaries, creating a real sense of togetherness.
One disappointment would be the shiny galvanised steel bolts that clash with the corten structure which it secures. However, it adds to the ‘meccano kit’ feel of the structure and highlights the ease in which it could be deconstructed and moved elsewhere if required. In addition, the thresholds could have been more playful. The canopies, which initially draw you in, could perhaps have fallen even further to form a curtain and create an increased sense of enclosure on the inside and intrigue from the outside. Finally, although The Terry Bradley artwork hanging throughout is perfectly suited to the industrial aesthetic, the space could be given to a rotation of lesser-known local artists.
That being said, the finer details of design is immaterial to the overall impact of the architecture. OGU and MMAS pride themselves on pushing boundaries. They have certainly introduced a much needed temporary or meanwhile architecture to Belfast. As large-scale projects continue to take longer to be fully realised and large urban sites remain vacant, something must fill that void of time and place. In the same way that Queen’s Quay kiosk provides young businesses with a space to fail, i.e. a chance to try with limited risk, vacant sites provide architects with a similar opportunity: a chance to experiment with the built form. These interventions can provide a temporary focal point, bringing life and, crucially, a sense of safety to otherwise dreary and intimidating corners of any urban environment. This type of architecture, however small, makes an impact beyond measure.
Client: Belfast City Council with Maritime Trust
Architects and Project Management: MMAS & OGU Architects
Structural Engineer: Design ID
Quantity Surveyor: WH Stephens
M+E: SCC
Operator: Native Coffee
Funding: Department for Communities
Contractor + Fabricator: Fabrite
Photography: Joe Laverty
